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How the Bureau of Customs Spoiled the Fun

I participated in a group contest with WOMWorld and teamed up with 3 other tech bloggers from Sri Lanka, Singapore and Australia to figure out a code from clues individually sent to us. We each got a sealed box delivered via DHL.

I was monitoring the tracking logs from the DHL website and saw that the box arrived by evening of Sunday. I figured it should be home by Monday morning or afternoon. There were some delays according to the logs and I got a bit concerned. It finally arrived this morning after being cleared by Customs.

Yugatech 728x90 Reno7 Series

The box is made of hard transparent plastic with a 4-digit lock. You can clearly see the Nokia E72 inside but we still need to figure out the code in order to unlock the box.

Each of the 4 team members also get a clue so we can all figure out the 4-digit code. Unfortunately, I no longer needed the code to get inside the box. Customs has forcibly opened it for me.

Obviously, the inspectors at the Bureau of Customs got very curious about the Nokia E72 despite the fact that they can clearly see what’s inside the transparent box. They just need to closely inspect the items.

So there you go — no more code-breaking for me, thanks to the people at Customs.

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Avatar for Abe Olandres

Abe is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of YugaTech with over 20 years of experience in the technology industry. He is one of the pioneers of blogging in the country and considered by many as the Father of Tech Blogging in the Philippines. He is also a technology consultant, a tech columnist with several national publications, resource speaker and mentor/advisor to several start-up companies.

159 Responses

  1. Avatar for rsgoldjw rsgoldjw says:

    very good, it’s very useful to me, thank you very much!

  2. Avatar for sageguruamos sageguruamos says:

    tell nokia that you are still in the game. the code was not breached, tampered, whatever. it is code-busting not container-smashing. customs were just doing their jobs.

  3. Avatar for miron miron says:

    sir ramon, my sister sent me a gift coming from london. she shipped it thru fedex. however, when i tracked the delivery it stated that there was a delay since i need to pay the import tax. i asked my sister in london reagrding the terms of her contract with fedex there and she told me that fedex never told her about the import duties and taxes that she should pay. all they did was to ask her to declare the value of the goods. i was enraged when i learned of the amount of the import tax because i felt and truly believed that she was deceived. she later on called fedex in london and asked them regarding the import taxes imposed here in our country and their only response was that they are not aware of the Philippines (how stupid are they notto know about that – almost every country imposes an import tax). moreover, the receipt states that it is them that will shoulder the import taxes. however, they told her that it does not contain an importer’s number hence I as the consignee should shoulder the taxes. i’ve read in your previous comments about declaring it as a gift. my problem is that my sister never declared it when she shipped the package. is it still possible for me to use it as an argument even though my sister was not able to declare it? what other options can I avail? hoping to hear from your reply soon. i’m in a limbo right now. more so my sister,who only wanted to make me happy in my birthday.thank you in advance

  4. Avatar for sar sar says:

    hi..me again. Does anyone have any idea if steamed and peeled bananas are allowed on the check in baggage on the int’l flights? how about bottled (plastic)juice?..pls., thanks!!

  5. Avatar for Claire Claire says:

    Good day Sir Ramon. I would like to query about something. My bf will send me a used iPhone as a gift for valentine’s day. I’ve read that it’ll be taxed even if declared as gift?? Because the first time he sent me a package as a gift for my birthday,the guy in the customs explained to me that I should pay the taxes and duties even if it’s a gift,especially electronics as declared in the law.it’s even posted in their walls(but he let me go free saying cause it was my first time and it’s my birthday). Anyways if I’m not oblige to be taxed, is there a written law that would support it? if I have to pay, I’m wondering if how much will it be taxed? Any advice on what I should do and how I should plead my case @ the customs? Any courier you would suggest from Taiwan? Would really appreciate any help/advice as I don’t have a job right now and couldn’t pay a big amount. Thanks in advance.

  6. Avatar for sar sar says:

    Sir Ramon: Your explanation make sense to me. Enlightening. Was probably a decade ago when that happened. My sister was actually suspecting it happened in the airport..she called the airline. I cant remember what they told her but after that call she just blamed the BOC. She was crying, I was crying too as one of the watches, I suppose was a gift for me and before that I never had a watch more expensive than a fancy ones for 100 pesos (on sale on the sidewalks). Sorry, but from that on, I have a “not so nice” impression of the BOC. Some, if not all, Culprits are behind the scene. Taking advantage while other suspects are pushed to plead guilty. Anyways, thank you very much for your time and effort helping us “losts” (appropriate word?:p ) find our way and for speaking in behalf of the good kind in the BOC. I will be going thru the BOC soon. I still have some fears, but unreal(he he). Stay transparent and unBiased. GodBless!

  7. Avatar for sar sar says:

    I am scanning the blogs. Im kind of hopeful upon reading Mr. Ramon’s replies implying some level of heartfelt concern for fellow Filipos who had some real or perceived bad experiences with BOC..My sister was once a victim. Umuwi from US..yung luggage bag nya, after lumabas from customs screening, wala na yung dalawang expensive watches..iniwan pa yung box ng watches. I believe hindi lahat sa BOC Buwaya… kaso, so happen mas marami ata sila…nakakatakot ano..

    • Avatar for Ramon J. Anquilan Ramon J. Anquilan says:

      sar, did you ask your sister if customs opened her boxes? what we have downstairs are x-ray machines with CCTV cameras. we do not open boxes under the conveyor belts. we only open luggage in the presence of the passenger because our rules require us to interrogate the passenger for purposes of determining probable cause for smuggling violations.

      please consider that customs does not handle your baggage – the airline, ground handling and others have that responsibility. customs will not interfere except in extreme cases such as smuggling in plain sight, for example the luggage is spirited out of the area without passing through the customs controlled zone.

      i think your sister was a victim of pilferage. it happens all over the world. it happened to me in Hongkong. when my luggage came up, its contents were stewn all over the conveyor area and my canon slr camera was nowhere to be found. i filed a complaint but the ground crew pretended not to understand english.

      heck, nowadays because the airlines do not want to pay overtime to customs personnel, only a few baggage pieces are ever opened. i shudder at the thought that some anti-social goods (porno, explosives, guns, ammunition, fakes goods and drugs) are passing through the airports at this moment. if you have traveled abroad lately you will notice that there are only rare instances when customs will open luggage because there is no time to do that with only 2 customs personnel handling some 4 to 6 flights.

      thanks

  8. Avatar for sharine sharine says:

    i am worried about the gift which was sent to me last dec 3.and upon tracking it says that the parcel was already cleared by the customs last dec 21.but to date i haven’t receive it yet. please need help.what shall i do?

  9. Avatar for Jennie Jennie says:

    Thanks for the information. That was just a bit disheartening but I guess both parties has fault in this situation.

    My friend clearly told DHL Singapore that its a gift and its declared in the invoice and DHL PH told me it wasn’t. I’m still asking for a copy though.

    Also he said anything lesser than 3 thousand, they don’t bother asking the name of the consignee because they think its cheap if it just cost a little below 1 thousand (price of the tablet).

    Any idea about the requirements in refunding the over payments?

  10. Avatar for Ramon Anquilan Ramon Anquilan says:

    You said okay when asked whether you are willing to pay duties and taxes? Then DHL will go ahead and file the customs entry, they will pay the assessment and ask for from you the payment upon delivery. The problem is we cannot ask for a re-assessment because DHL has already paid the duties and taxes. If the duties and taxes have been paid, then the only remedy left is to ask for a refund for overpayment of taxes and this is impractical because of the stringent requirements.

    I really do not know why the name of the consignee will not appear in the Invoice even if you pay cash, especially for an expensive item. If you go to CDR King, they will ask you to put your name even if the damn thing costs only a few hundred pesos.

    Please call up DHL and ask to speak to Ferdie Legaspi and try to find out what is the status of the shipment. If the parcel is already cleared from customs we cannot do anything anymore.

    Good luck.

    Ramon

  11. Avatar for Ramon Anquilan Ramon Anquilan says:

    Jennie, if its DHL go see Ferdie Legaspi – the Import Manager at DHL Hub in Villamor. Ask him to accompany you to explain to the customs officer in charge that the parcel is a “gift.” Ferdie knows me personally.

    Under the our customs laws, the price that is used as basis for computing the duties and taxes is defined as the “price actually paid or payable” or what we refer to as PAPP. If you did not pay for the goods because the same is just a gift then the transaction value should be zero.

    How do you show that you did not pay for it? Show to them the Commercial Invoice of the article which shows that the one who sent you the goods is the buyer. A copy of the charge slip of the credit card used is also useful.

    If you have problems convincing customs at the DHL, then send me a direct email. I will help out in the explanation.

    Good luck.

    Ramon

    • Avatar for Jennie Jennie says:

      Thanks for the response.

      I called DHL’s hotline earlier and they said that it wasn’t declared as a gift, only the lithium content in the batteries was claimed. I got the receipt of purchase from my friend but the problem is that his name doesn’t show in the invoice and it was paid in Cash (so no credit card billing). I’m in the worst case scenario right now.

      More so, the operator told me that I was informed and agreed regarding the payable amount. Of course, I was surprised and just said ok. I told them that its just in the evening that I consulted my friends and forums about the situation.

      Btw, do I really need to make a personal appeal at the DHL office in Villamore? I’m from Nueva Ecija and I don’t think I can visit them any day soon.

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