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Sending mail and packages from abroad thru our POST OFFICE
Topic Started: Sep 9 2011, 12:53 AM (745 Views)
Armando
Unregistered

A few minutes ago, I was watching GMA's all-news channel on cable where the Philippine Postmaster General was interviewed. When asked by the host of the show where people can file or send their complaints, she said we can always go to their official website which is at http://philpost.gov.ph . As someone who gets packages from the U.S. regularly because most of our family lives there, I have a few complaints about our postal service so I immediately went to the said site. To my disappointment, I could not find any links or email address that I could use to which I could file or send my complaints. I think that postmaster lied through her teeth. It must be part of Noynoy's Daang Matuwid.

So far in the past 10 years we have not experienced losing money or check in our mails. And that's not praising our postal service. The reason why we haven't lost money or checks sent via mail is because my parents or my siblings send money only thru bank to bank. Paying a sending fee of about $10 or more is way better than losing all the money that your loved ones send to you. Encourage your family/relatives/folks to do so everytime they want to send you cash or checks in the mail. As for losing contents of packages sent to us, we have not experienced that either. Most of the time, what my siblings do is buy a balikbayan box, leave it open in the closet, keep piling stuff into it that they buy on sale or specific items we request them to buy for us and when the box is full, they tape it up, tie a strong rope around it a few times and then finally send them via a door-to-door service using one of the many legal freight forwarders operating between the US & the Philippines. Of course, that box will take about a month to get to its destination. So far (knock on wood), we haven't lost any items yet using that service. But you should also be aware that not all door-to-door services are the same. Some boxes sent via this services may never get delivered or some items contained in these boxes may get stolen. I certainly have heard stories like that from victims. So pick a freight forwarder that is reputable with a good track record and seek out opinions from other Filipinos in the U.S. as to what door-to-door service they patronize. Some services mishandle packages. If your relatives intend to send breakable items with fluids in them, my advice is to seal them in a big ziploc bag and tape it up. That should also apply to products in boxes that contain powder (like tempura mix, chocolate powder, spices), cereals (like oatmeal, mueslix, rice crispies & other cereal types) & certain snacks (like trail mixes) which are packaged in plastic pouches and cartons that can easily bust when a careless freight handler just tosses your balikbayan boxes around. I'm talking from experience. I've seen this happen. We have received such items in the past that end up broken and having their contents scatter all over the balikbayan box. It was no fun cleaning up the MESS!

Going back to our postal services, I have experienced being asked for bribes openly by a female postal worker (ang garapal!) when I picked up a few items (which were all vitamins for my mom) at a Novaliches post office. Being a recent balikbayan, I was utterly disappointed. I thought these type of shenanigans do not happen anymore but I guess leopards do not lose their spots that easily.

One other thing that I noticed that postal workers do now that they didn't use to do before is they open parcels now in front of you. Was there a shift in policy lately? Again, is this part of Daang Matuwid? And why do we have to pay P40 each time we pick up a parcel? Weren't the stamps used to send the package already paid? And if they are basing that amount on the value of the items sent, why did I have to pay for a FREE CD which was sent to me free of charge by MICROSOFT? In one of the times I went to the MAIN POST OFFICE in QC to pick up a package, a female postal worker opened the box and then in her loud voice told her supervisor the contents of the box (which were all vitamins for my mom) and even blurted out the value of each items in DOLLARS. That is simply tacky! What I thought she was doing was force me to cough up grease money so she can facilitate the release of my package. Unfortunately for her, I didn't bite. Did these people go to school? I likened that to having my mail opened by someone, other than myself, reading my letter and invading my privacy. That has got to stop. If a family member sent me some underwear, would they open the box and lift the garment in full view of other people picking up packages too and be subjected to humiliation? Where do they draw the line? In the US, such practices are not condoned. If they want to catch criminals sending drugs using our postal services, it is up to our law enforcement agencies to find ways to discourage criminals from doing that rather than use methods that PUNISH law-abiding citizens. This practice by our post office people is abuse of our rights. Our privacy rights are being violated. And people are happily just bending over.

I will never send even a postcard using our POST OFFICE again.
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Bonniegirl
Unregistered

I think the Postmaster General lied on purpose because she's embarassed to say on TV they have no way for the public to reach them thru which to lodge or channel their complaints. And she knows that if their official email address and phone numbers are ever published they would be inundated by consumer complaints for their ineptitude, inefficiency, unprofessionalism and thievery. Honestly, I think they should all be replaced by a private company. MMDA, on the other hand, even has a TWITTER presence:
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=ie7&q=mmda+twitter&rls=com.microsoft:en-US:{referrer:source?}&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&rlz=1I7TSHB_en

Our Post Office don't even have an email address!! BOOH! :sopbox:

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JulianSalcedo
Member Avatar
Wanderer
[ * ]
I found this article that is kind of related to this topic. Please read:
Quote:
 
How to Choose a Balikbayan Freight Forwarding Company
From: http://balikbayanboxes.blogspot.com/2007/01/how-to-choose-balikbayan-freight.html

One of the most crucial decisions Filipinos abroad make in sending balikbayan boxes to the Philippines is choosing a freight forwarder. There may be a lot of cargo forwarders in your area but the question is -- can you trust them?

Here's how to check if they are legit:

1. Check if the freight forwarding company is licensed, bonded and is registered with the government. You can go to the Federal Maritime Commission website to check if they have an Ocean Transport Intermediaries (OTI) license:
http://www.fmc.gov/
http://www2.fmc.gov/oti/OTIList_FF_TradeNames.aspx
http://www2.fmc.gov/oti/OTIList_NVO_TradeNames.aspx

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) is an independent federal agency responsible for the regulation of oceanborne transportation in the foreign commerce of the U.S. However, the FMC only regulates certain activities of international shipping lines, marine terminals operators and ocean transportation intermediaries (OTIs) who operate in the U.S. foreign commerce. Thus, there are some legitimate freight forwarders that are not registered with FMC.

2. If the company is not listed on FMC's website, you may contact the Department of Trade of Industry as these forwarders should have at least an office or warehouse in the Philippines. It is recommended that you check with the Philippine Shippers' Bureau because it requires freight forwarders to get an accreditation.

Philippine Shippers' Bureau
Department of Trade and Industry
5F Trade and Industry Building
361 Sen. Gil J. Puyat Avenue, Makati City
Tel. nos.: (6-32)751-0384 local 2512/2513; (6-32)751-3304; (6-32)890-4892
Fax No.: (6-32)751-3305
e-mail: psb@dti.dti.gov.ph

3. Check the background of the balikbayan box company. Check the company's profile and history. The Internet may also help you know evaluate the company's service through testimonials and customer complaints. (You may also check for complaints through the Better Business Bureau:
http://www.bbb.org/
http://www.bbb.org/online/
As we all know, some companies over-promise but under-deliver.

Personally, I believe that the best way to check the legitimacy and performance of a freight forwarder is through word of mouth (WOM). Don't just trust a company that you see on TV. Advertising can help build and lend the brand a trustworthy image but still, it is biased because the advertiser controls the message.

Ask your friends, your neighbors. Which freight company do they use? What are their personal experiences?

4. Check the company's physical address and contact numbers and if you have time, drop by and check. Ask the nearby establishments too so you could check if it's legit or fly-by-night.

5. Make sure that the company issues official documents and receipts. When you pay for the cargo services, always ask for an official receipt because this is your proof that they have received money from you. Keep the official receipt as you may need it later on.
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