Bureau of Customs Commissioner Alberto Lina publicly apologized to the OFWs for the bureau’s controversial handling of their balikbayan boxes during a public hearing in the Senate held last Thursday, September 3.
By Kurt Lozano
The hearing by the Committee on Ways and Means joint with the Committee on Labor, Employment, and Human Resources was attended by Senators Sonny Angara, Grace Poe, Alan Cayetano, Cynthia Villar, Ralph Recto, Bongbong Marcos, and Bam Aquino, along with commissioners and representatives from the Bureau of Customs, Coalition of OFWs, and other invited departments and parties.
Commissioner Lina said that it was only following the law in their policy of random inspections to combat smuggling of drugs and firearms through the use of Balikbayan boxes, which caused a social media uproar among OFWs and concerned citizens.
The BOC reported that of the P1.25 trillion in revenue from direct remittances to the country, not counting indirect remittances carried back to the country by OFWs and returning residents, an estimated P6 million was lost from smuggling through Balikbayan boxes.
Senator Alan Cayetano said that while the issue was crucial to the BOC due to government losses amounting to 231 to 870 billion pesos annually, he also added that, “It is not the law. It is the implementation of the law.”
Senator Cayetano also told the BOC to, “Go after the big time smugglers, don’t pick on the OFWs and Juan Dela Cruz.”
After Senator Bongbong Marcos asked Commisioner Lina to give reports of Balikbayan boxes containing drugs, firearms, and other contraband, BOC Deputy Commisioner Jessie Dellosa said that they have no records of apprehended balikbayan boxes that contain smuggled drugs and firearms.
Former BOC Commissioner Ruffy Biazon however added that during his time there have been cases of apprehended Balikbayan boxes containing smuggled firearms from the US.
Apologizing to the OFW groups present, Commissioner Lina said, “Nagpapaumanhin po ako kung may naapakan man ako sa OFWs. Hintayin niyo na lang po aming aming bagong procedures [tungkol sa balikbayan boxes].”
“We appreciate Commissioner Lina’s clarification before the Senate and the public at large that the OFWs were never a target, and that he would like to see more protection and benefits for our overseas workers in the proposed law,” said the OFW coalition’s spokesperson John Bertiz in a press release.
Susan ‘Toots’ Ople, president of the Blas Ople Policy Center, a member of the OFW coalition, however said that Commissioner Lina should also publicly apologize to the OFWs himself.
After being questioned by senators present during the hearing, the Bureau of Customs Deputy Commisioner Jessie Dellosa said that they have not been any cases, as of yet, of any apprehended balikbayan boxes that contain smuggled drugs and firearms.
According to Ms. Susan ‘Toots’ Ople of the Blas Ople Policy Center, a member group of the Coalition of OFWs, there are no incentives for OFWs to smuggle anything illegal to the country lest they risk their jobs. The Millennial Post
Commissioner Lina said that it was only following the law in their policy of random inspections to combat smuggling of drugs and firearms through the use of Balikbayan boxes, which caused a social media uproar among OFWs and concerned citizens.
The BOC reported that of the P1.25 trillion in revenue from direct remittances to the country, not counting indirect remittances carried back to the country by OFWs and returning residents, an estimated P6 million was lost from smuggling through Balikbayan boxes.
Senator Alan Cayetano said that while the issue was crucial to the BOC due to government losses amounting to 231 to 870 billion pesos annually, he also added that, “It is not the law. It is the implementation of the law.”
Senator Cayetano also told the BOC to, “Go after the big time smugglers, don’t pick on the OFWs and Juan Dela Cruz.”
After Senator Bongbong Marcos asked Commisioner Lina to give reports of Balikbayan boxes containing drugs, firearms, and other contraband, BOC Deputy Commisioner Jessie Dellosa said that they have no records of apprehended balikbayan boxes that contain smuggled drugs and firearms.
Former BOC Commissioner Ruffy Biazon however added that during his time there have been cases of apprehended Balikbayan boxes containing smuggled firearms from the US.
Apologizing to the OFW groups present, Commissioner Lina said, “Nagpapaumanhin po ako kung may naapakan man ako sa OFWs. Hintayin niyo na lang po aming aming bagong procedures [tungkol sa balikbayan boxes].”
“We appreciate Commissioner Lina’s clarification before the Senate and the public at large that the OFWs were never a target, and that he would like to see more protection and benefits for our overseas workers in the proposed law,” said the OFW coalition’s spokesperson John Bertiz in a press release.
Susan ‘Toots’ Ople, president of the Blas Ople Policy Center, a member of the OFW coalition, however said that Commissioner Lina should also publicly apologize to the OFWs himself.
After being questioned by senators present during the hearing, the Bureau of Customs Deputy Commisioner Jessie Dellosa said that they have not been any cases, as of yet, of any apprehended balikbayan boxes that contain smuggled drugs and firearms.
According to Ms. Susan ‘Toots’ Ople of the Blas Ople Policy Center, a member group of the Coalition of OFWs, there are no incentives for OFWs to smuggle anything illegal to the country lest they risk their jobs. The Millennial Post