Asia Pacific

Shipping from China to Bulacan

China → Bulacan · via MNL air / MICT sea · clearance by Bureau of Customs (BOC)

Cargo handling on the China–Bulacan lane.

For buyers shipping into Bulacan, the practical question is not the ocean or flight time but what happens after arrival. Bulacan is light manufacturing and warehousing province north of Manila; cargo enters through MNL air / MICT sea, and the inland leg is same-day, so the clearance date is effectively the delivery date.

The clearing authority is Bureau of Customs (BOC). Historical dwell on this gateway is around 4–9 days, and it lengthens in Sep–Nov.

How this lane actually runs

Manila port congestion is the defining risk on this lane — dwell can double during the Q4 retail build-up. Cebu and Davao are viable direct calls for Visayas and Mindanao consignees and often clear faster than Manila, so it is worth quoting the regional port rather than trucking from MICT.

Air gateways used	MNL (Manila), CEB (Cebu), CRK (Clark)
Air transit, China to gateway	3–5 business days
Sea gateways used	Manila (MICT and South Harbor), Cebu, Davao
Sea transit, China to gateway	5–10 calendar days
Gateway serving Bulacan	MNL air / MICT sea
Inland leg to Bulacan	Same day from the gateway
Typical clearance / dwell	4–9 days
Peak season to plan around	Sep–Nov

Duty, tax and clearance into Bulacan

Bureau of Customs (BOC) assesses duty and tax on cargo arriving for Bulacan consignees. Current regime: VAT 12%; duty 0–30%, with ACFTA preference available on a Form E, with a de-minimis position of PHP 10,000.

Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: BPS Import Commodity Clearance for regulated products; FDA license for food, cosmetics and devices; NTC for radio equipment. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.

Restrictions and known friction points for Philippines: Consolidated 'balikbayan'-style mixed cargo attracts extra scrutiny. Used clothing is prohibited. Alert Orders and physical examination are common, so allow buffer days on any deadline-driven shipment.

Air cargo build-up used on the China to Bulacan (Philippines) freight lane — Handling on the MNL air / MICT sea routing serving Bulacan.

Air, sea or overland into Bulacan?

Mode	Transit to gateway	Best suited to
✈️ Air Freight	3–5 business days	time-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo
🚢 Sea Freight	5–10 calendar days	volume cargo where cost per kilo matters more than speed

Transit shown is China departure to the Philippines gateway and excludes the same-day inland leg to Bulacan and 4–9 days of clearance.

Before you book: Bulacan checklist

Compare gross weight against volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 6000) — the higher figure is what gets billed on air and express.
Confirm the consignee in Bulacan can act as importer of record — Bureau of Customs (BOC) will not release cargo to an unregistered party.
Check the de-minimis position (PHP 10,000) against your invoice value before you decide how to split the shipment.
Plan around the China-side windows too: Chinese New Year and Golden Week both compress capacity on the Philippines lane.
Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.
Declare lithium batteries, magnets, liquids and powders up front — retro-declaring after booking usually means re-planning the whole shipment.

Mode guides for Bulacan

Frequently asked questions

How long does shipping from China to Bulacan take?

China to the Philippines gateway is 3–5 business days by air, 5–10 calendar days by sea. On top of that, allow 4–9 days of clearance with Bureau of Customs (BOC) and a same-day inland leg to Bulacan.

What duty and tax will I pay importing into Bulacan?

Bureau of Customs (BOC) applies: VAT 12%; duty 0–30%, with ACFTA preference available on a Form E. The de-minimis position is PHP 10,000. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Bulacan.

Can you deliver door-to-door in Bulacan?

Yes. Delivery to a Bulacan address is quoted as one figure covering freight, duty and tax owed to Bureau of Customs (BOC), and the same-day inland leg. Confirm whether your consignee wants the goods at a warehouse, a marketplace fulfillment center or a shop front, because the last-mile requirement differs.

When is the busiest time on the China–Philippines lane?

Space and rates tighten around Sep–Nov, plus the China-side windows of Chinese New Year in January or February and Golden Week in early October. Book one to two weeks earlier in those periods.

Which port or airport does cargo for Bulacan clear through?

Cargo for Bulacan is routed via MNL air / MICT sea. Sea gateways for Philippines are Manila (MICT and South Harbor), Cebu, Davao; air gateways are MNL (Manila), CEB (Cebu), CRK (Clark). We pick whichever gives the shortest total door time for your address.

Is sea freight cheaper than air freight into Bulacan?

Per kilo, yes — usually by a wide margin. The trade-off is time: 5–10 calendar days by sea versus 3–5 business days by air to the Philippines gateway, before clearance and the same-day inland leg. The crossover point is normally somewhere between 100 and 300 kg depending on the density of your cargo.

Other delivery cities in Philippines

All Philippines freight information →

References & official sources

Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Philippines change by ministerial decision, sometimes mid-year. The figures on this page are buyer-planning references, not a customs ruling — confirm the current position for your own HS code with Bureau of Customs (BOC) or your broker before you ship.

Page data last reviewed: 10 月 2026.

Shipping by industry

This page covers the route and clearance picture for the destination. Packing, classification and the compliance step that actually holds a shipment depend on what you are sending — these guides cover that by commodity.

All 60 industry guides →

Checking the Philippines duty position yourself

We publish these figures so you can budget, but the assessment that binds is the one Philippine Bureau of Customs makes on your declaration. Where a shipment is large enough that a percentage point matters, check their current tariff guidance rather than ours.

Classification drives everything downstream: the same carton can attract very different duty depending on the heading it lands in, and the structure those headings come from is the World Customs Organization Harmonized System. If your product sits near a boundary between two headings, resolve it before shipping rather than at the border.

For ocean cargo, restricted commodities move under the IMO's IMDG Code, and the container has to be declared and stowed accordingly. Batteries, flammables and corrosives all have a compliant ocean path; what causes rolled bookings is finding out about them after the container is packed.

If this is your first shipment into Philippines, the Philippines Country Commercial Guide covers the practical import environment in more depth than a rate page reasonably can, and it is written by a party with no stake in your booking.

Watch: the process behind this route

This guide covers routing and clearance for Bulacan. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.

Sea Freight Shipping Process for Beginners: Complete Factory-to-Door Guide (Every Step Explained) — Vixnk - English. Published on YouTube by a third party; we link it because it explains the process well, not because we produced it or endorse the provider.

Get a rate for Bulacan

This lane is quoted per shipment rather than from a rate card: the landed cost depends on the commodity, its density, the conformity requirements above and the delivery point. Send the cargo details and we price it properly.

Answer these and you get a real price, not a range. These are the exact figures a carrier needs before it will quote. Fill them in once and we can price your cargo the same day — leave them out and we have to come back and ask, which is what turns an hour into a week.

What are you shipping?*

Destination*

Weight*

Cartons*

ctn

Carton sizeoptional

× × cm

Total volumeopt

m³

Containeropt

How manyopt

ctr

Built-in battery?* Lithium cells are dangerous goods.

Yes No

Someone else's brand?* Logos you are not authorised to ship.

Yes No

Magnetic product?* Speakers, motors, magnets.

Yes No

Why these three decide everything

They determine whether your cargo can fly, and on which service. A declared battery changes the price; an undeclared one grounds the shipment at the airport and you pay storage while it sits. Unauthorised brands are seized at customs and the freight is lost with them. Magnetic goods need a field test — routine, but it has to be booked ahead. Telling us now costs a click; telling us later costs the shipment.

Sea or air?*

Sea freight Air freight

Tick both and we quote both.

When should it move?optional

Not before Not after

Your name

Email*

Phone / WhatsApp

Photographs of the goodsoptional

Add images PNG or JPG · up to 5 · 10 MB each

Your details are used to prepare this quotation and nothing else.

See the Philippines route page →

Customs clearance in Philippines

Duty and tax position, certification, typical port dwell and what actually holds shipments at this border — plus who files the entry.

Philippines clearance requirements →

Shipping from China to Bulacan

How this lane actually runs

Duty, tax and clearance into Bulacan

Air, sea or overland into Bulacan?

Before you book: Bulacan checklist

Mode guides for Bulacan

Frequently asked questions

Other delivery cities in Philippines

References & official sources

Shipping by industry

Checking the Philippines duty position yourself

Watch: the process behind this route

Get a rate for Bulacan

Got it — your enquiry is in.

Freight Rates to Philippines

Customs clearance in Philippines

Priced routes to Philippines

Got it — your enquiry is in.

Best Shipping Options