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Balikbayan Boxes

99% Invisible

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Balikbayan Boxes: Symbols of Love and Longing

This chapter explores the cultural significance of Balikbayan boxes, which Filipinos abroad use to send goods and express familial love back home. Originating during the Marcos era, these boxes symbolize emotional connections and the bittersweet realities of migration. Through personal anecdotes, the narrative illustrates how these tangible gifts bridge geographical divides while highlighting the complexities of family relationships shaped by distance.

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