A new economic agreement signed by Japan and the ASEAN countries including the Philippines, aims to facilitate trade between the economic giant and its South East Asian neighbors.
One of the important factors agreed upon was a revision on the taxation of imported good from Japan to SEA countries. According to the new agreement, all products that fall under a Category A standing should not be taxed by the local customs office upon arrival from Japan.
This should be good news for local anime fans, game addicts, and toy collectors since most of their purchases are imports from Japan. However, it is highly possible that the new law will not help these consumers, since many of the products they purchase fall under Category B10. It is also unlikely that the Philippine Bureau of Customs will grant the exemptions outlined in the agreement, based on their behavior during The Great Manila Book Blockade of 2009.
Thanks to Al for the links to the press releases.
JPOP Manila 
Tingin ko po, sa bulsa lang ng mga Metro Manila customs officials napupunta ang napakalaking fees na sinisingil. Sa experience ko po kasi (3 years na ako bumibili online – from Japan/HK/US), pagkuha ko sa post office dito sa amin sa Bulacan, wala nang iba pang fee. Just show your id. Kung may fees, yun ay storage fee lang na P35 (kung hindi nila madeliver sa address specified).
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I’ll assume na sa Metro Manila din unang bumabagsak ang mga goods na binili ko. Di ba dapat mas mahal ang fees sa amin (sa Bulacan) kung icoconsider ang transport fees from Manila to Bulacan?
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all parcels in luzon go through manila, so the cheaper fees from the bulacan post office just means that the products are not taxable, and all you have to do is pay the releasing fee of php 35. if your purchases went through manila and were held up in in pasay, it means that the products need to be taxed and are therefore held in custody until you are able to pay the customs fees.
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Category A kasi scale models ang figure so meaning no tax?
9502.99 00 – – Other Category A
95.03 Other toys; reduced-size (“scale”) models
and similar recreational models, working or
not; puzzles of all kinds.
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Hi,
first time ko mag padala sa province namin sa Isabela may post office naman daw don so triny ko from Japan via EMS (Anime Figure) July 14 na ship then July 16 nasa Manila na, July 17 Retention ang Status office eh PHZONE,
ayaw ko sa manila ipadala kasi alam ko papapuntahin ako sa EMS Pasay na puro Buwaya,
any tips?
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please read the post in full and click on all pertinent links — it has already been shown earlier that it depends on what scale model it is.
if it is a scale model of a real air, water, or land vessel (for example sailing ships, WW2 tanks, and modern aircraft) then it is exempted. but if it is the scale model of a fictional vehicle like a gundam, a macross valkyrie, or a super robot, it falls under B10 and is taxable.
as for your retained parcel — even if you don’t want to you have no choice but to claim it in pasay. the pasay EMS facility is the claiming location for all luzon parcels so whether you get it shipped to manila or shipped to isabela, it will still have to go through pasay.
unfortunately there are no ways to avoid paying for customs fees once the bureau of customs have your parcel. there are certain ways to avoid having your parcel retained in the first place, but since they already have it you really do not have much choice but to pay the tax.
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really? so what’s the sense on putting post offices on provincial areas? what if if you live in bicol will they still invite you to claim the parcel in pasay? I guess not.
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