# Mail Delivery in Manila



## FxDragons (Dec 7, 2012)

I am looking at moving to the manila area, and was wondering how expats got mail from places like Amazon, and was it reliable?


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

The Philippine mail service is not reliable-period. Short of using Fed-ex or UPS, the best way is to locate the closest Veterans Of Foreign Wars (VFW) post in the Manila area and rent a PO Box from them. It is low cost and mail is secure..
If you wind up in the Angeles City area, there is a VFW post there as well with all the same services. Their site is at: Angeles City VFW Post # 2485


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## richardsinger (Oct 30, 2012)

When I first moved here (Lipa City, Batangas) the mail service was very hit and miss. Some items were delivered late, some never arrived at all. After I visited the local post office a few times to collect packages from overseas, they got to know me, and now I believe I receive everything that is sent to me, although sometimes they wait until a few items arrive before they bother to bring them to my house.

What is even better is that they will even bring items that are addressed to my previous houses (I have moved a few times within Lipa City since I got here). They know my name so it seems like anything with my name on it will reach me, no matter the address. I can't complain about the service!

Richard


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## FxDragons (Dec 7, 2012)

Thats great news! I am a retiree and veteran. Seems like renting a box is the way to go..... Is the address a FPO or APO address? 

Again appreciate the info!


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

I don't remember what they told me to be honest. Don't have mine yet. Better to just check with the RAO there I guess. A friend on mine has one in the Angeles VFW and has had good luck with it for over two years now...


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## c_uk (Oct 24, 2012)

richardsinger said:


> When I first moved here (Lipa City, Batangas) the mail service was very hit and miss. Some items were delivered late, some never arrived at all. After I visited the local post office a few times to collect packages from overseas, they got to know me, and now I believe I receive everything that is sent to me, although sometimes they wait until a few items arrive before they bother to bring them to my house.
> 
> What is even better is that they will even bring items that are addressed to my previous houses (I have moved a few times within Lipa City since I got here). They know my name so it seems like anything with my name on it will reach me, no matter the address. I can't complain about the service!
> 
> Richard


Ah, good to know you get all your parcel Richard. Most of my parcel from UK arrived 10 days later or 2,weeks the most. I never registered any item but so far they were delivered to the intended recipient.


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## jon1 (Mar 18, 2012)

FxDragons said:


> Thats great news! I am a retiree and veteran. Seems like renting a box is the way to go..... Is the address a FPO or APO address?
> 
> Again appreciate the info!


It is an FPO address and you CAN NOT receive packages/letters over 14 ounces. This is not the solution that you are looking for.

To get a package sent you will have to either use FEDEX/UPS (pay tariffs on it upon delivery) or locate a mail forwarder in the US that will ship you a BALIKBAYAN box. 

I would never trust the Philippine mail system for delivery completion (have seen to many OFWs shipments never reach their destination).


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## Asian Spirit (Mar 1, 2010)

*Packages*



jon1 said:


> It is an FPO address and you CAN NOT receive packages/letters over 14 ounces. This is not the solution that you are looking for.
> 
> To get a package sent you will have to either use FEDEX/UPS (pay tariffs on it upon delivery) or locate a mail forwarder in the US that will ship you a BALIKBAYAN box.
> 
> I would never trust the Philippine mail system for delivery completion (have seen to many OFWs shipments never reach their destination).


Jon, several friends in the states have and continue to use LBC for shipping to the Philippines. I use to use them for airline ticketing when I'd fly round trip from Calif. Have you had any experience with them? Do they do a good job in shipping or better to stick with the big boys?


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## jon1 (Mar 18, 2012)

Gene and Viol said:


> Jon, several friends in the states have and continue to use LBC for shipping to the Philippines. I use to use them for airline ticketing when I'd fly round trip from Calif. Have you had any experience with them? Do they do a good job in shipping or better to stick with the big boys?


Gene, 

I can't speak to LBC international. I use them locally all the time w/o issue. 

The big difference between using a mail forwarder vs Fedex/UPS is that the tariff is paid up front when you pay for the Balikbayan shipping. That way you it's paid all at once and when it shows up at your door step you are not getting heckled for more $.

Jon


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## richardsinger (Oct 30, 2012)

I've used LBC to send items to Singapore and Spain, without problem. And I've received packages from Manila and Cebu via LBC, also without problem.

Richard


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## robbiemarshall (Oct 14, 2010)

FxDragons said:


> I am looking at moving to the manila area, and was wondering how expats got mail from places like Amazon, and was it reliable?


im an australian and it takes me 3-4 weeks to receive and send mail home by airmail the ph is not rely a good mail service some time my mail sits at the local postal office for 2 weeks


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## 197649 (Jan 1, 2013)

shalomsiy said:


> This site called Galleon.ph claims that they source items from Amazon. Looks like they handle shipping and customs. Anyone tried them yet? Feedback?


I would not use Gallon they double the cost. I know I tried. I order from Amazon all the time. Some Items cannot be delivered here. But I have ordered Bird toys, Dog stuff, Tile Non slip. Halloween stuff. All arrived fine. If you place your local address as your primary delivery address. Their site will tell you if they can deliver to your address.


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## Phil_expat (Jan 3, 2011)

Jet Lag said:


> Jon, several friends in the states have and continue to use LBC for shipping to the Philippines. I use to use them for airline ticketing when I'd fly round trip from Calif. Have you had any experience with them? Do they do a good job in shipping or better to stick with the big boys?


I have shipped 15 boxes over the past 8 years and never had any troubles


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## Phil_expat (Jan 3, 2011)

jon1 said:


> It is an FPO address and you CAN NOT receive packages/letters over 14 ounces. This is not the solution that you are looking for.
> 
> To get a package sent you will have to either use FEDEX/UPS (pay tariffs on it upon delivery) or locate a mail forwarder in the US that will ship you a BALIKBAYAN box.
> 
> I would never trust the Philippine mail system for delivery completion (have seen to many OFWs shipments never reach their destination).


In Angeles the VFW/RAO has 2 mail plans one for 20 years retired military and one for non-retired military. I do not know if this is true for other locations. The non retired plan can receive lager boxes but I do not remember the limit.


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## Cebu Citizen (Dec 13, 2013)

I have some larger items that I need to get sent to the Philippines when I transfer there later this fall. Does anyone have any recommendations for which Balikbayan company to use? How I can locate them and get my items sent? Until this forum...I was completely unfamiliar with this term, so any information would be so helpful in getting my prized possessions safely sent to the Philippines for my use after I have arrived. (about 90 days and counting!!!).

As far as getting regular mail...I would have loved to use the VFW mail service but the gentleman I sent an email to told me that their mail service can only be used by military retirees or 100% disabled veterans...both of which I am not. I did not retire from the military, (only served 12 years), and I am 70% disabled...so they told me I could not use their services.

The best option I found for regular mail and not packages...was a mail scanning service. They actually provide you a US street address and then open your mail for you and scan it into their secure system which you can remotely access your account from any computer or smart phone and read your mail online. This is very important to me since I get some important notifications from the Social Security Office and the Veterans Administration.

I was even told that after I have arrived their, it is unlikely that I would ever receive Social Security or VA letters in time to respond to them in a timely manner...so I will keep them going to this US address for the mail scanning service and I can access my regular mail at any time...as long as I have an internet signal. No delays and no missed messages from the SS or the VA...

I even found a mail scanning service that charges by the number of pieces of mail you receive and it cost me less than $10 to receive and scan up to 30 pieces per month. You get a US street address to have all your mail sent to and then you decide which pieces you want opened and scanned and which ones you want discarded or deleted from your account and they take care of everything. This helps keep the cost down so they are not opening and scanning a bunch of junk mail...they will only open and scan the ones you ask them to scan.

I had a few requested for scanning and in less then 15 minutes they were online for me to read.

Just do a Google Search for Mail Scanning Services in your home country and about two or three dozen companies will pop up. I use this scanning service when I am traveling to any number of countries around the world and they have been quite reliable for my needs. No matter where I am, I always get my mail!


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## 197649 (Jan 1, 2013)

Cebu Citizen said:


> I have some larger items that I need to get sent to the Philippines when I transfer there later this fall. Does anyone have any recommendations for which Balikbayan company to use? How I can locate them and get my items sent? Until this forum...I was completely unfamiliar with this term, so any information would be so helpful in getting my prized possessions safely sent to the Philippines for my use after I have arrived. (about 90 days and counting!!!).
> 
> As far as getting regular mail...I would have loved to use the VFW mail service but the gentleman I sent an email to told me that their mail service can only be used by military retirees or 100% disabled veterans...both of which I am not. I did not retire from the military, (only served 12 years), and I am 70% disabled...so they told me I could not use their services.
> 
> ...


Have you tried RAO? I looked into a service to do the same send scanned mail and boxes they gave me a US and UK address. The service was wait out of my price range. I have not found one that is reasonable. It was cheaper to just have Amazon send them to me or send it to my daughter and have her send it to me. 
What the best is if you have someone in the US to get your mail and scan it for you. If that's what you want. May I enquire are you 70% from the Military? Have you tried a reevaluation?


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## bucket13th (2 mo ago)

In manila you just wont get notifications about letters and you just might get a slip from the post office if youre recieving a package. Has mostly to do with the sheer insanity of a densely populated area that's ever changing. Most domestic parcel delivery comes from independent contractors shopeeand lazada deal through. Eventually it just made better sense to deliver to grid coordinates and cell phone locations. Im looking into renting a post office box at the main post office to recieve international mail. It sounds like it is a possibility from all the directions i recieved on how to find the cashiers office window. They are not yet here though.


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## bucket13th (2 mo ago)

Another idea may be to put your mailing address as an lbc location. You can recieve mail at an lbc also. They dont only deliver. Ill look into that next but i just sort of want a pobox in manila. Dunno why.


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## bucket13th (2 mo ago)

Complete success getting a pobox. I got box 1519 for a year, cost, 23usd. Next, does it work? Lol.


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

It helps if you are registered with the Philippine Post office, the Postal ID.


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## freebiefan (Nov 11, 2020)

Lived in Manila for 5 years or more. no issues at all with recieving anything from Amazon. Always delivered to the condo staff on the scheduled day from their website


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Maybe Manila is good but here in the province seems we only get mail every 2 to 4 months. I have received Cignal bills 4 months old even though we've asked them not to send paper mail for 3 plus years it still comes, what a waste of money and forests. Digital works perfectly.

Cheers, Steve.


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## magsasaja (Jan 31, 2014)

M.C.A. said:


> It helps if you are registered with the Philippine Post office, the Postal ID.


I just give the postman 100php for merienda and he always finds me!


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

I received an unexpected letter from the UK last week, it took about 4 weeks and was delivered to the barangay hall. It was a final water bill so I guess that's why it arrived so quickly.


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## Howard_Z (7 mo ago)

A while back I read good things about "Planet Express"
The name might have been inspired by the cartoon "Futurama" ?

You can have all your shipments sent to their Florida address (no US state sales tax).
Pay duties in advance.









Get a Free US Address • We Forward Mail & Packages


Shop in the US stores and get international shipping anywhere.




planetexpress.com














Services & Prices • Planet Express


Clear and cheap. That is the pricing of Planet Express.




planetexpress.com






With the higher priced service, Planet Express will consolidate many packages into one box for lower shipping costs. The price list does not include the actual shipping cost via USPS/UPS/Fedex/etc..

This is a way to buy Amazon products which Amazon will not ship to the USA, and the point of it is to save you money (while the service also makes money).

I think shipping anything to Philippines is expensive.


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## Gary D (Oct 28, 2013)

Howard_Z said:


> A while back I read good things about "Planet Express"
> The name might have been inspired by the cartoon "Futurama" ?
> 
> You can have all your shipments sent to their Florida address (no US state sales tax).
> ...


If you don't mind the wait shipping by sea is very inexpensive. We just had several deliveries. 50 kg is less than $100.


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## magsasaja (Jan 31, 2014)

I noticed Amazon have started to do free shipping to the Philippines if the order is over $49.99. 
It’s on selected items, so not sure what you can or can’t get. 









What You Need to Know About Amazon Free Shipping to the Philippines


Amazon is being aggressive as of late in getting new customers in the Philippines. After a jaw-dropping promo for its Prime Video service, Amazon also announced that they will be offering Free Shipping to the Philippines. That’s a really good deal, as the free shipping offer can save you around...



unbox.ph


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