Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Experience | Getting My Parcel From the Post Office

Christmas is a season for gift-giving. (I'm not limiting it only to that though)

And I, myself, was part of that season, not just as a giver, but also a receiver of gifts.

I wasn't really expecting anything but when my client asked for my address in early December, medyo nagkaroon na ng hint ang lola niyo.

But as we neared the end of our work hours for the year (we talked on 20 December that our last meeting for the year will be on 21 December and we'll see each other again the next year), my client opened up that she has intended to surprise me with a gift but ever since the parcel has arrived in the Philippines, she hasn't heard/got any update about it from the courier.

The last update from Royal Mail's tracking page was on 18 December with a description "Released from Customs".



So she decided to give me the tracking number so that I can keep an eye on it myself. 

As I researched, Royal Mail doesn't have an office or a warehouse here in the Philippines. As soon as their items arrive to the designated country, they hand it over to that country's Post Office to fulfill the delivery.

Known for my inability to communicate properly, my friends helped me to track it from PhlPost (Philippine Postal Office) and it was confirmed na nasa kanila na nga yung parcel ko.

Royal Mail's tracking number worked on PhlPost's tracking page and same lang din ng update, 18 December 2018 ang huli. Which has a description of "Returned from Customs (CUSTOMS STATUS: Import authorized, no taxes or duties to be paid)".

Christmas day has passed, and I haven't seen any progress.

Then they updated its status after Christmas:



As I researched further, based on other's experiences with that "Enroute to delivery office" status, I should wait for PhlPost's notice to claim my parcel (the notice will be delivered to my house, but the package will not, I have to claim it daw sa office nila *sigh*).

Some claimed their items 2-3 days after the status of their package has been updated to "Enroute to delivery office" (no need to wait for the notice na raw and just prepare P112 for PhlPost's handling fee), but it is nearing Christmas break so tinanggap ko nang sa 2019 ko na yun makukuha.

New year has come, and I still haven't got my parcel or notice to claim it.

04 January 2019, Friday, I sent an email to PhlPost to inquire about it. Since I am not sure which of the two, ems.cs@phlpost.gov.ph for Express Mail and amed.supportservices@phlpost.gov.ph for Air Mail, should I contact, I sent them both.

Then I got a reply from Express Mail the next day asking for the tracking number. I replied with it and then I got this response:


Since Air Mail has not replied to my email, I tried to call their number on Monday, 08 January (yes, tapang tapangan ang lola niyong tumawag). The number was always busy and when I finally got in, no one's answering until the call ended. I tried it twice but to no avail.

Tapang tapangan ulit ang lola niyo, I tried to call to our local post office in Cainta to ask if my parcel has arrived, but same with Air Mail's hotline, no one's answering...

So I woke up earlier than usual the next day to visit our local post office to inquire in person. Their office hours is from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and I got their around 8:00 AM.

There is one customer that is being attended to and there's only few staffs there, mga lima pababa lang siguro yung nakita ko and malayo pa sila sa counter.

I tried to make an eye contact to whoever para mapagtanungan pero wala, para lang akong hangin doon until an old lady staff noticed me and asked me.

When I answered that I came to inquire if I could get my parcel, she pointed me to go upstairs and ask there daw.

So pumasok ako sa counter nila and I went upstairs. Again, puro may sariling mundo rin ang mga tao doon and you can see them arranging letters and boxes, etc.

Nagtanong na lang ulit ako sa dumaan sa harap ko tungkol sa parcel ko and I was directed to a man sitting in the left corner, nakatalikod sa akin with boxes sa paligid niya.

For the nth time, nagtanong ako kung makukuha ko na yung parcel ko. He asked me kung may notice na raw ba akong nareceive. Sabi ko wala pa at nagpunta lang ako doon dahil 26th of December pa yung huling update sa PhlPost, pinakita ko sa kanya yung screenshot ko sa tracking page ng PhlPost. So he asked for the tracking number and reached for his log book. He asked for my name and searched for it there.

Buti na lang kasama niya akong nagtingin. Nalampasan ng mata niya dahil ang name ko na nakalagay doon ay "JOVELLE". Huwaw. But the tracking number is the same.

So he looked for my parcel and handed it over to me.

Kung may matanggap man daw akong notice sa bahay, i-disregard ko na lang daw.

And ayun na, I was told na may babayaran daw akong P112 downstairs.

Actually sobrang luwag nila doon na puwede na lang akong sumibat ng hindi nagbabayad. 😆

Nung lumapit ako doon sa staff na may inaasikasong customer kanina, tinanong pa ako ng "bakit?" and I just said "may babayaran daw po akong P112".

And after I paid, ayun na, finally, I am able to open my client's gift for me upon reaching our house.




It was so touching....I felt warmth....may letter pa siya sa loob and all the items are well thought of for me.


Too bad I wasn't able to use the water bottle that was intended for the Color Manila Run dahil kakatapos lang ng run noong 06 January eh nakuha ko ito 08 January. But I am using it every day. 😉


Sinisinghot singhot ko na lang din yung scented candle dahil mauubos ko agad yun kapag sinindahan ko yun. 😆


And mas inspire akong magsulat ngayon because of the notebook (I love the design. Isinaisip pa niya na I love gardening that's why she came up with that theme).


I don't know how many times I have already said this on my past blog posts, but I'm really, really blessed to have e-met her (online eh). There are millions of people alive and suntok sa buwan makahanap ng makaka-vibes mo at makaka-chemistry mo sa trabaho, and to add to it, online pa.

Medyo nahiya lang ako kasi wala akong regalo sa kanya. I'll think of other ways to convey my gratitude to her. 😊

P.S.
Yung chocolate, ubos agad namin ni auntie. More cocoa, less sweet kasi so it's perfect for us. Buti na-picturan ko pa bago buksan. 😆


PPS.
The notice to claim my parcel arrived in the afternoon of 08 January. *facepalm*


7 comments:

  1. yung pag singhot sa candle mejo weird. pero benta. hahahaha. ��

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hiii.. May package din ako na pinadala ng BF.. Aug 13 pa sa custom 😭 sabi nya express mail daw un.. Nag tataka din sya bat antagal bago gumalaw ung package...
    Returned from Customs (CUSTOMS STATUS: Import authorized)
    Saan po kayo nag claim ng package nio ? :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sa PhlPost Cainta ko po clinaim yung parcel ko. May email address po ang Post Office, dalawa po yun kapag sinearch sa google. Sendan niyo na lang pareho para sure kung sino man sa kanila ang may info ng package niyo. Given the current situation, baka alanganin din kasi kung may sasagot kapag tumawag kayo sa central office nila, pero itry niyo na rin po.

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  3. Hi po i received ng letter na ganyan but walang idea kung ano yan 🙁

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello po, nabanggit ko na po sa above post ko kung tungkol saan po iyang letter 🙂 hope you take time to read po, or you can comment further para iexpound po ung situation niyo about your parcel (or could it be na wala kayong ineexpect na parcel tapos may nareceive kayong letter from PhlPost? Baka may surprise parcel para sa inyo ang inyong loved one?) Thank you 🙂

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  4. Hello po, kelan po daw eksaktong dumating sa local post office nyo yung item?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello po. Wala pong sinabi sa akin kung kailan po dumating sa local post office namin eh. Pero I assume December 26 po siguro? Kasi yun yung status na “Enroute to delivery office”, na sa palagay ko po delivery office = local post office? 🤔

      Delete

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