OWWA, BDO renew pact to boost OFW support

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration has renewed its partnership with BDO Unibank to enhance services and support for overseas Filipino workers.

OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan said the agreement strengthens access to financial services and support systems for OFWs and their families.

“This is why today's memorandum of agreement with Banco de Oro is so significant. Through this partnership, we are building a stronger framework for cooperation… to achieve greater financial security and stability,” Caunan said during the signing at the OWWA central office in Pasay City on 23 April.

She said the collaboration reflects a whole-of-government approach, combining public and private sector efforts to address the evolving needs of OFWs.

Caunan noted that BDO has long supported OWWA programs, including pre-departure orientation seminars that provide financial literacy to workers.

“With this memorandum of understanding, we hope this partnership goes beyond providing financial access… making programs more accessible and responsive,” she added.

For her part, BDO Senior Vice President and Remittance Head Genie Gloria said the agreement builds on more than two decades of cooperation.

“Today's signing… is not the beginning, but actually the restart of everything that we have been doing since 2006,” Gloria said.

She added that nearly half of remittances to the Philippines are coursed through BDO accounts.

“And because of that, I would like to also say thank you again to our OFWs,” she said.

The partnership aims to expand financial access and support services for OFWs, reinforcing their role in the country’s economy.