Dubai: Customers of two UAE-based cargo forwarders, blacklisted by Manila for allegedly causing undue delays or outright non-delivery of cargo sent home by Filipinos, remain in the dark about the fate of their "Balikbayan" (homecoming) boxes.

The Philippine Shippers Bureau (PSB), an agency under the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), has released an "advisory" warning consumers of possible problems when using the services of Dagupan Cargo Packaging Services and Express Link Cargo Services.

Dozens of containers full of such boxes sent by Filipino migrant workers here are stuck with Manila Customs due to non-payment of fees by the two forwarders, who are part of a list of delinquent firms, XPRESS has learnt.

Adan, an expat, said his box picked up on January 27 by Al Ain-based Express Link Cargo has not been delivered though he was promised delivery within 45 days. "I was supposed to get it on March 15, during my vacation."

He came back to Dubai disappointed. Adan said a visit to the Customs office in Manila was useless as the cargo would not be released until payment was made.This was confirmed by Gilbert Malvar, an official of Malvar Cargo (Express Link's Manila forwarder), who said the containers landed on February 27 and March 12, but that Customs held them over unpaid fees.

Malvar said: "We are also the victims here. The storage fee goes up for each day the cargo stays in the Customs' yard."

Yancy Soriano, the manager and investor of the now-renamed Dagupan Cargo LLC, said they have assumed the liabilities incurred by the management of Dagupan Cargo Packaging Services not knowing the extent of the problem. He said that since he took over Dagupan's management, only two containers out of the original 12 are left unsettled.

"Dagupan Cargo Packaging Services no longer exists," said Soriano.

"We are trying to sort out all the pending problems of the old company," he said. "We're working with our customers to prevent the contents of the remaining two containers from being auctioned off by Customs in Manila."

Irate customers are venting their frustrations on Facebook.

Chrissie, a Filipina in Dubai, said: "It's painful to think we're being duped by fellow Filipinos. I've been promised a thousand times by Dagupan people, it's been four months since I sent my box and it has not been delivered."

Another customer said: "There's nothing else we can do but wait. Actually, one of the two boxes sent in December already arrived (in July). But the other box is still somewhere out there."

No comment was available from Express Link and their phones were turned off on Wednesday.