# Recommended items for balkbayan box



## Guest (Sep 17, 2016)

I'm going to send my first balkbayan box sometime next month. My sister has a Costco membership so I will go shopping with her. That will also be handy later on when I'm living there and need things I can't find. I need to comb through various threads in this forum where different items have been recommended for purchasing before leaving. But in the mean time does anyone have recommendations for bulk purchases at Costco?

For example, I think I read here somewhere that regular deodorant is hard to find because most people use antiperspirant. I'm not fond of "gluing" my pores, so I use Right Guard deodorant (am I allowed to mention brand names here?) Should I buy a case or two of that. I like to use baking soda based toothpaste (Arm & Hammer) and waxed dental floss. Should I buy those here? Any other household items, food or clothing I should buy? For example, I've bought over a dozen very comfortable, lightweight, 50/50 cotton/polyester blend boxer shorts, assuming those might not be available there, as well as half a dozen stay-dry ankle socks for when I wear shoes. Did I make a mistake purchasing so many, or should I buy even more?

Also, my friend whose house I'll be living in says that her relatives who live on the same farm have small children so I should be ready to hand out treats like candies and cookies. I'm sure I can buy that kind of thing there, but are there special treats both the kids and the adults would appreciate that are hard to get there. She also has nephews and nieces in college. Are there items that they would appreciate for their studies or otherwise.

All suggestions welcomed. Also, any items I should not buy because not allowed to export to there?


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## BGCExpat (Oct 26, 2015)

Most of the personal care items you mention as well as the socks and underwear can be found at many places here in Manila, you might have less choices in the provinces. 

If you have larger sizes of anything, stock up on those, I wear a size 13 shoe and have difficulty finding that size so I buy them in North America... Same with XXL and larger shirts...


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## Tukaram (Dec 18, 2014)

I wear US XL shirts and have a very hard time finding anything that fits. I have bought 3X here that are too small. So, yes, depending on your size socks, underwear, shorts, shoes... I wear an 11 shoe and almost never find them here - I did not think that was particularly large. Slippers I can find, shoes I cannot.

I have some of my preferred toiletry items that I brought a lot with me and have shipped as needed. like Aqua Velva aftershave, Clubman talc, styptic pencils etc If you have a favorite brand it might be hard to find. 

Food items... depends on if you have some favorites eats, and where you will be settling. Here, in Iloilo we get most of our foreigner needs, but Manila or Cebu would have more choices. Farther out in the province - forget it! Canned food lasts a long time and BB boxes have no weight limit so no harm is sending stuff, just in case. We had canned lima beans here for a long time... no we do not  But... next month'ish an S&R is opening here (like a Sam's or Costco). So the need for BB boxes may not be as important? Really depends on where you are moving. 

My wife has taken a liking to the boxed caked mixes and cans of frosting. The cakes here are not properly sweet (but their bread and spaghetti are ha ha). I ordered 4 for our last BB box and sister added 6 more! I like her thinking. 

Most BB shippers websites will have a list of prohibited items. Most are common sense items, like flammables, guns etc... I have never had a box opened, so I don't think they look very close. Here is a list I found: List of Items Banned Inside Balikbayan Boxes to Philippines | News I find some it odd. "trademarked or copyrighted articles". Think about that one... Levi's is a trademark, so is Hanes, books have a copyright. I don't believe they thought that one through. They certainly don't enforce it - my first shipment, when I moved over here, had over 200 DVDs!


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## M.C.A. (Feb 24, 2013)

Get more underwear it's gonna be a challenge but I finally found XXL Dickies and 3 pieces ran me 350 pesos on sale and the waist band seems awful tight. Favorite seasonings buy those in large bulk or those huge plastic container seasoned items, seasoning such as chili powder, garlic and onion powder (bring a ton if you can), celery powder, curry, dill, you name the season it's sold in small packages and for way too much, do you have a favorite seasoning salt, I haven't seen Lawry's seasoning salt in 6 years ... so bring it, my daughter in-law married a Canadian and they brought seasonings from Canada but the in-law didn't use them and gave them to us after a year sitting out, they are sort of wrecked by the humidity, seasonings have to be stored in the fridge, I bought a large container of Garlic powder in Manila and it cost me 700 pesos or about $15 US Dollars, I don't remember this stuff costing that much in the US, it was more like $7 so bring your seasonings while you can.

Knifes, quality fillet cutting knives with hardened (not wood) handles, these are much cheaper in the West you'll pay triple for stuff like that. 

Dried black beans if you have room, hard to find I haven't seem them now in 3 years. Quality hard to find kitchen appliances such as espresso machine. Tupperware products and anything that will keep frozen food fresh in the freezer the Tupperware here is limited and pricey. Kitchen utensils and gadgets of quality, you notice I keep talking about quality... go with that because it sorely lacks here.

Get some sort of breathable clothes like Under Armour brand but I bought similar work out breathable clothing from Walmart $5 each, my shirts and shorts, you can never have enough of these and when they run out ... Oh it's gonna be a challenge finding anything that fits correctly or feels comfortable in this unbearable heat and humidity.

Thick steel pots, Pyrex cookware, I did manage to find a Pyrex bake ware but that was a one time deal I don't see it sold anymore.


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

Bullwinkle said:


> Also, my friend whose house I'll be living in says that her relatives who live on the same farm have small children so I should be ready to hand out treats like candies and cookies. I'm sure I can buy that kind of thing there, but are there special treats both the kids and the adults would appreciate that are hard to get there. She also has nephews and nieces in college. Are there items that they would appreciate for their studies or otherwise.
> 
> All suggestions welcomed. Also, any items I should not buy because not allowed to export to there?


Most all items including imported candies such as Mars bars etc can be bought here in the larger grocery stores or malls.

Suggestion though. If you intend to give candy etc to the kids, make it a one time thing only. Otherwise you'll never get rid of them and it not only gets expensive but the attempt to get handouts from you will never stop. It would likely end up going far beyond wanting candy and advance for requests for food, money, and other items. Where these are family member of those letting you use the place you could easily end up having to move.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

Jet Lag said:


> Suggestion though. If you intend to give candy etc to the kids, make it a one time thing only. Otherwise you'll never get rid of them and it not only gets expensive but the attempt to get handouts from you will never stop. It would likely end up going far beyond wanting candy and advance for requests for food, money, and other items. Where these are family member of those letting you use the place you could easily end up having to move.


Once it starts it is almost impossible to stop the pestering. One of my favorite quotes "The giver has to set the limits because the taker won't".

Fred


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