BOC Completes Delivery of All Abandoned Boxes at Port of Manila and Port of Davao; 25,818 Balikbayan Boxes Delivered Nationwide

DOF Secretary Frederick D. Go (right) and BOC Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno (left) lead the media huddle at the Balikbayan Box Distribution in Cebu City.

The Department of Finance (DOF) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) announced significant progress in the delivery of abandoned Balikbayan Boxes during the distribution held at the Port of Cebu on 24 March 2026.

The DOF and BOC reported that the delivery of all boxes abandoned and left by freight forwarders at the Port of Manila and Port of Davao has been completed, with a total of 25,818 boxes delivered nationwide as of 23 March 2026. The operation is part of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive to accelerate the release and delivery of shipments abandoned by freight forwarders at various ports.

In his message, Frederick D. Go stressed that the hard-earned packages sent by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to their families must not be neglected.

"Patuloy ang Bureau of Customs at ang Department of Finance, kasama ang DMW, sa pagtulong para maibalik ang mga abandoned boxes sa mga pamilya. Hindi natin hahayaan na maloko ang ating mga OFW. Sisiguraduhin ng gobyerno na protektado ang kanilang pinaghirapang padala," said Secretary Go.

He underscored the government's duty to ensure that every box reaches OFW families and that those responsible for abuses are held accountable. He added that agencies continue to coordinate to expedite the completion of all deliveries.

Meanwhile, Commissioner Ariel F. Nepomuceno said that the BOC prioritizes the speedy delivery of remaining boxes. He announced that completing deliveries at the Manila and Davao Ports is an important achievement and demonstrates that the large-scale operation is progressing properly. He also assured that the BOC will focus on the MICP and Port of Cebu to complete all remaining deliveries.

Based on the latest data, 13,842 boxes have been delivered in Cebu, 8,475 in MICP, 2,699 in Subic, 732 in Davao, and 70 at the Port of Manila. There are still 15,084 boxes scheduled for delivery, mostly from MICP (14,487) and some from Cebu (498).

The distribution in Cebu this Tuesday marked the final stage of delivering the remaining Balikbayan Boxes that passed through and were abandoned at the Port of Cebu. Secretary Go and Commissioner Nepomuceno led the distribution to 30 OFWs and their families.

Meanwhile, many families felt relief after finally receiving their shipments. The DOF and BOC reaffirmed that distribution continues and that the remaining deliveries will be closely monitored. The public, especially OFWs, are advised to use only legitimate freight forwarding companies to prevent similar problems in the future.

The government promised that it will not stop until all remaining Balikbayan Boxes are delivered to OFWs and their families.