TWENTY-ONE shipping containers of abandoned balikbayan boxes of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) will be processed this week so they could finally be delivered to the workers’ families. In a social media post, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) said 15 containers have already been released. The BOC clarified that the prolonged delay in the delivering the shipments was caused by the failure of certain deconsolidators and freight forwarders to fulfill their obligations, despite having already collected payment from OFWs abroad. Bureau officials accompanied the OFWs in filing cases with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) against them on Dec. 4. The bureau also reminded Filipinos overseas to be more cautious in choosing freight forwarders, to ensure that companies are legitimate, and to avoid offers with unrealistically low fees that may lead to fraud. Customs has launched an online tracking portal for the door-to-door delivery of the boxes all over the country. The public has been advised to access https://customs.gov.ph/home/overseas-filipino-worker-ofw/, for the status of their balikbayan boxes. The deliveries, which are free of charge, started on Dec. 18 and are expected to be completed by early January 2026. The release and delivery of the abandoned boxes is being carried out with the help and support of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who has expressed full support for the government's efforts to assist Filipino workers abroad that have been affected by fraudulent and irresponsible freight forwarding companies.