The Bureau of Customs (BOC) filed criminal complaints against Makati Express Cargo Inc. (Meci) for abandoning 117 containers nationwide, including 50 containers holding 16,431 balikbayan boxes bound for Cebu.
Meci's registration was revoked on January 22 after failing to comply with an October 2025 show cause order to process overstaying shipments and settle required duties and taxes.
BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno vowed to hold irresponsible entities accountable, while the agency continues coordinating with other government bodies to deliver the abandoned boxes to their rightful recipients.
OVER 16,000 balikbayan boxes in tended for recipients in Cebu were among thousands of packages aban doned by a cargo firm now facing criminal complaints filed by the Bu reau of Customs (BOC). The BOC announced Friday, May 29, 2026, that it had filed com plaints against Makati Express Cargo Inc. (Meci), company officers and personnel over the alleged aban donment of tens of thousands of balikbayan boxes bound for recipi ents across the country. Records from the agency showed that 50 containers carrying about 16,431 balikbayan boxes ar rived through the Port of Cebu but were left unclaimed and were later declared impliedly abandoned in fa vor of the government under the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA). The Cebu shipments formed a large share of the 117 abandoned containers nationwide containing around 36,826 balikbayan boxes.
Nationwide shipments
Of the total abandoned ship ments, 65 containers carrying about 19,671 boxes entered through the Manila International Container Port, while two containers contain ing around 724 boxes arrived in Davao. The BOC said the abandoned shipments accumulated from 2024 to 2025 after Meci allegedly failed to process, claim and facilitate the re lease of consolidated balikbayan box shipments arriving in Manila, Cebu and Davao. Before filing the complaints, the bureau issued a final show cause or der to Meci on Oct. 21, 2025, direct ing the company to process the re lease of overstaying shipments and settle corresponding duties, taxes and other charges. The BOC said the company failed to comply.
Registration revoked
The agency revoked Meci’s registration on Jan. 22, citing re peated failures to lodge goods dec larations and claim shipments within the prescribed period, which resulted in overstaying and abandoning cargoes. The bureau said several over seas Filipino workers and intended recipients later sought assistance af ter their balikbayan boxes remained undelivered. The complaints filed before the Department of Justice accused Meci and responsible company officers of violating provisions of the CMTA and customs regulations governing freight forwarders, importer accred itation and consolidated balikbayan box shipments.
Alleged deficiencies
The BOC also alleged that Meci misrepresented information in registration records and failed to disclose foreign consolidators properly. It also continued accept ing shipments despite previous abandoned cargoes and opera tional deficiencies. Investigators also found that some of the company’s registered business and warehouse address es were no longer operational. BOC Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said the agency re mains committed to protecting overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and holding accountable entities that fail to fulfill their obligations. “Behind every balikbayan box is a family waiting for a piece of home from their loved ones abroad. These boxes represent years of hard work and sacrifice. The BOC will pursue accountabili ty and ensure that those responsi ble for their abandonment and non-delivery answer for their ac tions,” Nepomuceno said.
Return efforts
The BOC said it continues to coordinate with other govern ment agencies to address the is sue and is still delivering aban doned balikbayan boxes to rightful recipients. Cases involving abandoned and undelivered balikbayan box es have drawn attention in Cebu in recent months, with several OFWs and their families seeking government assistance to recover MONDAY, 1 JUNE 2026 12 shipments left in ports for ex tended periods. In March, the BOC and the De partment of Finance (DOF) began returning thousands of aban doned balikbayan boxes to recipi ents in Cebu after complaints that the packages, despite being paid for, were never delivered by freight forwarding companies. Authorities said at least 8,475 abandoned boxes in Cebu had been accounted for at the time, with hundreds more scheduled for delivery. The issue surfaced earlier after the BOC suspended Meci in Octo ber 2025 over alleged unpaid du ties and taxes and reports of un claimed containers in Cebu, Manila and Davao. Customs officials said several of the company’s shipments had already been declared abandoned after overstaying in ports. In April, the DOF reported that more than 35,000 abandoned balik bayan boxes nationwide had al ready been delivered, including over 14,000 boxes through the Port of Cebu. Officials also warned OFWs to transact only with legitimate and accredited cargo forwarders as in vestigations into delayed and aban doned shipments continue. / JGS
