Financial assistance is being extended to overseas Filipino workers returning home, as Pag-IBIG Fund rolls out support measures to help ease their immediate economic burden. The initiative is part of a broader effort to assist Filipinos affected by ongoing conflicts abroad.
The Home Development Mutual Fund has introduced a benefits package that allows repatriated OFWs to access their savings earlier than scheduled and temporarily reduce their housing loan obligations. The move aims to provide breathing room for workers adjusting back to life in the Philippines.
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Accessible Aid for Returning Workers
Pag-IBIG Fund CEO Marilene Acosta emphasized that the agency is prioritizing ease and speed in delivering assistance to affected members.
“We will deliver the assistance package in a manner that is prompt, accessible, and responsive to the needs of affected OFW members,” Acosta said.
She added that applications will be made widely available across both digital and physical channels to ensure broader reach.
“That is why we will make applications for these benefits available online through Virtual Pag-IBIG, while also ensuring that our more than 200 branches, OFW Centers, and service offices are ready to assist members and their families,” she explained.
The fund is also coordinating with the Department of Migrant Workers and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration to support reintegration programs for returning OFWs.
Expanded Benefits and Loan Relief Options
Qualified members may withdraw up to 100 percent of their Pag-IBIG Regular Savings, including their employee share, employer share, and dividends earned, even before its 20-year maturity. They may also access up to 100 percent of their Modified Pag-IBIG II or MP2 Savings, inclusive of returns earned, even before its five-year maturity.
As another option, OFWs with housing loans may avail of a three-month moratorium on payments without interest or penalties, with the loan term extended by three months.
Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling highlighted the timeliness of the program as repatriation efforts continue.
“This is in compliance with the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to provide necessary assistance to OFWs affected by the Middle East crisis,” Aliling said.
As of last February, Pag-IBIG has 891,427 registered OFW members in the Middle East, including 86,234 MP2 savers and 40,024 housing loan borrowers, with the largest numbers in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait. Services are available from Monday to Friday in office-based branches, Tuesday to Saturday in mall-based locations, and through the Virtual Pag-IBIG platform.
For many households that rely on overseas income, the measure offers immediate financial relief, helping families stay afloat while reinforcing the government’s commitment to supporting OFWs during times of crisis.
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