With a membership to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, overseas Filipino workers can avail of OWWA benefits and programs that will help them from the time they begin their journey abroad to the moment they come back home to start a new chapter in the Philippines.

Prepare note-taking apps and take these down.

In the unfortunate event that an OWWA member passes away or goes to prison, the Education and Livelihood Assistance Program helps their child stay in school or gives their dependent some money to get by.

A child who qualifies for the ELAP will receive OWWA’s financial assistance from kinder to college amounting to

• ₱5,000 a year from kinder to Grade 6
• ₱8,000 a year from Grades 7 to 12
• ₱10,000 a year for college

An OWWA member’s dependent may also apply for a ₱15,000 grant from the ELAP program to support a small business that keeps the family going.

Active OWWA members and their dependents have access to this insurance program that provides

Active OWWA members and their dependents have access to this insurance program that provides

• Financial assistance for the OFW’s family in case of their death
• Financial assistance to pay for the OFW’s burial
• Financial assistance in case an OFW is injured

In case an active OWWA member passes away from natural causes, their family can receive up to PHP 100,000 through this benefits program. For accidental deaths, the OWWA member’s family can receive ₱200,000.

For funeral costs, the program provides ₱20,000 to the bereaved family.

Meanwhile, OWWA members who become disabled after an accident may also apply for ₱2,500 to ₱25,000 in partial disability benefits or ₱50,000 to ₱100,000 in total or permanent disability benefits.

Active OWWA members who are also members of PhilHealth can apply for OWWA‘s Supplemental Medical Assistance Program or MEDPlus in the event they fall ill because of

• Heart disease
• Liver disease
• Kidney disease
• Lung disease
• Cancer

They can get up to ₱50,000 in financial assistance whether they get sick while on the job abroad or while they are home in the Philippines.

OWWA‘s Welfare Assistance Program or WAP offers OFWs with financial assistance in case they experience hardships but are unable to apply for OWWA‘s other social benefits programs.

These hardships include

• Typhoons, floods, and earthquakes
• Political unrest
• The death of an OWWA member by causes not covered by OWWA’s Death and Disability Benefit
• Disabilities that are not covered by OWWA’s Death and Disability Benefit
• Financial assistance for OFWs with illnesses not covered by MEDPlus
• Financial assistance for OFWs who lose their jobs or homes from crises (e.g., losing their job because of political issues in their host country)

OFWs can apply for this program whether or not they are active OWWA members. Their family members may also apply for WAP in their place.

There are three OWWA benefits programs OFWs or their dependents can try to add to their skillset and make them stand out in the job market:

• Skills-for Employment Scholarship Program – provides financial assistance of up to ₱14,500 for OFWs or their dependents to complete a six-month to two-year government-funded training program, including lessons conducted by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and the Maritime Industry Authority
• Seafarers’ Upgrading Program – provides financial assistance of up to ₱7,500 for seafarers to get the training they need to comply with the International Maritime Organisation’s skills requirements
• Information Technology Program – improves OFWs’ or their dependents’ computer skills by teaching them how to use the internet and important software, like Microsoft Word or Excel

From January to June 2017, the OWWA also provided financial assistance of up to PHP 7,500 for seafarers who were active OWWA members and were working on becoming certified Masters, Chief Mates, Chief Engineers, and 2nd Engineers via the Updating Management Level Courses program.

Another of OWWA’s benefits programs is the OFW Enterprise Development and Loan Program, which helps returning OFWs get the financial assistance they need to start their own businesses within three years of coming home to the Philippines. They can also join this program if they already have a business before filing their applications.

After undergoing OWWA’s Enhanced Enterprise Development Training, an OFW can approach the Land Bank of the Philippines or the Development Bank of the Philippines to apply for a loan of up to ₱2 million for a solopreneurs and ₱5 million for group businesses.

It’s important to note that this is a loan, meaning the OFW must pay back the money within the time set by the bank.

This OWWA benefits program is for OFWs who have lost their jobs, experienced violence or abuse abroad, were forced to change host countries, or were affected by crises in their host countries.

The Balik-Pinas! Balik-Hanapbuhay! Program provides OFWs with at most ₱20,000 in financial assistance to help them start a small business or get the training or connections they need to restart their lives in the Philippines.

Most importantly, BPBH is accessible to both active and inactive OWWA members.

The OWWA’s Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar is the first step of the OFW process.

Before starting their journey abroad, a prospective OFW must first learn about their host countries, the challenges of OFW life, the expectations of their foreign employers, the documents they need to travel and work outside the Philippines, the steps they can take to stay safe and healthy abroad, and the OWWA programs and services they can avail to help them along the way.

This is a special seminar domestic workers must take before they leave for their host countries.

Conducted within at most six days, the Comprehensive Pre-Departure Education Program for Household Service Workers or CDPEP teaches Filipino domestic workers about

• Their host countries’ cultures
• Basic words and sentences in their host countries’ languages
• How to deal with the stress of working abroad in healthy and mindful ways

Whether an OFW is an active or inactive member, the OWWA can help them come home if they are sick or if they are caught in a natural or human-caused crisis in their host country.

Included in the OWWA’s repatriation assistance program are these benefits:

• A free ticket home
• Help at the airport
• A place to stay before you fly home
• Medical assistance
• Counselling
• A ride home

While some OWWA programs and services are available for both active and inactive members, it would still help to check if your OWWA membership and contributions are up to date. That way, you can enjoy more benefits from the organisation.

You can view your membership status via the OWWA app on Android or iOS.

If you have more questions about OWWA benefits, consult your nearest Philippine Overseas Labor Office.

It would also help to start saving for a rainy day while it’s still early. We may not know when an emergency will happen in the Philippines, but it always helps to have funds set aside just in case.

With Kabayan Remit, you can securely send money from the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States to your loved ones’ savings accounts in the Philippines.

Using Kabayan Remit’s encrypted money transfer app, your funds can travel from your host country to reputable banks, e-wallets, and cash remittance centres back home and at competitive exchange rates. You can even pay bills or top up your investments and government contributions from your mobile phone!

To learn more about Kabayan Remit’s services and try their exchange rate calculator click here. Or, start sending love to the Philippines right now when you download the Kabayan Remit app today.

Before we explore the effects of tariffs, let’s first clarify what they are. According to the Council of Foreign Relations, “Tariffs are a form of tax applied on imports from other countries.” 

For example, if Country A has a 10% tariff on wheat from Country B, Country B would need to pay that tariff when they export wheat to Country A.

The amount a government charges for an import is usually a percentage of the product’s value. For example, if a product is £100, a 10% tariff would make it cost £110.

“Economists say the costs [of tariffs] are largely passed on to consumers,” reported CFR.

News on tariffs have been making rounds online since the start of the year. But the most impactful developments made headlines on 2 April, when United States President Donald Trump declared a new set of what he dubbed “liberation day” tariffs that charge at least 10% on foreign goods sold to the US.

The Philippines—which mainly exports electronics to America—was included in Trump’s list, with the US proposing to charge 17% on Philippine goods entering America starting 9 April. However, this was postponed after Trump announced a three-month pause on tariffs higher than 10%.

Exempted from the pause is China, whose goods will receive a 120% tariff plus another 25% tariff that had been in effect since around February. Mexico and Canada were also affected by this earlier 25% tariff but are excluded from the newer 10% tariffs.

Countries charge tariffs for the following reasons:

A country may have an industry that is growing locally but would suffer if foreign competitors enter the country bringing a larger inventory of cheaper options for customers.

Some countries impose tariffs due to stricter material or ingredient regulations. For example, Country A may tax toys from Country B, where paint standards are more relaxed.

Also called revenue tariffs, these are used to generate additional income for a country.

If Country A disagrees with Country B about their policy, or if a deal between the two countries falls through, Country A might impose tariffs on goods from Country B in retaliation.

While tariffs may benefit the countries implementing them, it may also have negative effects on its citizens. These fees may lead to other countries implementing their tariffs in response, making things more expensive for the regular buyer. This is why tariffs in the US have been making the news.

Some recent news on tariffs were about how these would affect the price of iPhones.

According to tech news publisher CNET, “If Apple passed the full 145% China tariff costs on to customers, the iPhone 16 Pro Max with 1TB of storage could increase from [US]$1,599 to over $3,900.”

Apple, an American brand, produces some of its products in China. And as of 12 April, smartphones, computers, and other gadgets are exempted from the new US tariffs.

However, tariffs not only affect the price of gadgets but also the cost of groceries, clothes, and other everyday essentials.

The Associated Press reported that avocado growers slowed production in Mexico after the US put 25% tariffs on Mexican imports earlier this year. The AP also published news on how tariffs may affect car ownership because of the possible increase in the cost of imported car parts.

Since the things we make and buy now depend on a more global production process, other essentials—like food, clothes, or household appliances—may end up costing more because of the new tariffs from the US.

Those who would bear the brunt of a possible rise in prices would be people with lower incomes, who spend a chunk of their money on essentials compared with those who earn enough to withstand inflation.

The AP also reported another risk: New tariffs from the US may bring down profits for businesses in different parts of the world; it may also drive businesses to restructure their supply chains. This could cause some people to lose their jobs.

In recent news, the Philippine government has said the possible 17% tariff on goods we export to the US will have a minimal effect on the country and may even have some advantages.

The proposed 17% on Philippine exports to the US is the second lowest of US tariffs in Southeast Asia. The US assigned the baseline 10% tariff rate to Singapore and gave the highest rate, 49%, to Cambodia. This may lead international businesses to consider the Philippines as a more affordable manufacturing and agricultural partner in the region.

However, Sec. Cristina Roque of the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry said her team is still hoping to schedule a meeting with the US Department of Commerce before the end of the three-month pause on US tariffs to find out what the final rate for the Philippines will be.

“If 17 percent and our ASEAN neighbours are higher than us, of course that’s advantageous for us,” said Roque to the Manila Bulletin. “But we don’t know what will happen after 90 days so it’s hard to speculate until we get to talk to my counterpart there in the US.”

Tariffs may make everyday things more expensive. This will affect not only the Pinoys doing business in the Philippines but also OFWs.

So how can Pinoys and OFWs prepare for a possible increase in prices?

Here are some ways:

• Stick with your financial New Year’s resolutions – Knowing your financial goals, how you spend, and where your money should go will help you set a realistic budget as prices adjust to accommodate the new US tariffs.
• Buy smart – Since you know your spending habits, stock up on items you purchase regularly, but, avoid panic buying so you don’t waste money overstocking on things that spoil quickly.
• Follow our money management tips for OFWs. Plan a budget with your family, prioritize your debts, and separate your expense account from your savings.
• Save – Find ways to spend less when you send money to the Philippines. Use a money remittance app like Kabayan Remit.

Kabayan Remit is a secure money remittance app that lets OFWs in the UK, the US, and Canada send money to the Philippines at competitive exchange rates. To learn more, click here.

The new year is a chance for new beginnings and New Year’s resolutions. It’s also a chance for overseas Filipino workers to get their finances in order and identify the goals they want to reach in 2025.

Surely, you already have your resolutions listed down—but do you know how to keep them until the end of the year?

Whether you’re an OFW based outside the Philippines, or you’re doing your best in the motherland, we at Kabayan Remit have listed down eight ways to help you stick with your financial New Year’s resolutions for 2025.

Keep scrolling to learn more, and don’t forget to share these tips with your loved ones.

Start 2025 by reflecting on the previous year’s finances and jotting down the money goals you want to achieve in the next 12 months. This will help you identify your financial New Year’s resolutions for the year.

Keep the goals realistic, meaning you’ll be able to achieve them based on how much you make, your spending habits, and your wants and needs.

You should also be clear about your goals. For example: While the goal “financial independence” is admirable, it would be easier to attain this if you know the specific steps you must take to achieve it in 2025. These steps could include paying your existing debts (like your family’s car loan) and incurring less debt this year.

It’s great to have clear financial goals for 2025, but it’s even better if you know why you’re making financial New Year’s resolutions this year.

Are you saving to buy a house or to send a loved one to college? Maybe you’re preparing to go on that dream vacation your family has been planning for years.

Understanding why you’re being wise about money will help you stay disciplined.

Set a specific monthly amount that you are comfortable spending and use it to guide your expenses.

Then, use a spreadsheet or budgeting app to monitor your spending and ensure you stay within your monthly cap.

You can also set a savings goal. As a rule of thumb, follow the 50-30-20 rule, meaning you should allot half of what you make to pay for needs. Thirty percent may go to your wants, and 20% should go to savings.

If you have any extra money left over from your needs-and-wants budget at the end of the month, consider transferring it to a high-yield savings account or use it to help pay off your debt.

Remember: Your budget should be customised to your lifestyle, so be open to adjusting based on your needs, debts, and cost of living.

You won’t achieve your financial New Year’s resolutions if you have pending bills and penalties. These debts can also affect your credit score and make it harder to secure financing for your dream purchases (like a house or a car).

Plus, mounting penalties and interest rates may eventually prevent you from saving the amount you need to achieve your financial goals.

To avoid getting sidetracked by liabilities, make it a point to regularly pay debts and to allot more than the minimum when it comes to paying your credit card bills.

After determining your budget, you can now set a monthly amount for your savings account. Plug that amount into your bank app and set it on repeat, so you can regularly add to a separate savings account without fail.

You can even automate deposits to your government contributions, like PhilHealth, the Social Security System, and the Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG).

To ensure you’re staying on track, use your spreadsheets and budgeting apps to record your expenses and monitor your progress.

You may be so focused on reaching your financial goals that you forget to notice the warning signs of a scam.

Before transferring any funds, remember: Scammers pressure their victims by creating a sense of urgency. For example, they may say you need to invest now, now, now or risk losing a great investment opportunity. In APP fraud, they may even pressure you to send money by pretending to be a loved one in need of emergency funds.

To avoid falling for scams and straying from your financial New Year’s resolutions, have an accountability partner you can consult before making important expenses. This partner can be a family member, friend or professional you trust.

Pat yourself on the back for being disciplined and achieving your goals but be kind to yourself if you fall short.

Life is full of surprises, so be grateful for what you’ve earned and be humble enough to accept that there are still factors that are out of your control—like the economy, inflation, or a family emergency—that may pose a challenge to sticking with your financial New Year’s resolutions.

Instead, focus on what you’re able to achieve despite the challenges that come your way.

As an OFW, a chunk of your financial New Year’s resolutions is centred on providing for your loved ones back home. That’s why when it comes to sending money to the Philippines, it’s important to choose a remittance service that offers competitive exchange rates and keeps your funds secure.

Kabayan Remit is a government-recognised remittance app that offers bank-level data encryption and lets OFWs in the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States safely send money to reputable banks, e-wallets, and remittance centres in the Philippines.

Its handy calculator tool allows users to see how much they can save when they choose Kabayan Remit to transfer funds online, while its rewards program lets OFWs enjoy discounts and seasonal prizes to make sending love even more worthwhile.

Learn more about Kabayan Remit here or start sending funds by downloading the app today.

APP stands for authorised push payments, while APP fraud happens when an unsuspecting victim loses access to their precious funds by willingly sending money from their account to a scammer’s account. People fall for this scam because fraudsters pretend to be someone a person trusts, like a loved one or a reputable organisation or business. This causes APP fraud victims to suffer heartbreaking consequences, often waiting months to recover their savings.

According to a recent report by UK Finance, a banking and finance organisation in the United Kingdom, APP fraud has drained accounts of ₤459.7 million in the past year. And as more victims continue to come forward, overseas Filipino workers should stay on the lookout for APP fraudsters—especially now that the Christmas season and the holiday shopping rush are in full swing.

To learn more about APP fraud, how it looks, and what to do if you or someone you know has been scammed, read on.

According to the UK’s Payment Systems Regulator, there are two types of APP fraud:

This type of APP fraud fools a person into paying for a fake product or service. For example, a victim visits an online shop to buy a bogus product. After a few days, they realise that the product will never arrive, and the money they used as payment is gone.

This type of APP fraud involves a scammer pretending to be someone trustworthy to trick a victim into transferring money into a fraudulent account. For example, a supposed bank employee contacts a victim to inform them about the possible closure of their account. To avoid losing access to their account, the victim is told they must make an emergency deposit using a special link. After the deposit has been made, the victim learns there was never an emergency and the “bank employee” they were in contact with has disappeared along with their money.

Under these two types of APP fraud are more specific subtypes of scams that defraud well-meaning people of their money. These subtypes include but are not limited to:

• Invoice and mandate scams – Usually found in email inboxes, a scammer interferes with a legitimate transaction by pretending to represent the payee. The scammer then convinces a victim to send their payment to a “new” payee account.
• CEO fraud – A scammer convinces a victim to send them money by pretending to be an important person in the victim’s organisation.
• Impersonation scam – A scammer convinces a victim to send them money or personal details by pretending to be the police, a bank employee, or a loved one. This scammer may target their victim via personal messaging platforms, or they may even use deception to gain remote access to their victim’s computer.
• Purchase scam – A victim purchases an item on a bogus online store. They never receive the item and lose some money in the process.
• Investment scam – A scammer tells a victim they can double their savings by investing in a fake investment fund or project. After receiving the investment money, the scammer disappears and leaves the victim empty-handed.
• Romance scam – A scammer will woo a victim online. Once they have the victim’s heart and trust, the scammer will convince the victim to send them money.
• Advance fee scam – The victim receives a message or email saying they have won a prize or have been given an inheritance. To claim the prize, the victim must pay a fee. The victim pays the fee, but never receives the prize.

Read more about the top 10 online scams OFWs should avoid here.

While OFWs should be careful when managing their finances online, they should also be alert when receiving messages or phone calls about money. According to UK Finance, most APP fraud cases in 2023 happened online; however, victims experienced the biggest losses from APP scams conducted through telecommunications.

When it comes to fraud, prevention is better than the cure. Before you pay, look out for these signs of APP fraud:

If it sounds like you can get rich by simply depositing so-and-so amount, or if a hot item comes with a huge discount, think twice. As the saying goes, it’s too good to be true.

Be concerned if you receive a message from an address or messaging platform that a business, organisation, or loved one has never been known to use. Read their messages carefully, and ask yourself: Do they usually write or talk this way? If the answer is no, then it may be APP fraud.

An APP fraudster will try to push you into sending money ASAP by triggering your stress or targeting your fear of missing out. They may tell you that if you don’t send money now, you’ll miss out on an exciting promo; or, they could scare you into sending money by saying you could lose access to your account. They may even pretend they’re in an emergency, and only your money can help them.

You’re about to make a deposit, but you notice that the person or business you’re sending money to is using a different account or payment method than usual. Before you hit “send,” call your friend or contact the business’s official hotline as this may be APP fraud.

Remember: Legit businesses will not ask for your personal details through email or text. And they will not pressure you into giving this information if you do not want to.

Now that you know the signs of, brush up on your online security practices to better avoid APP fraud.

If you’ve become a victim of APP fraud, contact your bank immediately. They may still be able to keep your funds from reaching your scammer.

If you’re based in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, you may also report APP fraud by calling Action Fraud at 0030 123 2040 or by contacting the team online.

If you are in Scotland, contact Police Scotland as soon as possible.

Starting 7 October, High Street Banks, building societies, and e-money firms are required by the PSR to reimburse APP fraud victims. Financial institutions are now required to reimburse a maximum of £85,000 to a victim within five business days from receiving their APP fraud report.

Victims of APP fraud who are unhappy with how their banks are handling or have handled their cases, may escalate their complaints to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Institutionally, banks and other financial institutions are also increasing their layers of security by employing identity verification methods to ensure their clients’ funds reach the right people. The UK has also banned cold calls pushing financial products as another way to curb APP fraud.

APP fraud can happen at any time, so it pays to be alert when dealing with the money you worked so hard to earn. When sending money to the Philippines, always use a secure money transfer app like Kabayan Remit.

Kabayan Remit is an OFW-centred remittance app with bank-level security and data encryption that allows OFWs like you to safely send money from the UK, Canada, and the United States to reputable banks, e-wallets, and remittance centres in the Philippines.

To ensure your money reaches the right account, the app requires you to input your beneficiary’s mobile number or bank details from the moment you open an account. Kabayan Remit also offers 24/7 bilingual customer support in case of emergencies.

Start sending money to the Philippines from the comfort of your own phone, by following these three easy steps:

1. Download the Kabayan Remit app here. 
2. Input your loved one’s details. This can be their mobile number or their bank account.
3. Tap “send money” and begin remitting money to the Philippines. 

The sooner you start sending love, the faster you can become eligible to win a free roundtrip ticket to the Philippines!

To have a home that is truly theirs—this is the dream of many overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) giving their best abroad.

But when it comes to housing, prices can keep homeownership far from an OFW’s reach. 

Luckily, there is the OFW Pabahay Program, more formally known as the Tahanan ng Bagong Bayani Program or TBB. Run by the Philippine National Housing Authority (NHA) and the Department of Labour and Employment (DOLE), TBB provides OFWs and government employees with of affordable homes located in planned communities throughout the archipelago.

If you would like to learn more about the TBB program and how to apply for a home, click here.

For those who are familiar with the TBB program but still have some questions, this guide is for you. 

An OFW who is still abroad at the time of their application can assign a trusted relative in the Philippines to process their documents, provided that the OFW has granted this relative Special Power of Attorney (SPA).

When the relative submits the OFW’s application for the OFW Pabahay Program or TBB, they must show a notarised SPA document that specifies what tasks they will complete on behalf of the OFW.

You can still gather your documents while you are abroad. Then, proceed to the Philippine embassy nearest your host country to get an apostille or authentication Certificate for these papers.

Learn more about the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) apostille process here.

To apply for the TBB program or an NHA loan, visit the official website of the Government Employees Housing Program (GEHP) or the Virtual Pag-IBIG platform, respectively.

Yes, former OFWs can still apply for a home under the TBB program if they can provide the required documents and meet the program’s eligibility criteria.

To qualify for the TBB program, you must:

• Be 65 or younger when you apply
• Be at most 70 when your loan matures
• Have an updated NHA account (if applicable)

Former OFWs applying for the TBB program must provide the following documents:

• An accomplished Application to Purchase House and Lot Form from the GEHP
• Proof that they worked abroad (e.g., an Overseas Employment Certificate or OEC)
• Proof of income
• Two (2) valid government-issued identification cards
• Their birth certificate
• Proof of marriage or separation (if applicable)

The TBB program requires all OFW applicants to present an OEC with their application. If you do not have one, contact the Philippine Overseas Labour Office (POLO) nearest you. You may also approach the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

After submitting their application, a qualified OFW will receive a Notice of Allocation via email. This is the go signal to schedule their home’s turn-over date.

The OFW will only get a Deed of Sale on their home once they have completed their payments.

You can schedule your home’s turn-over date after you receive a Notice of Allocation.

The TBB program does not require a down payment. However, an OFW may opt to make a down payment to reduce their monthly amortization. 

The cost of your monthly amortization will depend on the following conditions:

• Your home’s selling price
• Your payment plan
• Your age at the time of your application

Yes, retired or retiring OFWs who meet the age requirement and can submit the required documents are qualified to join the TBB program.

Yes, you can still qualify for a home from the TBB Program even if you already have another home from the NHA. However, you must ensure that your NHA account information is up-to-date and that any pending bills with the organisation are paid before you apply.

Send love securely with Kabayan Remit!

Should you have more questions about our app and other services, our bilingual customer support team is available 24/7 here.

You can also compare our competitive exchange rates by visiting our official website and trying our calculator tool.

To download the Kabayan Remit app today click here.

Kabayan Remit also has a cash collection option, allowing families in the Philippines to pick up funds from over 10,000 locations around the country. All your loved ones need to do is visit the nearest Cebuana Lhuillier, LBC, Palawan Pawnshop, or other major cash collection sites.

• Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI)
• Banco de Oro (BDO)
• Metrobank
• Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC)
• GCash
• Maya

With our free mobile app, OFWs can simply use their phones to send money to major Philippine banks and mobile wallets in the Philippines, including:

Kabayan Remit is an OFW-centred remittance app that boasts bank-level security and data encryption. We are regulated by financial authorities in Canada and the United Kingdom and United States, so you can be sure we take safekeeping your funds seriously.

So, before you send money to buy an OFW Pabahay Program home in the Philippines, keep an eye out for scams and use a trusted money transfer app to ensure your savings reach the people you love.

Owning a home in the Philippines is an investment. It will take time, money management, and hard work to turn your dream of home ownership into reality.

The OFW Pabahay Program is another term for the Tahanan ng Bagong Bayani program (TBB) led by the Philippine National Housing Authority (NHA) with the Department of Labour and Employment (DOLE). Its goal is to provide Filipinos working outside the country with affordable homes in the Philippines.

Owning a home is a dream for many overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), who work abroad to provide for their families in the homeland. However, the prices of houses can make the path to home ownership a challenging one.

With the OFW Pabahay Program, OFWs have a better chance of finding a reasonably priced dream home from several housing projects around the country.

The TBB program (or OFW Pabahay Program) offers OFWs affordable housing options in the Philippines. These homes come from the inventory of the Government Employees Housing Program (GEHP).

According to the Government Employees Housing Program’s official website, this NHA initiative aims “to provide decent, affordable housing to uniformed personnel including members of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), and other Government Employees.”

In 2021, the NHA added OFWs as beneficiaries of this program.

Under the GEHP, government employees and OFWs can choose from five housing options:

• One-storey duplexes
• Two-storey duplexes
• Low-rise building condominium units
• Medium-rise building condominium units
• High-rise building condominium units

A home’s lot size is at most 150 square meters with a 60-square-meter floor area. The interiors consist of two bedrooms, a full bathroom, a kitchen, a living room, and a parking space.

Meanwhile, condo units measure between 36 to 42 square meters.

In effect since 2011, the GEHP completed its first project in 2018, turning over the first 500 of 1,000 homes in Scout Ranger Ville in San Miguel, Bulacan. Since then, the program has completed three other projects:

• Madayaw Residences – 640 condominium units in Davao del Sur
• Santa Monica Homes – 400 homes in Ilocos Norte
• Christine Villas – 1,000 homes in Lanao del Norte

The GEHP has other ongoing projects around the country, including La Union, Bataan, Batangas, Pampanga, Negros Occidental, Zamboanga, and Davao City. Click here to see what projects are on the way to you.

You are eligible to apply for a home under the OFW Pabahay Program if you are an OFW that meets the following criteria:

• You are 65 years old or younger when you submit your application.
• You are at most 70 years old when your loan reaches maturity or at the end of your payment period.
• Your NHA account is up to date (if applicable).

If you are a former OFW, you can still qualify for the program if you can provide proof of income along with the other documentary requirements.

When you submit your TBB program application, ensure that you have the following papers:

• Your accomplished Application to Purchase House and Lot Form
• A copy of your Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) or a work contract from the Department of Migrant Workers
• A certificate of compensation from your employer or your income tax return certified by the Bureau of Internal Revenue
• Two (2) valid government-issued identification cards
• Your birth certificate
• Your marriage certificate (if applicable)
• Your Affidavit of Separation-in-Fact (if applicable)

With your documents complete, here is how you can apply to the TBB program online:

1. Visit the GEHP official website at gehp.nha.gov.ph.
2. On the menu bar, click “How to Apply.”
3. Scroll down and click the button under “Ready to Apply.”
4. Choosing from the options that appear, click “Overseas Filipino Worker” to open the correct application form.
5. Fill out the application form and attach the scanned copies of the required documents.
6. Review your details.
7. Click the option proving you are not a robot.
8. Click “Submit.”

If you would rather submit your application in person, click here to download the OFW application form. Fill it out and have it notarised before submitting your application and other requirements to your nearest NHA office or the implementing regional or district office of your chosen housing project.

Once you have submitted your application, check your email regularly for any updates from the NHA. If approved, you should receive a Notice of Allocation. After you have been approved for the program, you can schedule a turn-over date for your home.

If qualified, OFWs can purchase a TBB home in three ways:

To purchase a TBB home in cash, the OFW must first enter into an individual loan agreement with the NHA.

The OFW can pay for a TBB home in 12 equal monthly instalments with no interest. Payments start after they sign a sales contract with the NHA. After they complete their payments, the OFW will sign a Deed of Sale, which means they now own the house.

If you choose this option, remember that each payment missed will lead to a 0.5% penalty. Failure to complete your payments means you will forfeit all the payments you were able to make to the NHA.

For an OFW who needs more time to pay for their home, applying for a housing loan from the Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG) or Landbank is an option.

If you qualify for the TBB program and opt to take out a mortgage on your new home, you can choose to take out a loan with Pag-IBIG or with a government financing institution like Landbank.

To help you with your research, we’ve crafted this table comparing the requirements and features of the Pag-IBIG Housing Loan and Landbank’s Bahay para sa Bagong Bayani (3B) lending program:

If you opt to apply for the Pag-IBIG Housing Loan, follow these steps:

1. Gather the pre-approval documentary requirements. These are:

2.Fill out the application form and submit your requirements via the Virtual Pag-IBIG website. Submit the hard copies to your nearest Pag-IBIG Housing Business Centre or Pag-IBIG Fund Branch.
3.Once approved, Pag-IBIG will send you a Notice of Approval (NOA) and a Letter of Guaranty (LOG). They will direct you to where to pick up these documents.
4.You have 90 calendar days to gather and submit the post-approval documents listed in your NOA.
5.After submitting your final requirements, expect your loan in 10 working days.
6.Begin repaying your loan one month after its release.

If you choose to take out a loan from Landbank’s 3B program, gather the following documents:

• A 1” x 1” ID photo
• A copy of your employment contract
• A photocopy of your TCT or CCT
• A photocopy of the property’s tax declaration 
• A copy of the property’s latest real estate tax receipt
• Certification from a Geodetic Engineer
• The property’s lot plan
• A map to the property

Once you have completed your requirements, fill out Landbank’s online application form and follow the instructions.

Do you still have some queries? Visit our blog on frequently asked questions about the OFW Pabahay Program or TBB.

You’ve worked hard to get your dream home in the Philippines, so make sure nothing gets in the way of home sweet home by using a secure money transfer app to make your payments. With Kabayan Remit, you can conveniently pay your Pag-IBIG loans or send love to the Philippines in as easy as 1, 2, 3.

To learn more about our OFW remittance services visit kabayanremit.com. 

When it’s time to send money to the Philippines, a busy overseas Filipino worker (OFW) needs the most time-efficient and economical remittance method. Some may turn to PayPal money transfers to reload their loved one’s funds back home. Known as an online payment platform, PayPal has partnered with brands in the Philippines to make it easier for OFWs to fund accounts and pay their families’ bills from miles away.

However, as with any peer-to-peer payment app, money transfers will come at a cost.

In this article, we’ll discuss what PayPal is, how you can use it to send money to the Philippines, and a Filipino alternative with competitive exchange rates.

Table of Contents

• What is PayPal?
• How to open a PayPal account
• How to link your credit or debit card to PayPal
• How to open a PayPal account without a card
• How to send money to the Philippines with PayPal
• Can I send money from PayPal to a bank account in the Philippines?
• Can I send money from PayPal to GCash?
• Can I send money from PayPal to Maya?
• Sending money to the Philippines with Xoom
• Paying bills in the Philippines with PayPal
• Sending money to the Philippines with Kabayan Remit

According to Investopedia, “PayPal is a payment platform with a website and phone app that enables payments between parties through online money transfers.”

With PayPal as the middleman, you can use your bank account, debit card, or credit card to pay bills, go online shopping, or send and receive money from friends and family with only an internet connection and a phone or computer. To boost security, PayPal keeps your payment details private to prevent it from falling into the hands of stealthy cyber criminals.

To open an account, visit PayPal’s official website, and follow these steps:

1. Click “Sign Up.”
2. Since you’ll be opening a PayPal account for personal use, click “Individual Account.”
3. Enter your email address to receive a verification email in your inbox. Make sure you follow the instructions to confirm your address.
4. Enter your mobile number to receive a one-time password to verify your account.
5. Link your credit or debit card to your account to start making PayPal money transfers.

Adding a credit or debit card to PayPal involves two phases: (1) linking your card to the platform; and (2) verifying your card.

First, let’s link a card to your PayPal account by following these steps:

1. Click “Wallet.”
2. Choose “Link debit or credit card.”
3. Input your payment details.

1. Tap “Wallet.”
2. Tap on the plus sign (+) corresponding to “Add banks and cards.”
3. Input your payment details.

To continue using PayPal, you will need to verify your card. Head to the platform’s official website and follow these steps:

1. Go to “Wallet” and choose the card you want to confirm. 
2. Check the details you registered when you first connected your card, then click O.K.

After confirming your information, you should see a charge of about ₱100 in your card activity in approximately two to seven business days. Next to the minimal charge, you should also see a verification code.

Once you receive a verification code, complete the following steps:

1. Go to “Wallet.”
2. Click on your card.
3. Enter the verification code and click “Confirm.”

After confirming your card, your ₱100 will be reimbursed within a month.

You can skip linking a card when you register for an account, but eventually, you will need to link a source of funds before you make any money transfers.

If you don’t have a card, you can instead link a bank account to PayPal using these steps:

1. Go to “Wallet.”
2. Click “Link Bank Account.”
3. Provide and confirm your payment details.

1. Tap on “Wallet.”
2. Tap on the plus sign (+) corresponding to “Add banks and cards.”
3. Choose “Banks.”
4. Provide and confirm your payment details.

Making a PayPal money transfer is a simple process you can do on your computer or from your phone. Below, we’ve enumerated the steps you’ll need to take depending on your gadget.

1. Log in to PayPal on your computer.
2. On the dashboard, click “Send and Request.”
3. Indicate your recipient. For this to work, PayPal asks for their name, username, mobile number, or email address.
4. Indicate how much you’ll be sending and what currency they’ll be receiving the amount. You can even write a short dedication to go with your remittance.
5. Choose whether the funds will be coming from your connected bank account, linked credit or debit card, or your PayPal balance.

1. Tap the dollar sign ($).
2. Choose “Payments.”
3. Indicate your recipient. For this to work, PayPal asks for their name, username, mobile number, or email address.
4. Indicate how much you’ll be sending and what currency they’ll be receiving the amount. Write a short note, if you want to send a message along with some money.
5. Choose whether the funds will be coming from your connected bank account, linked credit or debit card, or your PayPal balance.

While it’s easy to send money to the Philippines using PayPal, there is a catch: Your recipient needs a PayPal account to access the funds you’ve sent them. So, if your loved one doesn’t have one yet, they’ll need to open one soon. You will also need to teach them how to use it.

And since you’re based abroad, you will need to convert your funds to Philippines pesos. This entails a PayPal conversion fee of 4% taken from the amount you’ll be sending home.

Yes, you can withdraw funds from PayPal to a bank account in the Philippines if it is linked to your PayPal account.

To do this:

1. Go to your account and open the “Transfer Money” tab. You can open this after clicking “Wallet” on your browser or by tapping your PayPal balance on your PayPal app.
2. Choose “Transfer money to bank.”
3. Tap on your linked bank account.
4. Input the amount you want to send.
5. Hit “Confirm.”

It may take a few days for your money to reach your family in the Philippines. For example, it takes Security Bank at most a week to send your funds on your first time and at least three days on your next transactions.

And, along with the 4% conversion fee, PayPal also charges ₱50 if you’ll be sending more than ₱7,000 back home.

If you’ll be sending money from PayPal to a bank card in the Philippines, expect a 1% deduction from your total amount.

Yes, you can make a PayPal money transfer from your account to your loved one’s GCash wallet in the Philippines.

All you’ll need to do is link PayPal to their fully verified GCash account and follow these steps:

1. Choose “Cash In” on the GCash app.
2. Go to “Global Banks and Partners” and choose PayPal.
3. Input how much you want to send.
4. Confirm the transaction.

With this setup, you can send your funds directly to your family member’s mobile wallet within a day or two. You’d also be able to avoid paying a withdrawal fee.

However, there are drawbacks to sending money from PayPal to GCash.

First, for this to work you would need to link your PayPal credentials to a family member’s GCash account, and they would have to be the ones to withdraw your funds into their GCash app. This may get complicated if you want to budget how much you send home.

Lastly, GCash will only accept funds in Philippine pesos; so, if you’re working abroad, you would have to give PayPal 4% of your transaction amount to convert your money.

Another Philippine mobile wallet is Maya, which you can link to your PayPal account. But as of now, only PayPal Philippines accounts can transfer funds into Maya.

A subsidiary of PayPal, Xoom lets you use your PayPal credentials to send money from abroad to bank accounts, mobile wallets, cash pick-up establishments, and homes in the Philippines. And since you’re technically using a PayPal service, your source of funds will still be the cards and bank accounts you’ve linked to your PayPal account. 

To make a money transfer using Xoom, follow these steps:

1. Log in to Xoom with your PayPal credentials.
2. Click “Send money.”
3. Choose the Philippines as your funds’ destination.
4. Indicate whether your family will receive the money in their bank account, mobile wallet, in a cash pick-up establishment, or at home.
5. Type your family member’s account details or their receiving address.
6. Add your family member’s information.
7. Indicate your PayPal payment option.
8. Double-check your choices.
9. Hit “Send.”

While Xoom does have limits to how much money you can send to the Philippines, you can send higher amounts home if you provide government-issued identification and even proof of residency in the country where you’re currently employed. It helps to have these on hand:

• A copy of your driver’s license
• A record of your social security number
• Your Green Card or residency permit

Compared to PayPal money transfers, sending money to the Philippines using Xoom will usually have a smaller transaction fee. However, Xoom still earns from currency exchanges, so it’s still a good idea to compare rates with other remittance apps.

For example, here’s what it looks like to send £1,000 from the United Kingdom to a Philippine bank account using PayPal, Xoom, and the Filipino-centred money transfer app Kabayan Remit:

PayPal currently does not provide the option to pay bills directly in the Philippines. If you are an overseas worker and want to use PayPal to pay for your bills or government contributions in the Philippines, you will have to find a local payment platform that accepts PayPal as a payment method.

Third-party platforms may charge additional convenience fees. Plus, using PayPal with a local payment platform might require you to convert your foreign currency to Philippine pesos. Again, this will add 4% to your transaction cost. 

If you’re still looking for a way to send funds to your family in the Philippines, let Kabayan Remit help you make money transfers in a secure and cost-efficient way. 

With a free account, you can:

• Send money from the U.K., Canada, or the United States to major banks, mobile wallets, and cash collection establishments in the Philippines – We can send your funds straight to well-known brands, like BPI, BDO, M Lhuillier, Palawan Pawnshop, Maya, and GCash. 
• Send more while spending less – We have one of the highest exchange rates on the market. See for yourself by trying out our calculator tool.
• Pay your bills and investments back home – With Kabayan Remit you can pay your SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG contributions as well as your family’s insurance premiums, real estate investments, and car plans from our verified merchants.
• Enjoy our 24/7 bilingual customer support – We know you’re busy for most of the day, so we’ve made ourselves available at your convenience. Just reach out here if you ever need our help.

Sign up for a Kabayan Remit account by visiting this link today! Your first remittance is free.

Whether you’re checking your savings account on the Internet or sending money home through person-to-person (P2P) payment apps, you need to be mindful of online banking security measures to keep your funds safe and ensure they reach the people you love.

Before you start signing up for different financial apps in the Philippines or abroad, always keep these seven online banking security measures in mind:

1. Create a strong password
2. Use multi-factor authentication
3. Don’t use public Wi-Fi or shared devices
4. Protect your banking devices
5. Activate bank alerts
6. Beware of phishing and other online scams
7. Use secure financial apps

Let’s talk about each e-banking security tip in more detail.

This applies to both your online banking accounts and the gadgets you use to do your banking.

A strong password will have these qualities:

• Long – A strong password is usually a combination of letters and symbols, a long phrase, or both.
• Devoid of personal information – Your password isn’t your birthday, your name, or the name of someone important to you.
• Mixes letters and symbols – A strong password is difficult to guess when it combines lowercase and uppercase letters with numbers and symbols.
• Avoids sequences – You won’t find sequential numbers, like “1234,” in a strong password.
• Avoids using common words – Popular words are easy to guess, so you won’t find “admin” or “password” in a strong password.

For additional protection, use unique passwords for each of your accounts and change them often. If memorizing all your passwords proves to be difficult, look for a reputable password manager to store your login details and help you create new passwords when the time comes for an update.

Also known as two-factor authentication, multiple-factor authentication is an online banking security feature that adds a second and even third step to the typical log-in process. This makes it harder for thieves to access your account, even if they know your username and password.

Extra security measures in multi-factor authentication include:

• One-time passwords (OTP)
• Biometrics or facial recognition
• Codes generated by authentication apps

You can use these same methods to complete money transfers in P2P payment apps.

Public Wi-Fi opens you up to cyberattacks, allowing hackers to access your data or install malware and spyware. The same goes for opening your online banking account on a shared device, like a computer in a hotel.

According to Aura, an internet safety company, these are the steps you must take if you have no choice but to connect to public Wi-Fi:

• Use secure websites– Secure sites have “https” in their URL and should also activate the padlock icon in your browser.
• Use mobile data – If you need to check your bank account immediately, using your data plan is safer than using a public Wi-Fi connection. You can also bring a mobile hotspot to maintain your privacy.
• Use a VPN – A virtual private network (VPN) encrypts your data and hides your identity from prying eyes.

An outdated app or operating system is vulnerable to hacking. As an online banking security measure, always update your software and programs.

It’s also important to use antivirus software to combat online threats and protect you against dangerous sites.

In a more literal sense, you should also keep track of your banking devices, so they don’t fall into the wrong hands. In case someone steals your device, or you lose it, call your bank or P2P payments provider immediately.

Make sure you turn on your bank and P2P payments apps’ notifications, so you can get quick text or email alerts about possible fraudulent transactions or shady actions in your account, like:

• Unplanned password changes
• Uncharacteristic expenses
• Newly linked devices
• Unrecognisable changes in your balance 
• Surprising changes in your account information

If ever you spot these activities, contact your bank, and change your log-in details immediately.

Online fraudsters find a way to access your account and money by contacting you and duping you into giving them your details. Their scams include:

• Luring victims into fake websites that ask for their personal information
• Sending harmful links that download malware into victims’ devices

• Check the sender – Always check the sender’s email or a caller’s mobile number to see if these are your bank’s official contact details.
• Don’t click – Avoid clicking links in emails or texts from unknown senders.
• Read for errors – Fraudulent messages usually have typographical errors, clunky phrasing, or grammatical boo-boos, so read your emails and texts carefully.
• Bookmark the right sites – Save official bank or P2P payment websites so that you won’t get fall prey to bogus banking sites.
• Stay private – You may receive calls asking for your personal information. Before you give anything away, always check with your bank if this is their standard practice.
• Talk to your bank – If in doubt about any banking calls, texts, or emails, make it a point to call or visit your bank and report any suspicious communications.
• Know how your bank talks to you – Your bank or P2P payments app will have specific procedures about how they contact you. They outline these procedures in their official websites.

• Immigration scams – A scammer pretends to be an immigration officer and scares an OFW into paying a bogus immigration fee and giving their personal information to avoid so-called deportation. 
• Emergency scams – Someone impersonating a loved one contacts you and pretends to be in an emergency. They say the only way you can help them is by sending money.
• Romance scams – Someone you meet from an online dating site steals your heart before stealing your money.

To learn more about online scams, read our previous articles on the 10 online scams OFWs should know and how to ensure safe money transfers.

When scouting for online banking or P2P payments apps, visit each app’s official website and check if they have what Investopedia identified as important online banking security features:

“Encryption in cyber security is the conversion of data from a readable format into an encoded format,” said Kaspersky, a known cybersecurity company. “Encrypted data can only be read or processed after it’s been decrypted.”

With data encryption, you can rest easy knowing only you can access your bank details, credit card, information, and other transactions.

With more than one step to log in to your online banking account, it will be harder for hackers to break in and steal your funds.

Aside from OTPs and biometrics, using difficult security questions only you can answer is another example of multi-factor authentication.

After some inactivity or after you close your app, a secure financial app will automatically log you out. This means you’ll always be required to sign in when you need to check or transfer funds.

It also means that in case someone gets a hold of your device, they can never access your money if they don’t know your log-in details.

Good online banks will contact you if they notice any weird or uncharacteristic transactions coming from your account.

If someone steals your card or device, or if someone hacks into your account, a secure financial app will have ways to know spot fraudsters. They will also alert you about this as soon as possible.

Being an OFW is tough, so it’s important that the money you worked so hard for reaches the right people.

Luckily, there’s Kabayan Remit—a P2P payments app equipped with these online banking security features:

• Data encryption – We have bank-level encryption to keep your money and data safe. 
• Multi-factor authentication – Keep fraudsters and hackers at bay with multiple layers of security, including biometric log-in capabilities.
• Alerts – We email confirmations about your successful transactions, so you can let us know if something is out of the ordinary.
• Fraud monitoring – Our well-trained compliance team cross-checks all recipients against a global sanctions list, so we can ensure your precious funds are not entering scammers’ pockets.

Now, you can safely send money from the U.S., U.K., and Canada to these reputable banks, cash collection outlets, and e-wallets in the Philippines:

• Metrobank
• Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC)
• Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI)
• Banco de Oro (BDO)
• Philippine National Bank (PNB)
• Landbank 
• Cebuana Lhuillier
• M Lhuillier
• Palawan Pawnshop
• LBC Express
• GCash
• Maya

You can even use our money transfer app to pay your government contributions, real estate investments, and insurance premiums.

Sign up for a free account and download our highly-rated Android or iOS mobile app here. You can also learn more about Kayaban Remit and our security features in our help centre.

Have more questions about how Kabayan Remit keeps your money safe? Talk to our 24/7 bilingual customer support team here.

Is it a good idea for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) to invest their money in real estate? Being an OFW means working to support your loved ones back home; however, it also means preparing for a future where you no longer need to leave them behind.

Being ready for the future could be securing citizenship in a new country or it could mean finding a way back to the Philippines. 

But how do you achieve the latter?

In previous articles, we’ve already talked about the different types of investing, but we’ve only briefly mentioned investing in real estate.

Let’s talk about it more today.

Real estate is a parcel of land plus improvements. Improvements may naturally be part of the land, like trees and water, but they may also be added by people, such as buildings and roads.

If you’re thinking of investing in real estate in the Philippines, these are the types of real estate according to Philippine real estate developer CrownAsia:

• Special purpose real estate – Space allotted for education, worship, recreation, and other similar community activities
• Agricultural lands – Real estate allotted for farming, ranching, and other similar endeavours
• Industrial real estate – Space to accommodate the cycle of making and sending out goods at a large scale
• Commercial real estate – An area where you’ll usually find malls, offices, and other places of business
• Residential real estate – An area assigned to homes, such as single-family houses, duplexes, and condominiums

For this article, we’re going to focus on residential real estate. Read on to find out how you can earn by owning or investing in property.

The way you’ll grow your money through real estate will depend on how much risk you want to take on and how much you are willing to invest. Below, we’ve highlighted some of the common ways you can generate income through real estate:

When you own a rental property, you act as a landlord who leases out their home, keeps the property in good shape, and deals with tenants.

But first, you’ll need a house, condo unit, or apartment. You may be able to get that property by loaning some money for a down payment. Then, you can use what you earn from rent to pay what you owe plus interest.

This could be a good move if it’s likely you’ll profit from this investment but remember to only invest what you can afford. You’ll also need to save up to make the down payment for a home or to pay back the loan, especially in times when there are no tenants and no rental income.

Along with the risk of vacancies, you’ll also have to devote a chunk of your time to dealing with tenants, their needs, and their requests or complaints once you do find occupants for your home. You’ll also spend time maintaining your property to make it competitive with other available units.

On the positive side, successfully owning a rental property means you’ll have a steady source of income from rent. Three ways you can earn from renting your property are:

• Long-term rentals – Your tenant stays in your property for at least a year and pays a monthly rent
• Short-term rentals – Various tenants book your property for a night or a few days, like an Airbnb
• House Hacking – You rent out a room or part of a home you’re currently living in, or you rent out one of the units in your multi-family property

You may be able to save and make more money if you choose to own and live in a house instead of renting it out to others.

According to Bankrate, “If you’re planning to stay in an area long-term, it can make sense to purchase a home because you’ll be able to lock in a monthly payment that may be as affordable as rent. Plus, banks treat owner-occupied properties more [favourably], giving borrowers a lower mortgage rate and requiring a lower down payment.”

Once you’ve bought your house, you can hold it by living in it for a few years until the property value goes up high enough to sell for a profit.

However, there are still some cons when you choose this strategy for investing in real estate. 

There’s a chance your house’s value depreciates because of unforeseen circumstances or events. What if the subdivision you bought a house in didn’t click with buyers like you had hoped?

When it comes to buying a house, you’d also need enough money to make a down payment as well as a stable source of income to pay your mortgage. And, like owning a rental property, you’d have to be ready to spend for major repairs in your own home should the need arise.

REIGs are business partners whose main source of income is building, buying, and selling real estate.

When you invest in a REIG, you become a home or unit owner in one of their projects and earn by renting out the property. The REIG will oversee property management and find tenants for you, so you won’t have to put as much energy compared to a landlord overseeing their own rental property.

But while there’s a potential to earn with REIGs, you may also face these risks:

• It may take more time for the REIG to find a tenant, so it will also take longer to get a return on investment.
• Part of your earnings will still go to paying the REIG for managing your property.
• The REIG may lack experience or may be untrustworthy, resulting in a bad investment.

Remember: Before you let go of any money, do your research, and vet investment groups.

For those who are veterans in investing in real estate, house flipping may be the way to go. If you go this route, you’ll buy a property at a lower value, renovate it, and sell the improvements at a higher price.

But experience isn’t the only key to success with this investment technique. You’ll have to understand the real estate market too. You’ll also need enough capital to turn a low-value house into a high-value home.

If you fail to make a winning strategy, you can risk:

• Going over budget with renovations
• Undervaluing your home
• Taking on more mortgage payments than planned because you can’t find a buyer

These risks may lead to losing your money instead of earning more.

For those who are ready to take on these risks, try working with a real estate broker who can help you turn a profit.

Like REIGs, real estate investment trusts or REITs rely on investors to buy, build, and sell real estate. Unlike REIGs, REITs skip out on corporate income tax by distributing most of their profits as dividends, or shares earned by their investors. 

Additionally, REITs earn in two ways:

• Equity REITs – Earn through owning and renting real estate
• Mortgage REITs – Earn through interest from their home loans

Investing in real estate through REITs is also like investing in stock. 

According to Investopedia, “REITs are bought and sold on the major exchanges, like any other stock.” 

This means you can easily buy and sell and your shares for cash without having to deal with a real estate broker.

If you’re looking to invest in the next big real estate development, going on real estate crowdfunding platforms could work for you.

With this method, you’ll go to a crowdfunding platform like Fundrise or RealtyMogul and put your money in one or more real estate projects. As a project comes to fruition, you should be able to get a regular return on investment.

Lastly, only invest what you can afford to lose. You’ve worked so hard to make enough money to return to the Philippines, so you should be careful with your savings.

If you’re willing to take on the risk and go ahead with this strategy, read up on the real estate companies on these crowdfunding platforms before you invest in their projects. This way, you can ensure your money will go to a group with a good track record.

If it doesn’t go well, you won’t be able to sell your shares for cash as easily as you would with REITs, and you’ll have to pay the platform’s management fees too. 

However, there is some guesswork involved in this endeavour. Basically, you’re predicting that the project you’ve invested in will perform well.

According to Nerdwallet, “Investors hope to receive monthly or quarterly distributions in exchange for taking on a significant amount of risk and paying a fee to the platform.”

You can also learn how you can safely pay your real estate investments from the comfort of your own phone by talking with our 24/7 bilingual support team here.

If you’re still looking for real estate development in the Philippines, you may want to invest in one of the trusted brands in Kabayan Remit’s roster.