It’s a great feeling for a family to receive that balikbayan box sent by a relative abroad. The same feeling resonates with senders who feel a sense of fulfillment in bringing joy to families back home.
Find out the items banned inside balikbayan boxes.
However, not all items are allowed inside the box; some are dangerous or in violation of customs laws. Therefore balikbayan box senders should not include them.
The following items are prohibited inside every balikbayan box sent by Filipinos overseas to consignees/recipients in the Philippines.
Items Banned Inside Balikbayan Boxes
- Alcoholic beverages
- Dismantled Auto Parts (also known as “chop-chop” parts)
- Cultural artifacts and pottery
- Dog and cat fur
- Firearms, explosives & guns, including parts of
- Food products such as cheese, meat
- Hazardous materials
- Trophies, gold, Haitian
- Meats, livestock, and poultry
- Merchandise from embargoed countries
- Textiles (roll)
- Trademarked and copyrighted articles
- Fluids and Perishable food items
- Automobiles (any parts)
- Ceramic tableware
- Defense articles or items with military or proliferation applications
- Prohibited drugs and drug paraphernalia
- Fish and wildlife
- Fruits and vegetables
- Game and hunting
- Animal hide drums
- Medication
- Pets, plants and seeds, soils
- Used clothing or shoes of commercial quantity (Ukay-ukay in bales/boxes)
- Pornographic Materials
- Jewelry
- Pirated items (DVD, VCD, tapes, etc)
According to Section 101 of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines, the importation into the Philippines of the following articles is prohibited:
(a) Dynamite, gunpowder, ammunitions and other explosives, firearms and weapons of war, and parts thereof, except when authorized by law.
(b) Written or printed articles in any form containing any matter advocating or inciting treason, or rebellion, or insurrection, sedition or subversion against the Government of the Philippines, or forcible resistance to any law of the Philippines, or containing any threat to take the life of, or inflict bodily harm upon any person in the Philippines.
(c) Written or printed articles, negatives or cinematographic films, photographs, engravings, lithographs, objects, paintings, drawings, or other representations of an obscene or immoral character.
(d) Articles, instruments, drugs, and substances designed, intended, or adapted for producing unlawful abortion, or any printed matter which advertises or describes or gives directly or indirectly information where, how, or by whom unlawful abortion is produced.
(e) Roulette wheels, gambling outfits, loaded dice, marked cards, machines, apparatus or mechanical devices used in gambling or the distribution of money, cigars, cigarettes or other articles when such distribution is dependent on chance, including jackpot and pinball machines or similar contrivances, or parts thereof.
(f) Lottery and sweepstakes tickets except those authorized by the Philippine Government, advertisements thereof, and lists of drawings therein.
(g) Any article manufactured in whole or in part of gold, silver or other precious metals or alloys thereof, the stamps, brands, or marks or which do not indicate the actual fineness of quality of said metals or alloys.
(h) Any adulterated or misbranded articles of food or any adulterated or misbranded drug in violation of the provisions of the “Food and Drugs Act”.
(i) Marijuana, opium, pipes, coca leaves, heroin, or any other narcotics or synthetic drugs which are or may hereafter be declared habit-forming by the President of the Philippines, or any compound, manufactured salt, derivative, or preparation thereof, except when imported by the Government of the Philippines or any person duly authorized by the Dangerous Drugs Board, for medicinal purposes only.
(j) Opium pipes and parts thereof, of whatever material.
(k) All other articles and parts thereof, the importation of which prohibited by law or rules and regulations issued by the competent authority. (As amended by Presidential Decree No. 34)
Source: UMAC Express Cargo, Philippine Embassy Singapore
This is bullshit
Bullshit why do you need to have those list.
We are not stupid sending some fire arms or illegal things to our family. we are working in abroad for the better future to provide needs our family.and you even don’t care if we send signature things it’s our money cost to buy not yours.even used clothes is prohibited what the hell you want.
Wake up men we are (ofw) have a big contribute to our country don’t teach us to be rude to our own government.
hala ano lng dalahin namin nyan tsinilas nlng ba? kaluka naman ito..
Stupid. Bakit yung cheese from pinas to toronto nakarating dito throug post office. Cheese from here d pwede jan! Syempre di pwede firearms sindikato gumagawa nun! Ordinaryong tao lang kami kaya walang iligal s box namin! Pwe
So we will just send an empty box?this is bulshit..totally bulshit…
This is not true..
Used clothes can be send..
I think the bottom line ” they dont want you to send anything to Phils anymore”
why ceramic tablewares are not allowed?what is wrong with these items?
Anu ilagay namin basura!!!! D pwede makain at magamit!!! Utak nyo talanka…. Gusto nyo kayo makinabang at bigyan… Gusto nyo my suhol or under the table lagi… Kaya d umaasenso pilipinas!
Ay kaloka ano nalang pala ang i babox namin kahit used clothing bawal amputa
Ay nku empty trunk nlng at empty carton ang esend nmin nmin pti nmn use clothes bawal so ano nlng ippacargo nmin ung walang laman hay kht ano nlng malagay sa utak nio…alam nmin ung bawal like arms drugs and else ay d pwd pti p nmn used clothes bawal narin….allahu ahlam nlng sa inyo wala ng ibang maisip nio isama sa mga bawal
Bakit jewelry di pwede nako
hahaha pati ukay ukay bawal cargo boxes n wlang laman siguro ang d bawal
send empty box and pay tax grrrrr dammmmm
Box na lang na walang laman. Ano pa ba ang ipapasok natin bawal na lahat?
Ti anu nalang ni pinaghirapan ng family natin na pati shoes and clothes bawal at ang iba common sense nalang iyon . Why is it that influencial people shopping ng shopping designer ti sana ipagbawal din pasok sila balik pinas. This is bullshit mahiya naman kayo sa naghihirap nating kababayan who just want to give the best to their love ones.
Pâti ba nmn used cloths bawal.ano ngarud ilagay sa cartoon?
Textiles and Clothing – In general, there is no limit to how much fabric and clothing you can bring back as long as it is for your personal use or as gifts. If you have exceeded your personal exemption, you may have to pay duty on the items. Unaccompanied personal shipments (packages that are mailed or shipped), however, may be subject to limitations on amount.
someone is not reading the list… of course you cannot send electronics and guns and large saleable quantities of new or used clothes for a business…. this is a very fair program.
I have watched many people packing balikbayan boxes in Hong Kong and the majority are at least partially filled with canned goods, which according to this is illegal. For many of the receiving families food is their most needed item so why ban food? If they mean fresh food and perishables say so but dont just say things like “cheese and meat”. This (like many laws) just causes confusion and unecessary hardship.
Wtf! This nuts totally nuts!!!We’re not stupid para maglagay ng pets, poultry explosives drugs etc…sa loob ng balikbayan boxes lahat banned bakit ayaw nyo pang sabihin na banned na ang balikbayan boxes. Tinatanggalan niyo kami ng aming karapatan at isa pa pera at pinaghirapan namin ang aming ibinibili para sa aming mga mahal sa buhay.
this is NOT TRUE
aww!! pati trophies bawal?eh di itapon nalang ung trophy ng kapatid q from playing basketball.. tsk!!
Grabe nman! Ano p ang pwde nming ipadala sa family nmin kung lhat bawal at mgbyad p ng tax. Dpt gnito n lng ang sbihin at ipabatas nyo… Wla ng balikbayan box ever.. Eh di mas ok p yan kesa nman lhat bwal ipadala…peace on earth!
sama ng mga ugali ng ng nag patupad nyan, ano nalang ipapadala kahit shoes o damit na used na di pwede??? kaluka kayong mga nag papatupad nyang kautusang yan….mga wlang magawa kundi manggipit ng mga nasa abroad….kung sino man ang nag patupad ng kautusang ito may araw ka rin…….
So ano pala pwede naming ilagay sa balik bayan box? Mga langaw at ipis na galing dito sa Meddle East?