This is a long overdue post, sending package to the Philippines is what we love to do the most. Mostly our boxes will contains chocolates, noodles, clothes either new or old and every thing that we think our family will love to received. It is my habit to send package to Philippines twice a year from the items I bought on sale in Korea. I send my boxes thru postal office or EMS, everything went well not until I sent something and went stolen, after that my next boxes arrived to my family opened and taped.  I was furious but nothing else I can do but blog my disappointment.

My mother told me to sent my package thru LBC because my cousin used LBC when she sent package to her family from abroad because the box arrived safely, as well one of our distant neighbor but what should I do there’s no LBC in Korea until recently.

[The LBC jumbo box at home]

The dilemma of moving out from Korea left me uncertain if I want to send many boxes thru postal office or went home just to make sure the souvenirs I bought from the countries we visited will reach home safely. Well, I was given a third choice when LBC Balikbayan boxes finally opened in Korea around August 2013 (if I am not mistaken), their main office is in Hyehwa-dong the little Manila of South Korea where most Filipino see each other every Sunday. So I either used EMS or call LBC hotline (1661-5899) for jumbo box.  If I used EMS I have to pay a lot because the rate is per kilo, while in LBC the rate of jumbo box is by zone. I have decided to call the LBC hotline on Thursday (Oct.10?) and a Korean woman pick-up the phone, I looked for someone who speak English just to find someone who can speak Tagalog. Haha

Well, it is going to be easier to explain my thoughts if I am going to speak to someone who can speak Tagalog, right? I also sent message to Korea Balikbayan page in Facebook. Anyway I was told that they are going to call back because the one who can speak Tagalog is not around, lunch break. I received a call while I was outside going to supermarket and was asked for my address, how many box I need and where am I sending.

Everything went well and was told the 2 jumbo boxes I have ordered will arrived in three days, I waited but nobody arrives on my doorstep within 3 days.  Ahm, I counted again maybe it is three working days which mean Saturday and Sunday should not be included,  Edelyn (the Filipina who works at LBC) is very helpful she updates me or follow up if the boxes I have ordered already arrived.

Anyway on Oct. 18, finally the tekbe ajossi knocked on our door and I got the boxes I have ordered, I was pretty excited and I started filling up one of the box with my junks (that’s what my husband call my things). I was overwhelmed with the box because it was bigger than I expected,  I literally fit inside the box I think two people sitting can fit too! When my husband see my boxes he was excited too not for anticipation of sending it but the anticipation that our apartment will be clean and free of junks.

To cut the story short I have informed Edelyn on Oct. 29 that my box is ready for pick-up and the next day tekbe ajossi came to pick it up, it was heavy and luckily the guy is a big guy and there’s elevator in our unit but of course it will not changed the fact that he needs to bring it down from the 4th floor to 1st floor. I am on hesitation if I will go down or I’ll just stay, I choose the latter he might think I don’t trust him with my box. Lol!

[The LBC jumbo box being delivered to my family]

The next day I transfer money to LBC’s account for payment, it cost ₩120,000.  LBC’s rate for jumbo boxes – ₩120,000  to Luzon and Manila, ₩140,000  to Visayas and Mindanao, with free pickup and delivery.

Well, my family received the box after two weeks. Safe and sound, nothing is stolen.  The good thing about LBC Balikbayan box you can send gadget without hidden cost or tax.  I still have one jumbo box left at home which I am going to send before we left Korea,  yeah right within less than three months I will left the country I consider second home.

If you are planning to send balikbayan boxes to Philippines you can call LBC Korea hotline 1661-5899. LBC Korea branch is located at: 1F, 102-1 Hyehwa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul Korea.

JUMBO BOX

• Free delivery and pick up of the box (anywhere here in Korea)
• 73 x 52 x 73 size
• Maximum weight: 100kls.
• Luzon/Manila (120,000 won) Visayas/Mindanao (140,000 won)

We are leaving Korea in less than five months but we already boxed the things we don’t use so we could send them home, I have already mailed one box few days ago through EMS and I still have three boxes need to be mail.

The first box is souvenirs and travel magazines, second one are my clothes and the third box is mixed of everything from books, shampoo, lotions and etc.,

The other day I decided to call the hotline (1661-5899) of newly open LBC Korea, I have ordered two large boxes. I have decided to use their service rather than EMS, the last three boxes I have sent through EMS except the box I sent few days ago (which is still on delivery) were opened and some items are missing so I have thought to try a new courier and I am going to blog about my experience in LBC once I received the box I have ordered, my items were already shipped to the Philippines and my family received them completely.

Sending items through LBC (Korea Balikbayan Box) is a lot cheaper than sending through EMS where it is measured per kilo. Unlike in LBC it is per box and location, one large box (jumbo) will cost ₩120,000 for Manila and Luzon and ₩140,000 for Visayas and Mindanao no matter how heavy your box is.

LBC Korea branch is located at: 1F, 102-1 Hyehwa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul Korea.

I wake up very early today and finally I am able to send the package home it has been sitting here for few months already. My husband carry it to the post office,  I also told him I might borrow some of his money in case I need more and my money is not enough. Well I had enough but the fact that the postal fee increases already,  the fee increased with 2 kilos rate.

I went back to sleep after going home from the post office and when I wake up again I cooked soup for breakfast and lunch. I can’t eat solid food my wisdom tooth is bothering me again, instead of growing downwards it grew sideways so it is touching my gums.

Finally the box I’ve sent to Philippines last Friday arrived today to my family. I thought it is already gone missing because when I tracked it the last information the box arrived in the Philippines and nothing else.

My sister is so happy upon seeing pringle’s in the box, she said it’s been a long time since she’s been asking our mother to buy her pringle’s  so the pringle’s I’ve sent is just on time. One of the souvenirs I’ve sent was broken so they just glued it. Maybe the box was not carried carefully or they just throw it away (sigh). Oh well the good thing is the box still arrived., my worried feeling for it is gone.