Cash remittances from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) reached US$2.87 billion in March 2026, helping sustain the steady flow of foreign exchange into the Philippine economy.
Data showed that cumulative cash remittances for the first quarter of 2026 climbed by 2.8 percent to US$8.68 billion, up from US$8.44 billion recorded in the same period last year. The increase reflects the continued contribution of overseas Filipinos in supporting household spending, savings, and economic activity across the country.
The United States remained the largest source of cash remittances to the Philippines from January to March 2026, followed by Singapore and Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, personal remittances, which include money sent through banks and informal channels as well as remittances in kind, totaled US$3.20 billion in March 2026. For the first three months of the year, personal remittances rose by 2.8 percent to US$9.66 billion from US$9.40 billion in the same period in 2025.
Economists consider remittances a major driver of domestic consumption and a key source of dollar inflows that help support the peso, strengthen foreign exchange reserves, and cushion the economy against external risks.
