How To Find The Best Balikbayan Box Forwarder

By Eric Patterson


If you are on this article at this very moment, it is quite possible that you are married to a Philippine citizen. As such you will also be familiar with the concept or the idea of a balikbayan box. Balikbayan means to repatriate or to go back home. Thus if you are about to send a box back home to the Philippines then you will need to know where to get a reliable cargo forwarder to do so.

The box will contain basically anything possible under the sun, but most of the time it will contain general dry goods. Most of the items usually place in it will have some sort of intrinsic value to the receiver and so a lot of thought is always put into what is placed inside. Apart from the expected canned goods, toys and even toiletries usually sent over, some do place laptops and other high ticket items inside.

Do not begin your search unless you have a checklist on hand first. We make mistakes when we commit everything to memory and sometimes leave crucial details out. Managers to this day use checklists to keep track of things to aid in their decision, and there is no reason why you cannot use one as well in making yours.

The first step on your checklist is to get as much information on your prospective forwarder. Do ask around your neighbor and colleagues who may have also used a forwarding service recently or are consistently using one for tips and recommendations. If there are more than one service provider in the area, it is best that you ask for multiple opinions and recommendations.

Once you have a list of alternate providers, compare each one by price also if possible. On average the base price per box will be around sixty dollars a piece and upwards, for a general standard sized box. Extra large boxes can be a bit more expensive starting at seventy five dollars and up depending on the location. As a rule, many providers do give box sizes of small, medium, large, and extra large.

Do also compare services across providers also. Ask or see if they can provide pickup services, and some do this for free and some do this for a fee. Most providers however, prefer that you just drop off your box at their designated drop off points.

Regional and national reach is something that must be factored into your decision as well. It is better to get a provider that has a presence on all three major islands of the Philippines, these being Mindanao, Visayas, and Luzon respectively. Having such a provider will assure you that they have the network to see your package to your final destination.

In all, this article has shown what you need to look for in a good provider for your forwarding needs. It is always recommended to get as much information as you can prior to making a final choice or decision, especially if it will involve any cost to your wallet. Make sure you leave no stone unturned in your search for helpful information.




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