Fedex, Air21, Bureau of Customs, and Bureau of Internal Revenue stick-up 78 year old woman

My 78 year old mother was the victim of a hold-up right in our own home and thank God she didn't suffer her third heart attack right in our living room in our home in Manila.

What happened was that she received a call from Fedex/Air21 yesterday to notify her that they would be delivering her medicines from the US (a benefit she receives as an American Citizen) and that she would need to pay a fee of nearly P1,800.  

Thing is, Fedex previously did not charge any additional fees for deliveries to her from the US and she was of the understanding that all charges for the package were settled Stateside.

Now, the person from Fedex/Air21 who gave my Mom a call couldn't explain well enough why she needed to pay P1,800 extra for a service that she understood was already paid for in the US.

If my mother doesn't pay the fee, she won't be able to claim the medicines (which are basically for her diabetes and heart condition).

This morning, I was able to get in touch with someone from Fedex/Air21 and that person at the other end of the phone line explained that she would have to ask their partner company here if the duties and taxes could be waived.  She couldn't give me an exact date as to when she would be able to come back to us as to whether their partner company could waive the duties and taxes or not.  

Thing is, with the Yuletide season upon us, it would probably take weeks to get an answer and that answer might probably be no.  In the meantime, my mother might run out of her prescription medicines while Fedex/Air21 finds out whether it can or cannot waive the additional charges for the delivery.  This could be fatal.

My mother clearly had no choice but to pay P1,800... It was either that or die.

Now here's the breakdown of what my Mom was forced to pay Fedex.

Duties and Taxes:

      Import Duty = P179

      VAT            = P846

      Customs Forms and Stamps = P315

Cargohaus charges:

     Storage Fee = P101.27

     Deconsolidation Fee = P283.50

     Documentation Fee = P15.00

     Vat = P47.98

There's something seriously wrong about this.

And in case Air21 didn't know about it... Senior Citizens are EXEMPTED FROM VAT!

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20100217-253644/Benefits-under-Expanded-Senior-Citizens-Act 

The Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 gives the elderly benefits and privileges not included in the Senior Citizens Act of 1992 (Republic Act No. 7432).

Some five million senior citizens, defined as resident citizens of the Philippines aged 60 and above, will get the following:

• A 20-percent discount and exemption from the value-added tax on the sale of goods and services (medicines, medical and dental fees, transport fares, services in hotels and restaurants, admission fees in theaters and other places of leisure)