News has been going around about the new procedures BoC (Bureu of Customs) are implementing with regards to Balikbayan boxes. While we completely understand that this is just their way of reducing the amount of smuggled items, it is also affecting our Overseas Filipino Workers who want nothing more than to send some good stuff for their families.
Meanwhile in the Philippine Postal Office, Melody O. shares her experience of added tax on a Gucci bag sent by her aunt.
“OMG galing ako sa post office main mag claim ng padala from LONDON at eto ang ngyari.. binuksan nung babae ung box at ang laman nia BAG na GUCCI ngaun sabi nia mam ang ganda namn ng bag nio kaso may babayaran po kayong tax.. nagserach xia sa internet para tignan lng ang model ng bag na pinadala sakin.. hindi nia mahanap, ngaun sabi nia mam eto po ang kamukha ng bag nio na nakita ko sa internet eto po ang pinakamura na price so yan na lng po ang e declare ko sabi nia eto po ung price 1,200 Dollars ang amount daw nung bag,, so ngaun may tax daw xia 15,959 pesos mga kapatid.. naloka ako.. DIto pla sa PILIPINAS kung my pinadala ang kamag anak mo , na dapat kukunin mo na lng at wala ka ng babayaran.. Yun pala kailangan mong mgbayad ng TAX,mas MAHAL pa kesa pinagbili ng NAGPADALA SAYO..PARANG BINIBENTA NILA SAYO YUNG PADALA PARA SAYO NA KUKUNIN MO LNG DAPAT, KALOKA.ETO PA NAGTANONG AKO SA KNYA SABI KO KUNG HINDI KO BA MAKUKUHA YAN KASI WALA AKONG PERA IBABALIK NYO PO BA YAN SA TITA KO NA NGPADALA ANG SAGOT SAKIN.. MAM HINDI PO SA GOVERNMENT DAW MAPUPUNTA.. AHAHAHA.. MGA NASA GOBYERNO TAGA MUKHANG PERA.. AHAHAH. E DI MAGPAPASALAMAT YUNG BABAE SAKIN DAHIL GUSTO NIA UNG BAG KO,, AHAHHA.. KAWAWANG BAG.. PINAGHIRAPAN NG TITA KO PARA IBIGAY SAKIN.. IBA LANG MAKIKINABANG.. .”
Rough English Translation:
“Oh my god, I came from the main post office earlier today to claim an item from London and this is what happened… the lady opened the box that contained a Gucci bag. She goes on and says how nice the bag is but I have to pay tax for it. She then goes on the internet and starts searching for the exact model… however, she couldn’t find it. She then shows a picture of a similar looking bag and says it is the cheapest she found and will just declare my bag as that. She says that the bag is 1,200 USD and now I have to pay 15,959 php. I’m going crazy. When a loved one sends something, you assume all you need to do is claim it, turns out, here in the Philippines you still need to pay extra tax that might even be more expensive than what the sender spend. It’s like they’re selling something that’s already yours back to you. So I asked what will happen to the bag since I don’t have enough money, will it be returned to my aunt? The lady then answers, “No ma’am, this will go to the government” ahhaha… the people in the government want nothing but money! The lady should be thankful because she wanted my bag. Poor bag, my aunt worked hard to give that to me and someone else will benefit from it.”
What do you guys think of this? Ever had a similar experience?
