The government has stepped up its campaign against questionable freight forwarders as thousands of long-delayed balikbayan boxes continue to move out of customs warehouses.
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) issued a public advisory warning overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families not to transact with cargo companies linked to the mishandling and abandonment of shipments bound for the Philippines. The agency specifically identified MAKATI EXPRESS CARGO and urged the public to refrain from engaging with the firm, including any of its foreign-based partners or affiliates.
The DMW said the warning was meant to safeguard OFWs from possible illegal activities and to prevent further losses involving undelivered boxes sent to loved ones. The department is coordinating with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in addressing complaints tied to abandoned shipments.
At the same time, authorities are working to clear the accumulated backlog. On 18 February 2026, the Department of Finance (DOF) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) began releasing the final batch of long-delayed balikbayan boxes, starting with distributions at the Port of Manila and continuing with deliveries across the country. That phase came after an earlier rollout that started on 18 December 2025, when 68 containers containing around 20,944 boxes were processed as part of the clearing operations.
Weeks before the latest distribution began, the BOC announced on 24 January 2026 that it aimed to complete the delivery of thousands of stalled shipments within roughly 60 days. Customs officials have also indicated that tighter oversight measures are being put in place to prevent similar incidents from recurring.
Among the proposed safeguards are stricter accreditation requirements for freight forwarders and a policy requiring them to post cash bonds, which may be forfeited in cases where shipments are not properly delivered.
The DMW likewise urged OFWs and their families to regularly check the status and accreditation of their chosen consolidators with the Bureau of Customs before sending packages to the Philippines.
Source: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1366311608847891&set=a.300935645385498