How to Send balikbayan box to the Philippines


Sending balikbayan box household items, food, and clothing to loved ones in the Philippines can sometimes be challenging since it may or may not be available in your area or the country you are in.

If you are sending balikbayan boxes to the Philippines, this is an important information. There are balikbayan companies who have been blacklisted by the Philippine Shipper’s Bureau - DTI because of undelivered boxes and other violations. To learn more of the list (as of Oct 25, 2012)  in your respective countries, click here. 

This has long been a tradition for Filipinos who live outside the Philippines. If you just married a Filipino or Filipina, don’t be surprised that they fill these boxes and send it home to their families. It is a Filipino tradition that whenever someone in the family is better off, they would share their wealth however big or small it may be. It’s just one of those things and it is a tradition. You just have to understand it.

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So how do you get these balikbayan (buh-lik-buh-yun) boxes? Most major cities with major Filipino populations have these services. You can either find a balikbayan cargo box agent, Filipino store, Filipino restaurant who resells these services. You either buy the box and then once you are ready to send it, they deduct the amount of the box to the shipping cost. Most of the time the balikbayan cargo dealers give it for free as long as you send the box through their company.

You can also buy a box from one or any balikbayan box dealer or forwarder and send it through another balikbayan cargo dealer. Most of them will accept the box as long as it’s the same dimensions. What does it look like? Here’s some of them:

Contents can look this way packed:

Talking about the dimensions of the box, you cannot just purchase a box from Walmart, Officemax, or any department store. You can buy it a packing company or store as long as it has the same dimensions as what is required. They will not take it if it’s out of dimensions unless you have prior arrangements with them. Balikbayan cargo dealers have their own dimensions for the box because they pack the 20 or 40-foot container the way they like in a certain way.

 

So what goes in the balikbayan box? Per the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry, these are the items that DO NOT go in the boxes:

1. currencies, checks, money orders and travelers checks
2. jewelries
3. firearms, ammunitions and explosives
4. prohibited drugs and substances
5. pornographic materials, gambling cards and toy guns
6. pirated products i.e. cd, tapes, etc
 Also, DTI recommends the following:
Send your boxes only with PSB-accredited sea cargo consolidator / freight forwarder companies. These companies normally have Philippine counterparts which must have an accreditation from the Department of Trade and Industry’s Philippine Shippers’ Bureau (DTI-PSB) if by sea or from Civil Aeronautics Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) if by air.
Senders may verify the company name of Philippine seafreight forwarder counterpart at www.dti.gov.ph under the Consumer Welfare and Regulation section or thru our Philippine Consulate Office abroad.
Here’s the current list of Balikbayan Dealers, as of October 25, 2012 who are Blacklisted by the Philippine Shipper’s Bureau due to non-delivery of boxes:
United States of America (USA)

1. AAA Cargo Express Inc.
2. ABS-CBN Star Kargo
3. Aerosend
4. Alas Cargo
5. Associated Consolidations Express (ACE Cargo)
6. FRS Philippine Freight Services, Inc.
7. Shipping Express
8. South Atlantic Cargo

As of Feb 8, 2013, here’s the list of Balikbayan Cargo dealers in the United States who are under investigation for undelivered boxes or other violations:

1. AAA Cargo Express Inc.
2. ABS-CBN Star Kargo
3. Aerosend
4. Associated Consolidations Express (ACE Cargo)
5. FRS Philippine Freight Services, Inc.
6. Pentagon Cargo, Inc
7. REN International
8. Shipping Express
9. South Atlantic Cargo
10. Star Xpress Forwarders

 If you really want to believe this violations:   click here  to download the current list

For other countries: click here and download the current list

More on shipping the boxes …

• Declare your shipment by accomplishing a detailed packing list stating all the contents of your box and value of shipment, per item if possible, as well as your preferred shipping date. Ask for proper (or extraordinary, if needed) packing, wrapping, strapping, sealing and labeling of your box.

• Secure transport documents such as cargo receipt (or Official Receipt) for fees paid, and Bill of Lading – a document issued by a transportation carrier to the shipper as proof that they have received the shipment of goods and have placed them on board a particular vessel for delivery to a particular destination. It also states the terms in which the received goods are to be carried.
• Get the name and contact details of the forwarder’s agent in the Philippines. Be sure that these information are indicated in the transport document and/or receipt.
• Monitor the movement of your cargo from origin to destination to make sure it is being shipped and delivered. You may inquire for a tracking scheme or continuously contact the forwarding company. You may ask them to provide you details such as the name of shipping line, vessel’s name, voyage number, container number, and expected time of departure and arrival of your package.
• Inform your consignee to check your cargo with the Philippine agent even before it arrives. When it does, make sure to inspect the seal and wrapping of the box before signing the receipt of delivery. If you feel it has been tampered with, do not receive the box and ask the delivery agent to have it double-checked.
• If you encounter pilferage or lost item, much worst non-delivery, file an immediate claim or complaint with the freight forwarder’s customer service. You may also lodge your complaint directly to the Philippine Shippers’ Bureau at 2F DTI Bldg., 361 Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City or call the DTI-Direct Hotline (02) 751-3330.

 

  

196 Comments on How to Send balikbayan box to the Philippines

  1. KENJI // May 1, 2015 at 4:09 pm // Reply

    MABUHAY!
    Kumusta po kayo?
    …Meron po ba’ng mga legit na Cargo/Freight forwarder dito sa Billings, Montana??

    Thanks!

  2. Tess // April 26, 2015 at 10:05 pm // Reply

    Hi Maam/Sir good day…
    I want to ask you..kng mron kayong balik bayan box from Morocco to philippines… can you help me please ..thanks

    Tess

  3. jack davis // April 23, 2015 at 1:50 am // Reply

    Why is it so hard to find a balikbayan box and shipper in Hawaii. I have been trying for four days. I have the phone number of Pinoy Cargo, but after leaving 4 messages and no return e-mail, I am still looking. Please help me if you can. I am hearing impaired and must use the Internet for communication.

  4. mike // April 19, 2015 at 6:49 pm // Reply

    How long does it take for a balikbayan box to be delivered from Seattle to Philippines?
    Forex is our forwarder…

  5. Dhee McKinley // April 17, 2015 at 3:09 pm // Reply

    I need to ship a box to metro Manila I’m in Dayton Ohio. Is there a shipping company close by? Thank you.

  6. jev Sheba // April 17, 2015 at 12:31 pm // Reply

    I’m from Virginia, and I just wanna ask if you know how much is the regular price per balikbayan boxes to ship in the Philippines? Is LBC safe to send our balikbayan boxes?

  7. Andrea // April 11, 2015 at 4:46 pm // Reply

    Hi, is there a cargo here in fort knox kentucky?

    • admin // May 13, 2015 at 2:06 pm // Reply

      There’s one in Indiana. You may have to drive it to them. BTW, I went to Bradley School at Ft Knox years ago. Met some good people there. Salamat.

  8. Leslie Brown // April 11, 2015 at 11:07 am // Reply

    I will like to order Boxes

  9. Mon W. // April 4, 2015 at 7:58 am // Reply

    Can I send my mom’s prescription medication to Luzon area? She has 5 different prescriptions (for diabetes, cholesterol, and anxiety) in 7 different bottles.
    Thanks a bunch!

    • admin // May 13, 2015 at 2:34 pm // Reply

      Mon, I would check with the shipping services if you are able to do that. Those are prescription medication and require a different type of approval or process.

  10. Susana Quinn // March 27, 2015 at 4:08 pm // Reply

    I live in Springfield, Massachusetts.I could not find any balikbayan box forwarder in the area. Can you please recommend a name of balikbayan box forwarder around Massachusetts? Thanks.

    • admin // May 13, 2015 at 2:38 pm // Reply

      Hi Susana, please try yung Hartford CT area. Meron sila dun. You may have to drive there or ask if they are able to pick it up from your place. Maraming Salamat po. theFilipino.com

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