DTI-Caraga enjoins consumers and OFWs to deal only with accredited freight forwarders

BUTUAN CITY, July 29 -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) - Caraga Region enjoins consumers, businesses and particularly Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to transact only with freight forwarders accredited with the DTI-Philippine Shippers’ Bureau (DTI-PSB) to avoid troubles in transporting their cargoes/packages especially balikbayan boxes.

The problem on the non-delivery of balikbayanboxes usually occurs when foreign consolidators/principal sea freight forwarders do not remit a portion of their collected charges to their accredited Philippine agents/local sea freight forwarders. This paymentis supposed to prompt the release of balikbayan boxes with the Bureau of Customs to the local freight forwarders who in turn, delivers the balikbayan boxes to the consignees/recipients. Same records also show that most incidents of undelivered balikbayan boxes involved freight forwarding companies that are not accredited with the agency.

DTI-PSB holds both the foreign consolidator/principal forwarders and its Philippine agent jointly and severally liable for the delivery of cargoes to the consignees.For the months of April to May 2013, twenty-two (22) freight forwarding companies have been penalized for engaging activities without the required accreditation with fines ranging from P50,000 to P70,000 each.As of July 12, 2013, another twenty-two (22) freight forwarding companies were issued Formal Charges by the agency for engaging in freight forwarding without DTI-PSB accreditation and/or were subject of complaints pertaining to balikbayan boxes.

As of July 19, 2013, fifty-five (55) Foreign Principals/Cargo Consolidators are under investigation for undelivered balikbayan boxes and other violations of PSB Administrative Order No. 6, Series of 2005. One (1) freight forwarder has been issued a Show Cause Order for being a subject of a complaint pertaining to balikbayan boxes.

Consumers/consignees with complaints on undelivered, pilfered, damaged or lost balikbayanboxes may report or submit an affidavit of complaint to DTI-PSB through either fax at (02) 751-3305 or email at dti_psb@yahoo.com.ph. For the list of DTI-PSB accredited sea freight forwarders, visit www.dti.gov.ph or call DTI-PSB at 02-751-3304.(DTI-13/PIA-Caraga)