BDO together with SM Supermalls brought a one-of-a-kind Christmas celebration to overseas Filipinos and their families with star-studded Pamaskong Handog events.
Now in its eighth year, Pamaskong Handog presented separate events for OFWs and their families in Cebu, Davao, and Pampanga. The event is BDO’s way of giving back and recognizing overseas Filipino families for their trust and loyalty as BDO Kabayan Savings account holders.
BDO Kabayan Savings is BDO Remit’s flagship service, through which customers receive remittances in a fast, safe, and convenient manner. At the same time, they are entitled to unique and long-term benefits that aim to protect their future such as free life and accident insurance.
This year’s Pamaskong Handog final leg at SM City Telabastagan in San Fernando, Pampanga brought together some of the country’s biggest celebrities and performers featuring love team Xian Lim and Kim Chui, Ogie Alcasid, Dominic Roque, Mark Mabasa, Leah Patricio, Regine Velasquez-impersonator Regina Otic, as well as comedy stars Donita Nose, Ate Gay, and MC and Lassy.
“With many overseas Filipinos coming home during the holidays, we take the season as an opportunity to honor and pay tribute to their hard work and sacrifice to care for their families even if it means being away from them and taking on unique jobs in other countries,” said Genie T. Gloria, senior vice president and head of remittance of BDO Unibank, Inc.
Aside from the celebrity performances participants had the chance to win raffle prizes.
To honor overseas Filipinos and their families, BDO Unibank through its global remittance service brand, BDO Remit offers a financial literacy program.
Gloria said financial education is an invaluable gift to the OF market and their beneficiaries because there will come a point where these workers abroad will return to their home country and choose to become entrepreneurs.
“Raising their financial knowledge should start at the onset, meaning, we teach them what they can do with their hard-earned money by allocating a portion to savings and looking for investments which can serve their long-term goals,” explained Gloria.
BDO Remit visits universities to teach young adults, whose parents may be an OF, to take care of the money remitted to them. It also does financial education activities in various barangays to orient people, particularly the unbanked, about the importance of being a part of the formal banking system.
“Apart from these efforts, we also continue to participate in the pre-departure orientation seminars done by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, by helping the departing OFs to have a better financial behavior,” noted Gloria.
Since starting the financial education advocacy in 2014, she said BDO Remit has noticed a significant improvement in the saving approach of the OFs as indicated by the growth in their monthly savings.
“They are saving more now and they know their priorities and goals. For us, this improvement is a testament that this advocacy of ours is working well for them,” added Gloria.