Father Stops Auction of Son’s Wayward Balikbayan Boxes

By JOSEPH G. LARIOSA

(© 2011 Journal Group Link International)

C HICAGO (jGLi) – Like a prodigal son, Robert Cirera was rescued from the gallows of embarrassment, ridicule and lawsuits by his Balikbayan boxes-cargo clients when his father, Alex Cirera, “paid the demurrage charges, storage fees and other related expenses” to get the container full of hundreds of Balikbayan boxes out of the Bureau of Customs in the Philippines.

The amount of charges paid among them to the brokers was not disclosed. But it is estimated to run into 300,000 pesos ($7,000.00) to 500,000 pesos ($11,627.00) that will prevent the Philippine Bureau of Customs from auctioning off the Balikbayan boxes that were not delivered last Christmas.

The elder Cirera clarified that his effort to put his personal money on the line to get the Balikbayan boxes out of the BOC “should not be misinterpreted as a form of take-over of Shipping Express, its operations and its liabilities. Robert Cirera and Hazel Wong Cirera remain responsible for their roles in getting the boxes of customers (out of) danger of being auctioned, and for any violations of federal or state laws, if any.”

Alex Cirera, who also publishes Chicago Community Builder monthly, said he took the action because some of his Cirera Express customers were “unfortunately misled by ShipEx employes, who allegedly made the false claim that his Cirera Express Corporation was a “sister company” of ShipEx.”

Consignees of the Balikbayan boxes in the Philippines may now get in touch with Alex’s daughter, Pinky Cirera, president of I-Cirera in the Philippines, and Dolly Jacinto of Total Line Logistics (TLL), consignee of the delayed 489 Balikbayan boxes. They can collect their boxes from the I-Cirera Express warehouse in Quezon City.

This arrangement was reached last Feb. 1 after Ms. Jacinto met with some 100 recipients of the Balikbayan boxes in a mediation meeting held at the Philippine Shipper’s Bureau in Makati City.

They should show proofs of identification as well as copies of the House Bills of Lading given to the senders when the boxes were picked up.

Senders of boxes are enjoined to make arrangements without the need to pay the 500 pesos ($12.00) to 700 ($16.00) pesos if the boxes would have been placed at auction.

In a press release, Alex Cirera explained, “Cirera Express Corporation and Shipping Express Philippines, Inc. are companies that operate independently of each other and are actually competitors in the freight-forwarding business. The former was established in 1989 and started as a money-transfer business.”

In 1998, he decided to establish another company to serve the needs of the community that needed a reliable freight forwarder to the Philippines. The assets of this company - the defunct Shipping Express Corporation - was then given by the elder Cirera who was the sole owner of this business, to his son Robert, 40, who established Shipping Express Philippines, Inc. also known as ShipEx in 2005. This new corporation is now owned solely by Robert Cirera. But its management and operations were taken over by Robert's wife, Hazel Wong Cirera.

In April 2009, and upon the clamor of old-time customers, CEC started its freight forwarding service. Since then, CEC and ShipEx have been competitors. CEC does not have any business relationship whatsoever with ShipEx.

In fact, Alex Cirera is calling for an audit of the financial records of ShipEx in order for its management to account for the funds collected from customers and disbursed by Hazel Wong Cirera, who has given false information and promises to the public through statements given to the Philippine Weekly and Pinoy Monthly newspapers. He is also enjoining Robert and Hazel to face their customers, tell them the truth and liquidate their assets in order to obtain the release of the rest of the containers as well as return the boxes still in their possession.

Reached for comment, Glenn G. Penaranda, Philippine Trade Representative in Chicago, said, “I am waiting for the report of the PSB on the results of the mediation meeting. I will forward it to you as soon as I get it.”

Penaranda said, “The number of complainants who either called or emailed the Philippine Consulate and our office was 40 (as of last Monday, 01 February 2011). I hope that this case will be resolved soon and that no boxes will be auctioned.”  (lariosa_jos@sbcglobal.net)