I can definitely recommend this type of service to everyone. Before using the balikbayan box service, when I first got here, I used to send my package through the post office and for a big package of course, you'll expect higher fees. It's not just the higher fees that I'm concerned about sending my package through the post office. It also has to do with the existing corruption in the Philippines mainly in their post offices.

I once sent a box to my mom with chocolates and other stuffs in it including a used Nokia cellphone that I previously owned and just sent it to my family because my husband bought me a new one. When my mom picked it up at the post office, they ridiculously asked her to pay 2000 pesos fee for the box and an extra 1000 something pesos fee for the cellphone alone because they said it's an electronic and there's a different fee for it. When I sent it at the post office here in the US, I paid $150  for it so the fee that they were asking my mom for was almost half the sum of money I originally paid at the post office here. It's really ridiculous. I know that they have to pay for some taxes there but not a four digit amount. I think it's too much for just receiving a package. My mom is the type of person who doesn't want any troubles so, she went back home just to get some more money since the budget she brought with her wasn't enough for their absurdly high fees.

So, after that incident, I looked for a cheaper and reliable  courier services on the net and I stumbled upon this Manila forwarders who has a Balikbayan Box service. Fortunately, there was one lady there in Columbia who was actually an employee of a company who also does this type of service. What they do is, they give you a box depending on the size of the box you want. I ordered an estimated size of 30 inches tall, 20 inches wide box which is a good size for a package to send to Philippines. They told me that I will get to keep them and fill it up with anything I want and just call them  to pick it up once it's ready for delivery. I paid $90 for the whole service. The only problem I have with this service is that it takes 1-2 months for the package to get to it's destination. But what would I expect for a $90 fee, right? At least, my family received a bunch of assorted craps from me. I really filled up the box as much as possible to make use of my $90 fee for the box plus the amount of all the stuffs in it since there's no weight limit for it.

The guy who delivered the box to my mom's house took a picture of my sister who that time was the one who received the package. They asked her for her Id and had her sign the receipt. The picture is basically a proof that a certain person actually got the package and it can also be used if ever you have any complaints about the package not being received or something or somebody else from your town got it.

So yeah, it's pretty easy and hassle-free for me and for my family as well.