Misleading info on EMS express mail from USA?

In another related thread there were several posting that by using EMS-express mail service instead of a courier, it would be cheaper to send docs to P.I.

Well as with most things in the P.I. and on the internet, the info you receive may or may not be any good.

Here is one person's experience with EMS, and notice it does not get past customs.

EMS package sent to philippines « Little Experiences…

This is in Pasay, but who knows what happens here, I sure as hell don't

 

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Unfortunately, there are certain postal offices that are notorious for schemes to make a quick buck.

Never had these problems when I lived in Mandaluyong city, but can't say the same for other places. Postal employees would even claim they're just following a "quota" from their boss. I do have an effective work-aroung, bring a video camera with you, and then say the magic word "blogger".

 

You might check the thread again, I don't see anywhere where anybody recommended sending anything using EMS from the US to the Philippines.

Larry

 

Postal Employees and EMS

THe previous posters who said you could avoid customs by using EMS may have simply meant that customs can do nothing if it's just documents as there is nothing to impose duties on.

However from what I understand, THEFT and LOSS by postal employees here is endemic, so just because EMS is reliable in the States does not necessarily mean it's reliable or fast here,even for express mail.

As the previous posters have not yet commented I await their possible rebuttals to this line of reasoning. Until I hear otherwise I probably will go with a private courier, more expensive, but I don't want the hassle of my stuff getting "lost".

Re the video cam ploy, do you actually think they are sophisticated enough to understand the posslble ramifications? Corruption here is a way of life, and those practicing it do not seem to be too concerned about getting caught, especially if it involves a foreigner (read: non-person)

 

I am one of "the previous posters", and I DID respond if you had bothered to look. As I said in my response, I see nowhere where anybody posted anything about sending anything from the US to the Philippines using EMS. Can you point me to that post?

I made the comment earlier about sending documents, which I found them reliable and reasonably fast sending from here. I am in Dumaguete, not the US, as can easily be ascertained by intelligent persons (or even intelligent non persons) from the upper right hand corner where it says "location, Valencia".

SteveB also made a response saying he had some items shipped into the Philippines using EMS. Since these were electronic items I would assume he had them shipped from China, not the US. I also have had some items sent in from China using EMS, and had some minor issues at the local level which were solved by simply checking at the post office for the item at the time of expected delivery. As Steve stated, for those items we were charged a whopping P40 for customs, one of which probably would have been several thousand using FEDEX or other courier.

Problems usually occur when receiving packages in the Philippines through the postal service, not sending from the Philippines using the postal service. Please do use "other courier" if it suites you, and good luck with customs. On occasion, we will continue to use EMS for sending of documents at half the cost of "other courier". We send documents generally several times per week so the savings is substantial when sending overseas. (Take note that is SENDING, not RECEIVING)

You seem to have a very low opinion of the Philippines in general, I do wonder why you remain here.

Larry

 

That's like asking people who live in an area that regularly sees hurricanes or earthquakes etc why they continue to live there isn't it?

Filipinos often suggest foreigners just leave if they don't like it, but there are few foreigners suggesting it to each other. Unless maybe their business is to promote the Philippines.

- Or they have just given up on having higher standards than the norm in a 3rd world country?



Most foreigners who have been here any length of time Do have a low opinion of the Philippines.

 

True enough, as they would anywhere they are for any length of time, including their home town. Some people will never be happy, anywhere. The Philippines does have it's problems, as does anywhere, but after 10 years here I enjoy life here more each year, which I have never been able to say about living anywhere previously.

Larry

 

A good woman on ones side helps a lot...

 

If you had read the OP..

ASSuming you CAN read, you might have comprehended that I said in the OPI would be sending from the USA to P.I.

If you are happy using a service that you claim only works when you send stuff from the P.I. to a country (that may not be so known for corruption and theft/loss of mail), fine by me. Responses to the OP (yours or others) stated that you could avoid P.I. customs by sending EMS, a falsehood. Everything coming into P.I. has to be screened by customs or they PRETEND to screen it, like they PRETEND to do alot of stuff on this dysfunctional set of islands. I gave a specific link to an example of what a PITA it can be getting stuff out of the post office here in the P.I. Anyone can see that dealing with P.I. post office and customs can be a royal PITA. I don't have to PRETEND that I think things are peaches and cream in the P.I. to statisfy anyone, including people on forums that have special interests to protect or satisfy in the P.I. I tell it like it is, let the chips fall where they may. You ASSumed SteveB shipped them from China, just like you assume when you reply to me here with your (starting) the insults.

 

Yes, I read and understood you were shipping from US, and I admit I was not clear that I was referring to sending from the Philippines in my offending post. I take full responsibility for this, as I know better than to make any post that can in any possible way be misconstrued, twisted, or turned around, as some nitwit will always do so if it can be done. I admit that "For sending documents, we generally use LBC or (get this) Philpost EMS" does not quite cover the base that I was talking about "sending" through "Philpost". My sincere apologies for trying to be helpful to someone on your thread.

As for "avoiding customs", all shipments into the Philippines are subject to customs inspections. However, some shippers are more prone to severe scrutiny and high customs charges than others. FEDEX is probably the most scrutinized, with the highest fees collected, and the most number of customs related complaints, while balikbayan boxes are the least scrutinized with very seldom ever having charges levied against them. What Steve posted is not that EMS avoided customs, but rather avoid heavy customs charges. This made sense to me for two reasons, number one I know Steve, and know he doesn't bullshit about trivial matters. If he says he was told at DHL that by going through EMS and Philpost there was a standard customs duty of P40, I believe he was told that. Secondly I myself have paid a fee of P40 for an item I had shipped in from China, so it all made sense.

I also know somebody who paid $55 in customs for a book bought on Amazon, someone who paid $240 in customs on a cell phone he paid $200 off ebay, and someone who forfeited 4 laptops to customs when they wanted $800+ for four used laptops, two of which were not even in working order. These items were all shipped FEDEX.

One thing about this dysfunctional set of islands, it attracts a lot of dysfunctional expats from all countries. One must be very clear and concise in posting lest someone get their dander up over a misunderstanding.

Larry