The most joyous occasion in the Philippines is a few days ahead. Christmas, and it is always a great joy for every Filipino families with members living or working abroad to receive a balikbayan box during this season.
A Balikbayan Box, is a care package sent by Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) back to their families in the Philippines. A balikbayan box typically contains a hodgepodge of things we call pasalubong, ranging from consumables, to apparel and beauty products, to small gadgets and some cash carefully inserted in other items – hoping against hope that they won’t be found by people other than the recipients. While the cash and other attractive items often disappear, thanks to the entrepreneurial customs officers who help themselves to the content of these balikbayan boxes, some items eventually find their way to the waiting families. Yey!
The balikbayan box usually contains different kinds of imported gifts because we, Filipinos are fond of imported items after all. Remember that Nivea joke?
As an OFW, we usually buy items whenever we see them on reduced price and consolidate them for our love ones. From Lulu to Carrefour, name it. Almost every week there are sale in those leading hyper markets.
We made a research and found these common items inside the balikbayan box.
Now you’re probably saying to yourself: But most of these items can now be bought locally, right? Why even bother sending a balikbayan box at the risk of it being pilfered anyway? Well, Pinoys are a highly sentimental bunch. Most of what we do, we do out of love and a deeper sense of care. So when you think about it, the balikbayan box represents more than just the items inside. It represents blood, sweat and tears of every single Filipino working and living abroad, fighting homesickness, melancholy and many forms of abuse, just to be able to save enough money to provide a better future for their families back home – and yes, occasionally send balikbayan boxes. Of course, there are measures in place to regulate what goes in – and how much or how many of it – and the OFWs should likewise abide by these rules to avoid fines and other inconveniences.
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