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The Bureau of Customs renamed its Balikbayan and OFW Action Center (BOAC) to the Overseas Filipino Workers Affairs and Partnership (OFWAP) office and expanded its mandate under Customs Memorandum Order (CMO) No. 15-2026, which supersedes the office’s original charter under CMO No. 13-2026
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OFWAP is now BOC’s primary office for engaging foreign governments, customs administrations, and international organizations on OFW and balikbayan matters
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Its core task is tackling abandoned balikbayan boxes tied to unscrupulous freight forwarders — a problem that has affected thousands of OFWs and eroded trust in the program
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has renamed its Balikbayan and OFW Action Center (BOAC) to the Overseas Filipino Workers Affairs and Partnership (OFWAP) office and expanded its mandate under Customs Memorandum Order (CMO) No. 15-2026, which supersedes the office’s original charter under CMO No. 13-2026.
Under the expanded mandate, OFWAP is now designated as BOC’s primary office for international engagements involving foreign governments, foreign customs administrations, and international organizations on OFW and balikbayan box matters.
The office’s central task remains addressing the persistent problem of abandoned balikbayan boxes tied to unscrupulous freight forwarders — cases that have affected thousands of OFWs and undermined public confidence in the balikbayan program. To do this, OFWAP will formulate and implement policies to prevent and resolve abandoned cargo cases, set accountability standards for freight forwarders and consolidators, build monitoring systems to track cargo, and recommend legal action against violators. It will coordinate with other BOC units and government agencies in carrying these out.
OFWAP will be headed by a chairperson, co-chairperson, and vice chairperson at the port executive level.
READ: BOC, CFO sign pact to help OFWs safeguard balikbayan boxes
BOC earlier said it has been implementing reforms to strengthen oversight of cargo consolidators and deconsolidators, improve assistance mechanisms for OFWs, and enhance coordination with partner agencies in addressing complaints involving delayed, abandoned, or mishandled balikbayan box shipments.
Recently, it signed a memorandum of agreement with the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) to give OFWs and their families better access to information and support regarding balikbayan boxes and other shipment concerns. Customs commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said they are also drafting rules on the registration of balikbayan box forwarders/deconsolidators.
Last May and June, the agency filed criminal complaints before the Department of Justice against cargo forwarding firms accused of running fraudulent balikbayan box operations.
READ: 5 more forwarders face raps over abandoned balikbayan boxes
Last year, a joint administrative order reinforcing BOC protocols on balikbayan boxes and aims to guarantee the safe and timely delivery of every box to OFWs families has been signed.
Currently, BOC’s Customs Administrative Order No. 01-2018, issued in 2018, provides the agency’s amended rules on consolidated shipment of balikbayan boxes. It is implemented by Customs Memorandum Order No. 18-2018, which requires deconsolidators to register with the bureau.
In 2024, BOC also held a public consultation on its draft rules and regulations on the registration of sea cargo deconsolidators as third parties, with the aim of ensuring that, to the extent possible, balikbayan boxes sent by Filipinos abroad will be delivered to the ultimate consignee in the Philippines.
