ICONIC is the image of the “balikbayan” box — that big, rectangular carton box that contains cans of Spam, Vienna sausages, chocolates; corned beef, pork and beans, cotton buds; clothes and curtains new and old; baseball caps and summer hats. I was an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) for many years, and I always had this box in my room. I slowly filled it up with the items mentioned above every pay day, or when there was a sale, and sent it home across the sea.
But what happens when the boxes unfortunately don’t reach their destination? When the cargo forwarder, already paid by the OFW and trusted to bring home the manna from heaven, does not deliver? The boxes languish in the Bureau of Customs (BOC) for as long as two years, until someone has the bright idea to tap government funds to send the boxes home.
And that is what happened last week, on a sweltering afternoon in the gymnasium of the BOC in Cebu City. Thirty families in Cebu finally received their long-awaited balikbayan boxes as the BOC and Department of Finance (DOF) vowed to complete deliveries at the Port of Cebu by the end of the month.
This is part of a nationwide operation that has returned 25,818 abandoned boxes. Last March 24, 2026, Finance Secretary Frederick Go and Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno led the ceremonial turnover of the abandoned boxes to their intended beneficiaries at the Cebu Port Authority Sports Complex in the North Reclamation Area.
The distribution in Cebu marked the final stage of returning shipments abandoned by freight forwarders, with 13,842 boxes delivered locally. Go said it is the government’s duty to protect the hard-earned packages of overseas Filipino workers.
“Patuloy ang Bureau of Customs at ang Department of Finance, kasama ang DMW (Department of Migrant Workers), sa pagtulong para maibalik ang mga abandoned boxes sa mga pamilya. Hindi natin hahayaan na maloko ang ating mga OFW,” Go said.
Nepomuceno said that while the agency has completed deliveries at the Port of Manila and Port of Davao, it has pledged to prioritize the remaining boxes at Cebu ports until they are fully delivered. Currently, 498 boxes in Cebu are still scheduled for distribution.
Go and Nepomuceno advised OFWs, their families and the public to transact only with legitimate freight forwarding companies to avoid future delays or losses. “If it is too good to be true, then it is not true,” Go said.
Nepomuceno said the BOC had posted on its website a list of accredited companies with proven track records, while warning the public against 11 firms identified as being involved in the alleged fraud. The DOF and BOC said criminal complaints would be filed against the 11 firms in the coming weeks. The agencies will also go after freight forwarders based outside the country.
Go said this would serve as a warning to other freight forwarding companies to avoid similar fraudulent practices. He was the one who went to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and suggested that the government fund the delivery of the abandoned balikbayan boxes so they could finally reach their intended destinations — and beneficiaries.
Go was an honors student of management engineering at Ateneo de Manila University when I was teaching there. He later worked as a writer and editor for the business section of The Manila Times when I was there as the managing editor of The Sunday Times Magazine. I was fortunate to attend an event where he delivered a concise speech before a group of leaders in the insurance industry.
Some of the positive economic data he mentioned in that speech two months ago had been altered by the fallout from the war in the Middle East. But some facts might still hold true.
Go said that the Philippines had tamed inflation and controlled it at just 1.7 percent last year. Our fiscal discipline earned us a credit rating upgrade and a series of affirmations. We continue to receive triple B+ and A- credit ratings, with stable and positive investment-grade marks from major international agencies like Moody’s and Fitch Ratings.
Moreover, government policies to promote investments are in place. The Create More Act offers up to 40 years of fiscal and nonfiscal incentives. Our new Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Code bolsters greater public-private sector participation.
The Investors’ Lease Act extends lease terms from 50 to 99 years, giving non-Filipinos an option to secure land for investments. And the Accelerated and Reformed Right-of-Way act helps push critical infrastructure projects forward.
Another area ripe with potential is our workforce. He is proud of our young and talented demographic, which is one of our greatest assets. By investing in education and skills development, we can foster a workforce that is not only highly employable but also adaptable to the changing needs of the global economy.
What are the reforms being implemented by Go at the DOF? They have started a comprehensive tax reform agenda, aimed at enhancing our tax collection efficiency and broadening our tax base. This reform is crucial not only for generating revenue to fund vital social programs and infrastructure investments. It is also important to create a fairer tax system that uplifts the lives of the poor.
The DOF and the BOC also suspended all field audits and other related operations, including the issuance of letters of authority (LOAs) and mission orders on Nov. 24, 2025. They are now working to digitize and institutionalize a data-driven, audit selection process for LOAs. They will leverage an automated, risk-based modeling system to minimize discretion and strengthen accountability. The time for abusive and arbitrary audits is past. This will close the door to corruption, which is the fight of our times.
Digitalization is also the key at the BOC, to make trade faster, simpler and more efficient. The National Single Window Integrated Trade Facilitation Platform was signed last December. This new platform consolidates all trade requirements into a single digital portal. This cuts red tape, reduces delays and lowers costs. The days when you ran from one agency to another is gone, because everything that businesses need are now accessible in one place.
Countries that have implemented a national single window have seen a dramatic improvement in clearance times, export competitiveness and increase in government tax revenues. That day has also come to the Philippines, at last.
Furthermore, our Public-Private Partnership Code makes participation in our flagship infrastructure projects easier, faster and more predictable. Go said that our three major projects were the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the New Bohol International Airport and the Laguindingan International Airport. When the government first said that they would privatize the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, nobody believed them. Today, they have done three international airports in the first half of the Marcos administration.
Several flagship projects are available for PPPs. At the last Economic Development Council, we just approved P105.7-billion PPP for public-school buildings to close the classroom gap and give better learning opportunities for the youth. Altogether, these investments will expand access to education and health care, ease daily commutes and build a more connected Philippines.
Not just words, then, but also deeds.