Press Release
December 18, 2015

Sen. Marcos Pushes To Exempt OFWs' 'Padala' and 'Pasalubong'
From Customs Duties

Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos Jr. pushed to exempt from customs duties the "pasalubong" or "padala" of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to their families.

Section 2 of Senate Bill No. 3033, known as "Duty-Free Padala/Pasalubong Act of 2015," which Marcos has recently filed states: "Goods, articles, personal items and effects herein referred to as "padala" and/or "pasalubong" under this Act, which are sent by Overseas Filipino Workers to his or her family in the Philippines, shall be exempt from the payment of customs duties."

"'Padala and pasalubong' are articles and effects that are intended for reasonable private, personal use and consumption, which are neither in commercial quantities nor for the purpose of resale or merchandise. These are imported to the Philippines by an OFW through accompanied baggage, courier or postal service.

"Our OFWs have sacrificed and risked so much, and continue to do so for the benefit not only of their families but of the entire country as well. Hence, they most certainly deserve this special tax and customs treatment from the government," Marcos expressed.

He said a 'balikbayan box' is equivalent to a 'love letter' of an OFW to his or her spouse and the rest of the family and every item in the box is bought with endearing and loving purpose.

Marcos emphasized the value of the 'balikbayan box' is not so much its contents, but rather the sacrifice that it embodies and the sentimentality that it expresses.

"By the grant of additional exemption from import duties upon the reasonable packages that the OFWs will send with love to their families in the Philippines, the government's fiscal incentives package for OFWs comes full circle," Marcos concluded.

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