DTI warns public against blacklisted forwarders

By Rizalie A. Calibo

SIQUIJOR, Nov 13 (PIA) --The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) issued a list of unaccredited freight forwarders and consolidators and advised the public, particularly the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their consignees, not to transact with said companies due to reported complaints of undelivered Balikbayan Boxes. 

Atty. Victorio Mario Dimagiba, Director-in-Charge of Philippine Shippers Bureau (PSB) said, OFWs who will send their Balikbayan boxes and their consignees in the Philippines should book their packages only with reliable and PSB-accredited freight forwarders and Philippine agents to ensure that their packages will reach its destination. 

Foreign principals and cargo consolidators abroad usually have Philippine counterparts which must be accredited by the PSB if it is a sea cargo forwarder and Civil Aeronautics Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) if it is an air cargo forwarder. 

Senders may verify the company name of Philippine sea freight forwarder counterpart at www.dti.gov.ph, or they may visit our Philippine Consulate Offices abroad. 

Director Dimagiba also told senders to be aware of very low door-to-door rates offered by foreign principals. “With low rates, they (foreign principals) do not have enough funds to bear the cost of transporting cargoes, and they fail to remit delivery funds to their Philippines freight forwarders, causing the shipments to be abandoned at the ports and not being delivered to consignees, said Dimagiba. 

To avoid being a victim of unscrupulous cargo forwarders, the public is advised to regularly monitor advisories and alerts from DTI-PSB, and refer to the blacklist of unaccredited freight forwarders available at offices of Overseas Worker Welfare Administration, Bureau of Customs, DTI Regional Offices in the Philippines, and for senders abroad, they may visit Philippine Embassies and Consulates, Philippine Trade and Investments Centers (PTICs), Consumer Agencies of Foreign Government and Freight Forwarders Regulating Agencies of Foreign Government. 

The following are the local freight forwarders/Philippine agents with no DTI-PSB accreditation and are now subject of complaints on undelivered packages: 

Aerosend (Case No. 2011-04-163) 

Alas Cargo Phil. (Case No. 2012-05-57) 

Associated Consolidation Express (ACE) (Case No. 2010-05-44) 

Dausan International Forwarder (Case No. 2012-09-132) 

FACF Parcel Delivery (Case No. 2012-09-142) 

FRS Philippine Freight Services Inc. (Case No. 2011-08-238) 

International Cargo Forwarder (Case No. 2012-08-125) 

J.J. Transglobal Brokerage (Case No. 2012-09-143) 

JAR Cargo Forwarders (Case No. 2012-09-126) 

Mail Plus Cargo Carriers (Case No. 2012-02-25) 

Manila Broker (Case No. 2012-09-144) 

Maru Cargo Logistics Phil. (Case No. 2012-10-164) 

R&M Cargo Services (Case No. 2012-10-155) 

Rodah Cargo Manila (Case Nos. 2012-01-15 and 2012-09-140) 

South Atlantic Cargo Inc. (Case No. 2012-10-154) 

Trico International Forwarding (Phils.) Inc. (Case No. 2012-09-141) 

Vanwill Cargo Forwarder, Inc. (Case No. 2012-10-174) 

VCG Customs Brokerage (Case No. 2012-03-38) 

Aside from the local freight forwarders, PSB issued names of blacklisted foreign principals and consolidators abroad due to reports of undelivered packages and other violations under PSB Administrative Order No. 6 series of 2005 or the Revised Rules on Freight Forwarding: 

United Arab Emirates 

Al Rodah Marine Cargo 

Cityline Cargo 

Dagupan Cargo Packaging Services 

Express Link Cargo Services 

Smooth Express 

United States 

AAA Cargo Express Inc. 

ABSCBN Star Kargo 

Aerosend 

Alas Cargo 

Associated Consolidations Express - Ace Cargo 

FRS Phil. Freight Services Inc. 

Shipping Express 

South Atlantic Cargo 

Saudi Arabia 

Cargo Net Worldwide Services-formerly FAL World Express Cargo 

Fil Asia Cargo Forwarders Phil 

Global Cargo 

RJM Freight Cargo Forwarders 

WRJ Freight Forwarders 

North and South Express Cargo 

Singapore 

Hagibis Express Pte. Ltd 

Maru Cargo Logistics (s) LLP 

Ireland 

Maharlika Enterprise Cargo Services 

SCRL Cargo 

Malaysia Bayanihan Express 

Australia Dausan International Forwarder 

Hongkong Ford Cargo International 

Cyprus Trico International 

Likewise, PSB advised the public to refrain from transacting with the following blacklisted accredited freight forwarding companies which were issued Show Cause Orders by DTI and are subject of complaints regarding balikbayan boxes: 

D’Winner Logistics Phil. Inc (Case No. 2012-09-139- Petition for revocation of Accreditation) 

LCSN Express Movers Inc (Case Nos. 2012-09-135, 2012-10-158, 2012-10-161) 

Transtech Global Phil Inc. (Case No. 2012-09-138) 

Wide Wide World Express Corp. (Case No. 2012-09-148) 

These companies are in danger of revocation of their accreditation with PSB. 

For consignees in the Philippines who have not received their packages from freight forwarders, they may contact DTI (02-751-3330) or go to PSB Office to file an immediate claim or complaint. ( PIA-Siquijor w/ reports from DTI-Siquijor)