Send Money to the Philippines: OFW Remittance Guide
Filipinos abroad send home nearly USD 40 billion a year. Compare the best services for cash pickup, GCash, Maya, and bank deposit — and learn how to avoid the most common scams.
The Scale of OFW Remittances
Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) sent home a record USD 39.6 billion in personal remittances in 2025 — about 7.3% of Philippine GDP and the second-largest remittance corridor in Asia after India. The biggest sending countries are the United States, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and the United Kingdom. Cash pickup at thousands of agent locations remains popular, but digital wallets (GCash, Maya) and bank deposits are growing fast.
Cash Pickup — Still the Most Popular Option
Western Union, MoneyGram, Remitly, Cebuana Lhuillier, M Lhuillier, and Palawan Express run dense cash-pickup networks across the Philippines, including in remote provinces. Pickup is usually available within minutes of the sender's payment clearing. Compare the all-in rate (fee plus exchange rate markup) carefully — Western Union's lowest tier is often competitive, but its high tiers can be expensive.
GCash and Maya — The Mobile Wallet Boom
GCash and Maya (formerly PayMaya) are now used by over 80 million Filipinos combined. Sending directly into a recipient's GCash or Maya wallet is fast (minutes), and the recipient can spend at QR-enabled merchants, pay bills, or cash out at partner outlets. Wise, Remitly, WorldRemit, and Instarem all support GCash and Maya as delivery options from most major sending corridors.
Bank Deposit
BPI, BDO, Metrobank, and Landbank are the most common recipient banks. Bank deposits used to take 1–3 business days but are now typically credited the same business day via the InstaPay rail (under PHP 50,000 per transfer) or PESONet (larger amounts). Direct bank-to-bank international wires via SWIFT remain available but are slower and more expensive than the modern remittance specialists.
Common Scams and How to Avoid Them
Two scams dominate complaints from OFWs and their families: (1) Fake 'tracking number' messages asking the recipient to pay a 'release fee' before pickup — legitimate remittances never charge the recipient. (2) Impersonation scams where someone claiming to be a relative urgently requests money via mobile wallet. Always verify by phone or video call, never act on text-only urgency, and never share a transfer's reference number with anyone except the legitimate recipient.
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