It’s been a month now and the big package you are seeing is still in transit. The package is containing personal effects which include used and new clothing, bath essentials, and personal care stuff. These things are for my family and some friends in the Philippines. At least once a year, my husband and I send a package to them especially to my nieces and nephews. We call it Balikbayan Box literally means “repatriate box”. I can imagine happy faces when the kids get their gifts every time a Balikbayan Box from us arrives. These type of packages are shipped and carried by a cargo vessel. So they go sailing by across the ocean for more than four weeks.
Below are the three cargo companies/agents I tried over the years.
Forex Cargo, Inc.
When my husband and I were living in Fort Worth, a Filipino friend recommended Forex Cargo, Inc. to me while we’re at a party. I was very excited to ship my very first Balikbayan Box to my family in the Philippines. What I liked about Forex is that, they pick up the packages at our house. After a month from shipping, my packages arrived at the port of Manila. My family received them about a week after. Depending on some good situations, Forex delivers the packages in about a month after the actual vessel loading. But shipping rates had become a little pricey now.
PNB Remittance Center (Philippine National Bank)
So after trying Forex Cargo, Inc.’s service, we switched to PNB Remittance Center’s cargo shipping. They were offering this service to their bank/remittance customers. We had to take the packages to their office though. The shipping rates were a quite affordable. The transit duration is about two months.
LBC Express
Then last year, one of my friends told me to try LBC Express Cargo. The shipping rates are cheaper plus the agent picks up the packages once they’re ready. I went ahead and gave it a try last year. The package I sent mid-October arrived December before Christmas. The shipping rates are reasonable. I paid $75 Large Box going to the Visayas, which is $20 cheaper than the other sea cargo service I tried.
I have a good experience with LBC Express so far. Hopefully, the packages that are currently in transit will be delivered safe and sound by end of May.
