The state of Postal Mail system here in the Philippines is comparable to a game of luck and chance. A gamble. A hit and miss if you will. In my case it’s always a miss, rarely a hit. If I’m understanding that phrase correctly, ‘hit’ would be a good thing, whereas ‘miss’ is the opposite, right?
Presently, the Bureau of Customs in the Philippines is receiving a lot of flak for their services stealing they’ve been doing to the people aka the shit has finally hit the fan for them and I couldn’t be any more happier upon hearing this. I say this is karma for all the times (unfortunately this is still happening and practiced by these greedy baboons) they have taxed us unfair, unjust fees for the packages sent to us for free by people from outside the country. That, or for the things we have purchased from the Internet.
With the treatment I had received from them, this ‘payback’ is 6 years too late. This has been happening since 2009! The last successful time I was able to do a lot of heavy online shopping and had these orders from the U.S (from places like eBay, Amazon, to name a few) delivered directly to my doorstep was in 2010. These packages were also tax-free and free from any charges. Three years before that, I’d even do candy and chocolate exchanges with people from other countries. This was how I discovered the Aero chocolate bar, my favorite candy next to Cadbury Dream (yum!). Imagine that, receiving food from the mail halfway around the world. Seems impossible now, no? Not in 2005!
The years 2002-2008 were the glorious years of post offices and snail mail. The years that followed became chaotic. From 2010-onwards, the post office went downhill in all aspects. It’s as if all their employees turned to money-sucking delinquents. Not one of them was doing their job properly. Should we blame the Internet that because it existed and became more popular, that meant lesser people sent mails through the post office now? If you did your job properly and with no corruption/stealing/whatever else has been going on, I’m sure a lot of your rich, generous patrons will have an envelope containing a big amount of tip ready for you at the end of the year. Big Christmas bonuses that we would willingly give you. But no. Y’all are corrupt af.
Sometime in 2011 I made the mistake of ordering a few books from Book Depository UK thinking they would be tax free (confirmed after reading Department Order 57-2011 right from DOF’s website), and some shirts from Threadless after finding out that they’ll be tax free too if it doesn’t reach USD $50 in total. A month later, after coming back and forth to manually check their log book for the package if it was already there. They were finally here and only a door and the old customs granny were the unfortunate things getting in my way of bailing out my babies!
When it was time to pick them up, I was charged a fee that’s 5x the price of what I had already paid for. I was so upset but I tried to be tough about it but they won’t have any of it. After that, there was another time that I had to go back to pick up a couple of university catalogs from design schools abroad, which was sent to me for free. Once again, I was charged for before I could claim them.
READ: My Book Depository Orders Finally Arrived!
The last resort was when I was given a book.. and truly, honestly this one was a gift to me. They already paid shipping costs, etc. It was shipped through DHL, and to a friend’s address. But even after that method, we were still charged when the book arrived here. Like always, it was more than what was already paid for beforehand. I was very infuriated at that time when it happened. I thought it was because, for the previous orders before, it was that my address and name was too familiar so the people over at the post office thought I was “capable” of always coughing up money for the items I buy. Guess I’m really just unlucky when it comes to these things now.
Lucky are those who only had to pay around P20-P50, now P100, before they could claim their packages that were held up at the post office. I believe majority of post offices outside Greater Metro Manila Areas still practice this, and kudos to them, until they get word that they can also charge more than that (boo!!). In my experience, however, I have never been subject to only paying either P50 or P100. It has always, always been more than that. This kind of rate should be in effect for the books at least. That kind of reasoning I would be able to accept. The lowest fee I paid in the past to claim the book orders were P250 for this school catalog.. that was supposed to be delivered directly to my doorstep! I’ve had friends who ordered this as well and they got theirs directly delivered. The most was around PHP 1000+ for the Threadless shirts. 🙁
In all those times I had to go to the post office to pick up a package, it honestly felt like they were in jail and I had to bail them out for unjustifiable prices. Regardless of the way the customs personnel computes the fees right in front of you, just to show you that there is no “corruption” happening, or unfair/unjust computation.. I don’t buy any of their bullshit reasoning to make money the dirty way. I believe that unless the quantity/number of items that come obviously appear to be for merchandise purposes (e.g. ten pieces of one item), they should leave it alone and just hand it to the owner free from charges.
Since then I have been using consolidated shipment services such as this one. I thought about this recently, too. Since the BOC is taxing shipment companies and companies providing consolidating shipments and increasing rates.. will this also affect them? What is their statement about this, I wonder? I hope they won’t entirely change, or this doesn’t make the business bad for them because I really, really liked them. They’re pretty slow, but at least my items will get to me safe and sound and away from the grubby hands of the customs officers.
When you think of it.. the reason why these employees from the post office and customs steal and think of ways to make money under the table, is probably/maybe/could be because they need the money since they might not be making much now given the huge decline of people using the post office services. But really, is this the only way? Are all people working in government offices eventually turn out like this in time? You look at other government service-type of work around here and there is a 90% chance that there is some kind of corruption happening over there. First, LTO driver’s license and plate number cards taking AGES to process, unless you can pay someone a hefty fee to ‘expedite’ your application. Next is our passports.
Should we blame this on the Internet? On the contrary, the Internet greatly utilizes the post office system because of E-Commerce. Look at the US, their post offices are well-loved and supported by everyone. Where will beauty, teach, lifestyle bloggers and vloggers be if not for their own manong karteros/USPS/UPS/DHL/FedEx postman delivering their goods for reviews and features? Also, in Singapore I was able to try their post services and it was hassle-free. A huge, huge difference and step up from our caveman-like level of post mail service. Thank god we have Xend here and the other privately owned couriers which do a far more better job.
And you people wonder why a lot of people are in a hurry to get out of here while they still can. The Millenials of today, from the looks of it, are quite determined to start anew elsewhere in the world; prioritizing traveling high pay and experiencing a good life outside of where they were born. Pretty much have given up on hoping for a better future here in the Philippines and want to look the other way instead.
PS: I understand my post doesn’t really make much sense. I just wanted somewhere to rant my frustrations about the Philippine Post Office and Bureau of Customs and I thought now is the right time, given that they are a very hot topic around social media.
I wish this would be talked about more often. More exposure would mean more people would care to look into it and hopefully, someone in the right power and authority would stand up and actually do something about it. But for now, we can only hope.
Feel free to pour your frustrations if you feel you relate to this. I know I can’t be the only one here who’s from the Philippines, or elsewhere, and has bought something online or was sent a package from overseas and was taxed for it before I could get my hands on it.
Strength in numbers, everyone! 😛
I’m actually afraid to have items shipped to me if they have to go through PhilPost or Customs. It’s sad but I don’t trust how our government works.
It also sucks because there are tons of items that I really fancy (esp. clothes) that are only available internationally. *sigh*
That sucks! Actually I haven’t tried shopping online from outside of the country cos I wasn’t really sure of the process. But then by the looks of it, I doubt I’d still try to..
That’s crazy. I guess I should be lucky that my country’s postal system is okay and everything gets delivered all right most of the time, and I never knew that international mail could be so expensive! I never thought about it, honestly.
Ugh. I remember a friend who once received a parcel for her sister and was asked to pay for 3k for a damned toy that costs around 2k if bought here in the PH. Ewan, nakakainis lang. That’s also the reason why I never ever ever bought anything abroad dahil sa shipping costs. Kalerki! -_- Hassle!!!!
OMG! Naalala ko nung nagpapadala ng package sa’kin si Roan via post office/BOC. Lagi nila inoopen ‘yung box ko tapos ia”assess” nila kung tama ba ‘yung declared value. I always end up paying Php3,000 to Php4,000; parang binayaran ko na rin ‘yung worth ng padala sa’kin!!!
Yup, exactly! Minsan doble pa yung babayaran mo sa total cost of they paid to send and buy those stuff they’re sending to you.
I’m sure that as someone who’s resides the USA now, this is one of the things you are glad you won’t have to deal with anymore. Haha. I’d go crazy over online shopping if I was in the US talaga.. I feel like I’ll even hug the USPS guy at some point.
Hahaha! Well, depends where you reside din kasi if the products are shipped from out of state, medyo mataas din ang shipping fee. You’ll be forced to shop for at least $50 para lang sa free shipping.
Hahaha.. oh my gosh I love free shipping deals. Good marketing tactic to get us to spend unnecessarily just so we can avoid the extra charges ng shipping pero in reality same lang naman na magastos. :))
I’m glad our post office here doesn’t act like that. Last year, I purchased several items online with free shipping. They’re mostly from ebay. After a month, they would send me a notice that my item is already in the post office so I would go there and claim it. I just have to pay 50 pesos for each package, not each item, and no they don’t open it. So I guess they’re fair here. I feel mad though when I see posts on facebook where customs open their boxes, steal some of it and they still have the nerve to send it to them. How rude!
It also happens outside Metro Manila, but not as often.. maybe selected cities. Iloilo isn’t included, and I hope it stays that way. If I were you I’d order a looot of stuff na, take advantage of this while I still can, haha!
I believe in Davao, no such thing as taxable goods for packages too. Cebu, 50-50 na people get taxed for their packages in the mail.
My reader sent me two books from US. She said she paid for all the necessary costs so that it will just arrive at my doorstep. I was expecting it to arrive for at least two months and my reader’s already anxious about it because it’s already 3 months since she sent the books. After a while, I received a notice from PhilPost stating that I have a package that I have to receive urgently. It’s my first time receiving a package from abroad that I am personally handling. When I arrived, the said 50php fee (it was also written in some of the papers posted) became 100php all of a sudden. While waiting for my package, I became nervous seeing other people receiving theirs then paying. I was like.. what is this? I was supposed to get my package on my house, then I had to go to PhilPost office then pay for it? Good thing the personnel who opened my package in front of me said it’s clear since it’s really books. I don’t understand their system and now I am telling my overseas readers not to send me anything if they’re just gonna send it to me via couriers. It’s terrifying reading and seeing the images and articles about customs and PhilPost.
Same thing happened to me. I thought I was gonna receive the package without going through the hassle of personally claiming it from the PO. It took about 3 months before I got the notice too and they charged me 100php. I never understood the system. And the BOC issue right now makes me furious considering my dad’s fond of sending random packages for the family every now and then, and now they’re making him pay more before we could have the package? Plus the fact that they “inspect” the package makes it even more disappointing. Mas nauna pa nilang buksan yung package kesa sa mga nag-aantay. Mga kurakot lang talaga sila.
I can understand their point that may limit yung mga products na pwede lang mapadala, like shampoos and such. As well as there’s a tax to be paid for gadgets and others within the package. May ilan rin na hindi talaga dini-declare yung right amount ng package itself. The point is, why are they opening it without the owners itself? Para makita nila mismo. Wala silang maayos na sistema when it comes to paying taxes and such. Most of the times, there are also missing things and gadgets within the package itself tapos hindi ka na aasa na makakabalik sayo kasi pag nagreklamo ka, magtuturuan lang sila at wala namang action na gagawin. Mapapa mura ka na lang. Yung presyo ng taxes, paiba iba. They have their own system per employee? I am really upset about this. This has been happening for quite a while and this should be the time that this be addressed.
My take is, kung di naman in quantities na pangbenta yung pinadala sayo they shouldn’t tax it at all. Online orders na tig iisang piraso lang per item, na binayaran mo naman pagkabili mo bakit nila tataxan?
Ok lang naman magbayad eh pero not the type of fees na 15k like what I read about in the news. WTF lang. Other people get away with P20, or the “standard” fee now na P100. If that’s the only amount we pay, I will stop complaining about it.
Some progress about this tonight, though.. di na daw iinspect yung balikbayan boxes. That’s great and all, but what about the mail we receive in the post office? Is no one going to address that? OFWs also send things in the mail through that platform naman diba.
Customs here is just so infuriating. Nakakahighblood!
Exactly. They are always saying na dapat may tax pag ibebenta. Eh nakikita naman nila na iilang piraso lang at obviously ay pang pamilya lang. They make all the excuses to get money and it’s really saddening na they still have to do this para mas kumita sila. Parepareho lang naman natin na kailangan kumita para rin sa pamilya tapos gagawin nila yon sa mga kapwa pa nila pinoy.
When I read the news about the customs officer searching for the bag’s price then asking for 15k as tax.. Para saan pa at binili yon? Para saan pa at binayaran yung pagpapadala non? Lol. Nakaka stress.
At least you only paid P100. That’s like their standard fee for getting your package ‘stored’ the post office, from what I know. Hassle now because I have some goods that need to be sent to me but I can’t think of any way to get them to me without getting taxed. Guess those gifts have to wait. 🙁
I heard that there’s a certain time you have to go there para maiwasan mo yung customs officer. Unfortunately for me, during those times before, lagi ko silang naabutan.
It’s so inconvenient, no? Books should be tax-free, actually, unless they see it that the books sent to you are in quantities suitable for business or selling then that’s when it becomes taxable. But most of the customs officers ignore this fact and charge you anyway. You’re lucky to only be asked P100, I was asked for more.
Also if you’re only paying for storage fees (that P100), I think they should have just delivered it to your house and charged you there. Would have saved time for both of ya.
I have some stuff that a friend was also going to send to me but I told him to put it off for the meantime because it will probably get taxed when it gets here. So annoying. 🙁
Yep, I was really thankful that 100php lang ang binayaran ko. Magrereklamo talaga ako kung dadagdagan nila. 2 books! At asang asa ako na may kakatok na lang sa bahay para matanggap ko yon. My reader said she paid all the necessary fees. Meaning, nagdagdag pa sya for my convenience tapos ganon rin. I don’t want to experience something like that anymore. It’s kinda frustrating.
Thankfully I never had to go through this crazy mess. Cebu PO has been fairly okay, the only problem is that it takes ages to get an order. My ASOS usually takes close to 2 months but my Book Depository orders mga 3 weeks lang naman.. so it was okay. What pissed me off was before Muji opened in Cebu my best friend sent me a whole collection of the Muji pens and it didn’t get to me until 2 years and they even took most of the pens! Like from 10 there were 4 left lang or something.. and what’s worse.. Muji already opened in Cebu. That was annoying. Otherwise, everything is okay. I hope they get their shit together.
Lucky you!! Nakwento ni Hanmae sakin na the PO is the same for her, like how it is for me over here.. yung natataxan, unfair din sa charges, etc, so I assumed same lang. Ganon din pala, swertihan lang. UGH. I’m actually worried about the consolidated shipment we use kung magiiba na rin ba because of this customs mess. 🙁
That sucks about Muji! God, over pens, pinagtripan pa nila yun?! Sheeesh.