Filipino Shippers Say They Will Be More Vigilant

Steve Angeles, North America News Bureau
Jan. 26, 2011

EAGLE ROCK, California - Manila Forwarders owner Manny Paez trains his staff regularly, putting samples of weapons, curency and ammunition into balikbayan boxes. The former Marine owns most of the weapons, but he said in the past, they have caught customers trying to send drugs and weapons.



With balikbayan boxes, experiencing shipping delays, the 30-member Pilipino American Shippers Association has been holding meetings with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to find ways to speed up the inspections.
The PASA co-founder said the group will work with DHS in training their staff to identify illegal items and to do their own inspections. He wouldn’t disclose any companies screening process for security reasons.
Paez said, “We as PASA will start policing ourselves. You know, make their lives and duty a little bit easier, and at the same token that would benefit everyone.”
With the inspections being random, Paez, said there’s no real way of knowing which boxes will be delayed. He said the best way customers can help speed up their deliveries is to fill out the contents forms, which is a legal document, properly and truthfully.
Though required, shipping companies did not always ask for identification from customers in the past. PASA vows to be more strict on the ID’s and will only accept packages from customers that show government issued ID, as a way to stop the shipment of illegal items. He said, until now, there are a few companies that still don’t ask for ID.
“They know they’ll get caught because they’ll get identified. And another thing, this is a deterrent. People who are doing something illegal if they know they’ll get caught, they won’t do it,” he explained.
Paez said, though shipments may be delayed by a week, it may take a month before companies in the Philippines deliver boxes. Paez warns some DHS agents may open the balikbayan boxes, as well as food packages inside during inspections.
Paez said customers should read the DHS guidelines before sending out packages and advised senders to make sure the shipping companies they deal with are are accredited with the US Federal Maritime Commission and the Philippine Shippers Bureau.
He said accredited companies have better standing with government agencies and tend to be more thorough with documentation and guidelines.
DHS said it will continue the random delay-causing inspections until the violations stop, especially for the Philippines and other countries with high terror alerts.

source: balitangamerica.tv