balikbayan box

The Bureau of Customs (BoC) has announced that balikbayan boxes will be exempted from tax as a means of valuing the importance and significance of overseas workers sending goods to their family back home. The bureau has signed Customs Administrative Order (CAO) 05-2016 for consolidated balikbayan boxes and should take effect on December 25, 2016 -- just in time for Christmas Day. Sunstar reports that this administrative order serves as the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) concerning consolidated balikbayan boxes from 'qualified Filipinos'. Invoice, receipt or equivalent document covering the goods in the balikbayan box, if any. (4) The local forwarder/deconsolidator shall transmit to the Bureau the Information Sheet and supporting documents in a secured electronic format before the arrival of the balikbayan boxes to the Philippines and within the period prescribed: For consolidated shipments by sea: a. For those coming from other countries – 6 hours prior to arrival (5) A QFWA shall also certify that only personal effects and household goods, which shall not be in commercial quantities, are sent through balikbayan boxes. "We value the importance of each balikbayan box. If you're leaning towards Amazon as your primary source for online shopping and you have an entire box of shopping list to do, then it would be best to ship them all in a balikbayan box. Read more in our articles including "Bureau of Customs removes tax on balikbayan boxes" and "Shop from Amazon and Walmart with a Balikbayan Box".