Air Freight from China to Cavite
China → Cavite · via MNL air / MICT sea · clearance by Bureau of Customs (BOC)
Cavite is industrial estates and export processing zones south of Manila, and it is served through MNL air / MICT sea. That combination is what actually sets your delivery date on this lane — 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.
Import duty and tax position for Cavite
Bureau of Customs (BOC) assesses duty and tax on cargo arriving for Cavite 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.
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 |
| Gateway serving Cavite | MNL air / MICT sea |
| Inland leg to Cavite | Same day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 4–9 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |
Before you book: Cavite checklist
- Get the conformity paperwork moving early: BPS Import Commodity Clearance for regulated products; FDA license for food, cosmetics and devices; NTC for radio equipment.
- Put the Cavite delivery address, contact name and phone number on the invoice, not just the packing list.
- Book earlier than the transit time suggests during Sep–Nov, when space on this lane tightens.
- Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.
- Confirm the consignee in Cavite can act as importer of record — Bureau of Customs (BOC) will not release cargo to an unregistered party.
- Compare gross weight against volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 6000) — the higher figure is what gets billed on air and express.
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Cavite take?
China to the Philippines gateway is 3–5 business days. On top of that, allow 4–9 days of clearance with Bureau of Customs (BOC) and a same-day inland leg to Cavite.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Cavite?
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 Cavite.
Which port or airport does cargo for Cavite clear through?
Cargo for Cavite 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.
Can you ship batteries or sensitive cargo to Cavite?
Yes. Battery cargo by air follows IATA PI 965–970 depending on how the cells are packed, and moves on certified channels via MNL (Manila), CEB (Cebu), CRK (Clark). Surcharges apply and the declaration has to be made before booking.
How is the chargeable weight calculated for Cavite?
We compare actual gross weight against volumetric weight — length × width × height in centimeters divided by 6000 for air — and bill the greater of the two, rounded up to the next kilogram. Light, bulky cargo is almost always billed on volume.
Is sea freight cheaper than air freight into Cavite?
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
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.
- Bureau of Customs
- Bureau of Product Standards
- WTO — Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- World Bank — Logistics Performance Index
- ICC — Incoterms 2020 rules (DDP, DAP, FOB definitions)
- IPPC — ISPM 15 wood packaging standard
- WCO — Harmonized System nomenclature
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.
- Plastic Products Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Ceramic Tableware Glass & Ceramic Products
- Tableware Furniture & Home Products
- Display Stands Retail, Display & Commercial Fixtures
- Umbrellas Consumer Goods & Gifts
- Bearings Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Solar Panel New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Prefabricated Building Building Materials & Construction Products
- Pallet Wood, Bamboo & Paper Products
- Conveyor Belts Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Hotel Furniture Furniture & Home Products
- Textiles Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
Checking the Philippines duty position yourself
Treat the landed-cost numbers here as a planning baseline. Philippine Bureau of Customs sets the rate that actually gets charged, assessed against your HS classification at the moment of clearance, so their own guidance is worth reading before a large order.
If you want to sanity-check a duty figure yourself, start from the heading rather than the product name — the WCO Harmonized System is the underlying nomenclature, and the WTO Tariff & Trade Data portal holds the applied rates by country pair.
On the air side, anything with a cell or a battery in it, plus liquids, powders, magnets and aerosols, is governed by the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations. Those articles are not refused outright, but they need to be declared at booking so the shipment is built correctly — declaring them late is the single most common cause of an air consignment being offloaded.
On the origin side, export declaration and any commodity inspection requirement fall under China Customs (GACC); we handle that filing as part of the service, but the requirement is theirs, not ours.
For a wider view of how importing into Philippines actually works — documentation norms, inspection behavior, the paperwork that tends to hold shipments — the U.S. ITA guide to Philippines customs regulations is a useful independent read alongside our own lane notes.
Watch: the process behind this route
This guide covers routing and clearance for Cavite. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.
Air freight and volumetric weight. What is dimensional, chargeable or volumetric weight? — Train Learn Grow. 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.
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.
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