Bureau of Customs Guide Mactan-Cebu Airport and Cebu Sea Port
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Loading...To ensure smooth Customs clearance, please read these guidelines thoroughly. All persons, cargo and baggage are subject to a search at any time. (Sections 2210 & 2212, Customs Law)
General Provisions All articles, when imported from any foreign country into the Philippines, shall be subject to duty and tax upon each importation, even though previously exported from the Philippines, except as otherwise specifically provided in the Customs Code or in other laws. (Section 100, TCCP)
Prohibited and Regulated Articles The unlawful importation of prohibited articles (i.e. marijuana, cocaine or any other narcotics or synthetic drugs, firearms and explosives and parts thereof, gun replicas, obscene or immoral articles, adulterated or misbranded articles of food or drugs, gambling outfits and paraphernalia, used clothing and rags – R.A. 4653, elephant / ivory tusk products) or those which violate the Intellectual Property Rights Code, R.A. 8293 (i.e., DVDs, VCDs, other imitation products) and regulated items (i.e., transceivers, controlled chemicals / substances / precursors) regardless of quantity constitute a violation of Philippine Customs Laws and may subject you to criminal prosecutions and / or fines and penalties. Agriculture and Quarantine Regulations or any other services to the less privileged must coordinate with the Philippine Department of Social Welfare and Development, through the Philippine embassies and / or consulates abroad, for purposes of clearance, prior to actual departure. Donations must be covered by a Deed of Donation and Deed of Acceptance, approved by the Department of Finance. Agriculture quarantine restricts the entry of animals, fish and plant products or their by-products (such as meat, eggs, birds, fruits, etc.). Transport of endangered species and their by-products is also restricted / prohibited by CITES / DENR regulations. Likewise, export of such products / by-products must be referred to quarantine officers to ensure compliance with Philippine Customs Laws and may subject you to criminal prosecutions and / or fines and penalties. Agriculture and Quarantine Regulations or any other services to the less privileged must coordinate with the Philippine Department of Social Welfare and Development, through the Philippine embassies and / or consulates abroad, for purposes of clearance, prior to actual departure. Donations must be covered by a Deed of Donation and Deed of Acceptance, approved by the Department of Finance. Agriculture quarantine restricts the entry of animals, fish and plant products or their by-products (such as meat, eggs, birds, fruits, etc.). Transport of endangered species and their by-products is also restricted / prohibited by CITES / DENR regulations. Likewise, export of such products / by-products must be referred to quarantine officers to ensure compliance with Philippine (NTC) Endangered Species Dept. of Environment and National Resources (DENR) Medicines and the like Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD)
A person may bring into (import) or take out of (export) the Philippines, either physically or by electronical transfer, legal tender Philippine currency of an amount not exceeding PHP ₱50,000 (fifty thousand pesos, Philippine currency) without prior authorization from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, a person may carry up to the amount of USD 10,000 (or equivalent in any other foreign currency), in cash or other monetary instruments, into and out of the Philippines, other monetary instruments include travellers’ checks, other checks, drafts, notes, money orders, bonds, deposit certificates, securities, commercial papers, trust certificates, custodial receipts, deposit substitute instruments, trading orders, transaction tickets and confirmation of sale/investment
Non-Resident Foreigners Passengers who intend to bring back to their place of residence abroad any dutiable article must inform the inspecting Customs Officer of said intention. In this case, the passenger may be required to accomplish a re-exportation commitment form duly secured by a cash bond deposit equal to the ascertained duty and tax on the article, refundable upon departure of the passenger with the article, for which a corresponding Official Receipt will be issued. Exemptions / Duty-Free Concessions Adult Passengers: Two (2) reams of cigarette or two (2) tins of tobacco Two (2) bottles of liquor or wine not exceeding one (1) liter per bottle
Balikbayan and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) are entitled to a Ten Thousand (₱10,000,00) Peso duty exemption on their USED personal and household effects. Any excess thereof is subject to an ad valorem duty (Executive Order 206). In addition, OFWs are entitled to duty and tax-free privileges on their USED appliances limited to one of every kind provided the total value does not exceed ₱10,000.00. Any excess is subject to duty and tax. The amount of duty to be paid shall be determined by the Customs Officer. Please have all your receipts and / or supporting documents ready for presentation to the Customs Officer. Philippine Duty-Free Shopping All passengers arriving from abroad can enjoy a one-time duty-free shopping privilege within the prescribed number of days from the date of arrival, upon presentation of a valid passport, flight ticket and boarding pass. Philippine duty-free shops are retail establishments licensed by the government to sell duty and tax-free merchandise to cater to travelers and Balikbayans.
The amount of duty to be paid shall be determined by the Customs Officer. Please have all your receipts and / or supporting documents ready for presentation to the Customs Officer.
WARNING: Serious Consequences to Drug Traffickers under Philippine Law
(R.A. 7659)
Sending or exporting personal effects and gifts by checked airline baggage, sea freight (65 to 75 days transit time) and express air freight (3 to 6 days transit time) to Cebu and the rest of the Philippines.
Philippine Bureau of Customs may inspect or place a clearance delay – import on your gifts or personal effects at the port of entry in either Cebu or Manila.
Philippine Bureau of Customs at Cebu or Manila are more likely to levy VAT, Warehoue Handling, Storage, Broker and Entry Form Fee on Express Air Freight (3 to 6 days transit time) and non Balikbayan Boxes or Independent Palletized Sea Freight (65 to 75 days transit time).
Depending on the weight, declared or insurance value the Philippine Bureau of Customs will levy charges accordingly, the Philippine Bureau of Customs will not accept zero value on the commercial invoice.
Based on the average parcel weight of 20kg by Express Air Freight to the declared value of USD $300.00 (commercial invoice), the Philippine Bureau of Customs estimated charges may be up to ₱8000.00, see actual sample charges below for a one-off 20kg shipment to Cebu, the Philippines by International Express Air Freight (3 to 6 days in transit).
How to Avoid Paying for Airlines Excess Baggage Charges to Cebu the Philippines and Southeast Asia
You can avoid paying excessive amount of money for excess baggage by sending any additional items by paid sea cargo, although it can take 65 days to 75 days it will be a fraction of any airline checked baggage price and is billed by box size or volume not weight
Shipping Balikbayan Boxes by Sea Cargo to Cebu the PhilippinesShipping loose items by Sea Cargo to the Philippnes and Cebu in heavy duty cardboard box by volume or box size commonly referred to as Balikbayan BoxesThe Cebu Tourist Recommends FOREX-UMAC CARGO FORWARDERS Door to Door Service
All Worldwide FOREX-UMAC Cargo Locations
Vist: http://www.umaccargo.net/worldwide.html
FOREX-UMAC Sea Cargo Pocedure
FOREX-UMAC offers boxed door to door by sea freight, by volume to Cebu, Philippines at very competitive pricing and is the preferred shipper for Filipino communities worldwide
FOREX-UMAC Box Sizes
Medium – 23″x20″x17″ (4.5 cu.ft.)
Large – 24″x24″x24″ (8 cu.ft.)
Extra Large – 23″x20″x34″ (9 cu.ft.)
Jumbo – 29″x23″x26″ (10 cu.ft.)
Mega – 34″x23″x26″ (12 cu.ft.)
Mega Ply – 34″x23″x26″ (12 cu.ft.)
Additional charges will apply if you exceed the standard Forex-Umac box size, or when using your own oversized box or Ply crate
FOREX-UMAC can arrange empty boxes to be delivered to your resident, business or collect boxes at there warehouse locations
Your box will be loaded at the International Port of Departure onto a High Cube 40 ft’ shared container, you can track it online with the reference provided, you may request the container number on request for the detailed tracking and expected vessel arrival date into Subic Bay, Manila, and Cebu
If you don’t request the container number from UMAC-FOREX for the shipping line to or via Port of Manila, you can still track online at FOREX-UMAC using the reference sticker on the box or the shipping customer copy manifest and this will only update up on arrival at Port of Manila onwards to Cebu, or the final destination through to delivery
Philippine customs or the appointed broker will clear your box at customs for exit clearance from Port of Subic Bay, Manila and Cebu and onwards by truck to your local sorting warehouse for delivery
UMAC-Marikina Sorting Warehouse in Manila for onward connection by sea vessel, loaded onto a High Cube 20 ft container to Cebu
Be particular patient, don’t expect your box to be immediately available for delivery, up on arrival at UMAC-Cebu Sorting Warhouse, in Cebu the Philippines or Manila boxes will be routed and prioritised accordingly. However once the box arrives at the delivery warehouse it may deliver within 72 hours
If you the official named receiver is not expected to be available to sign and take delivery from UMAC-Cebu, you will be expected to leave an authorization letter with your vaild ID card, together with the ID of your trustee
Actual transit time door to door service offered by FOREX-UMAC to the Philippines or onward to Cebu
Expected International delivery by sea cargo with FOREX-UMAC to Cebu the Philippines or Manila door to door service, including ground, truck or rail transfers to the Port, Port Handling, Customs Cearance or Ad hoc checks, Warehouse Sorting, additional vessel by sea to Port of Cebu and transport by land to receiver is 65 to 75 days
If you want to the almost guarantee or are planning to ship by sea to the Philippines or Cebu for Christmas delivery, and your distance is 6000 miles or more to the Philippines be prepared to ship the first week into September for collection
By International Economy Air Freight offered by DHL, Fedex or UPS to Cebu, Manila or anywhere in the Philippines is estimated at 7 to 14 days including delivery, price varies by weight and volume.
