For decades, the balikbayan box has been a powerful symbol of love from a distance by Filipino workers abroad. Stuffed with chocolates, canned goods, clothes, appliances, and branded items, these boxes go beyond material value. They carry emotional weight and cultural significance.
However, in today’s rapidly changing economic landscape, rising costs, and digital convenience, there are times when sending money becomes not only more practical but also more beneficial than sending a balikbayan box.
This shift doesn’t devalue the meaning of a balikbayan box. It highlights the changing priorities of modern families and the financial challenges of OFWs who are trying to make the most of every dollar earned abroad.
The rising costs of sending balikbayan boxes
Sending a balikbayan box used to be more affordable and convenient. Today, several factors have made it more burdensome:
Shipping fees
Depending on size and origin, box shipping can range from P5,000 to P15,000 or more. And fees continue to rise due to freight, labor and other overhead costs.
Customs inspection and expected delays
Due to Republic Act No. 10863 or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA), boxes may be delayed or subject to inspection, even if declared as non-commercial. While the law allows tax-free balikbayan boxes up to P150,000 three times a year, enforcement is inconsistent.
Port congestion and delivery delays
It can take 2–3 months for a box to arrive, especially during peak holiday seasons. Other causes of delay may include ocassional issues with unreliable freight forwarder or incomplete documentation.
Inflation and items readily available in the Philippines
Many items once considered “padala-worthy” are now locally available in the Philippines, often cheaper due to domestic sourcing. For example, Korean, Japanese, and Western beauty brands like The Ordinary, Innisfree, and Neutrogena are now easily ordered via Shopee or Watsons.
When sending money is a more practical option than a balikbayan box
While balikbayan boxes remain a heartfelt symbol of love, many OFWs are now turning to cash remittances due to practical and even legal reasons. For instance, sending money can immediately cover a child’s medical emergency or school fee.
These are needs that can’t wait weeks for a package. Cash may not carry the same sentimental weight, but it offers timely help and flexibility when it matters most.
Urgent financial needs
OFWs are increasingly sending cash instead of balikbayan boxes because families often need immediate support for medical bills, school fees, or emergencies like typhoon damage. Digital platforms like GCash, PayMaya, and Western Union allow funds to arrive within minutes—offering speed and convenience that boxes can’t match.
Cost efficiency and support for local businesses
If an OFW spends P15,000 to send a balikbayan box filled with items worth only P10,000 in the Philippines, they lose money on shipping and may send things the family doesn’t urgently need. By sending P15,000 in cash instead, the family can buy essentials directly based on their priorities. Doing so also helps support local stores and markets.
Changing needs of recipients
As family priorities shift, practical needs often outweigh material gifts. Chocolates and oven toasters may no longer be as useful as phone load, fresh groceries, or funds to pay for electricity bills.
For example, a mother may urgently need money to pay for her child’s tuition or buy vegetables at the wet market, which a balikbayan box can’t provide. Cash gives families the freedom to decide what matters most at the moment, unlike a fixed box of items.
Smarter planning and investments
Some Filipinos working abroad are now encouraging their families to use remittances for long-term goals like saving, investing, paying off debts, or starting small businesses such as sari-sari stores or food stalls.
These financial steps create lasting stability and opportunities. These are benefits that balikbayan boxes, while meaningful, simply cannot offer.
Security and accountability
Balikbayan boxes, though sent with love, can sometimes be delayed for months or arrive with missing items due to pilferage. In contrast, cash remittances through trusted services offer real-time tracking and proof of receipt.
Many apps even send instant notifications to both the sender and recipient once the money has been claimed or deposited, giving peace of mind.
Common scenarios where money wins over the box
Scenario 1: Lola needs medicines that aren’t included in the box
An OFW in the UAE sends money via Remitly. Lola gets the medicine the next day. If the OFW had waited to send a box, Lola might have gone weeks without proper treatment.
Scenario 2: A niece is about to enroll in university
Instead of gadgets from abroad, she needs to pay her tuition. A bank deposit supports her dreams better than a brand-new bag or shoes inside a balikbayan box.
Scenario 3: Barangay gets hit by a flood
Relief and rebuilding efforts are urgent. Sending cash allows the family to save emergency funds to buy water, rice, or even rent temporary shelter quickly.
When balikbayan boxes still matter
Balikbayan boxes still hold emotional and cultural value, especially during special occasions like Christmas and birthdays. The excitement of unboxing items, along with the pasalubong tradition of sending specialty snacks or imported perfumes, continues to strengthen emotional bonds.
For older generations, the balikbayan box remains a powerful love language, symbolizing generosity and thoughtfulness in ways money alone cannot.
Final thoughts
Whether it’s the heartfelt weight of a packed balikbayan box or the swift transfer of money, the core of it all is the same: supporting our loved ones. But as life changes, so too must the way we show that love.
Sending money isn’t about being distant; it’s often the most thoughtful and empowering way to help, providing families with exactly what they need when they need it most.
For OFWs and their families, the real question is: What matters most right now? If it’s the freedom to choose, the speed to act, and the flexibility to meet urgent needs, then sending money, not a box, becomes the truest form of care.