DTI rolls out OFW business fund

The Department of Trade and Industry has set aside PHP 2 billion through the DTI-Small Business Corporation for a new OFW Negosyo Fund, a financing facility aimed at helping overseas Filipino workers who are returning home—particularly those displaced by global crises such as the ongoing Middle East conflict—start sustainable businesses and rebuild their livelihoods.

The fund will be available starting March 12, 2026, and is designed to give OFWs expanded financial assistance as they reintegrate into the local economy.

According to the DTI, the program is meant to address the real-world disruptions many OFWs face, including sudden job loss abroad, forced repatriation because of geopolitical tensions, and the challenges of launching an enterprise after spending years overseas.

The agency said the fund is also intended to help convert remittances into productive investments that can generate jobs, spur local economic activity, and recognize the contribution of migrant Filipino workers to the national economy.

“We are committed to opening doors for OFWs ready to come home and invest in their own country, especially when external crises force their hand,” DTI Secretary Cristina Roque stated.

“Access to capital is often the biggest barrier during these uncertain transitions. Through DTI-SBCorp, we’ve tailored this fund to equip them with the resources to build, hire, and secure their families’ futures—no matter the circumstances.”

The OFW Negosyo Fund mirrors the flexible terms of the Women’s Enterprise Fund, which the DTI said was designed to make financing more accessible to underserved borrowers.

Under the program, OFWs may borrow from PHP 30,000 up to PHP 20 million.

Eligible products will carry a one-year grace period with no payment of capital and interest during the first year.

Repayment terms may run for as long as five years, with flexible payment options.

Collateral will be waived for loans of up to PHP 5 million.

In line with the department’s digitalization push, OFWs may file applications through the DTI-SBCorp Money App, which is available on Google Play and Huawei AppGallery, or through the web app at app.sbcorp.ph.

Online registration for the loan facility may also be completed through sbcorp.gov.ph.

For applicants who need in-person guidance, the DTI said they may visit any of the 1,431 Negosyo Centers nationwide, where staff can assist with business planning and navigating DTI programs.

The department also advised interested applicants to call hotline 1-384 for more information.

The launch comes as the government has been expanding reintegration and emergency support for OFWs, including aid for workers affected by unrest in the Middle East and other crisis areas. The Philippine Information Agency reported in 2025 that the administration’s AKSYON Fund had grown to PHP 1.85 billion in 2024 and had supported more than 135,000 OFWs through legal, medical, financial, and repatriation assistance.

The program also taps into a broader economic reality: remittances remain one of the Philippines’ most important external income sources. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas data show cash remittances from overseas Filipinos reached USD 35.63 billion in 2025, up from USD 34.49 billion in 2024, underscoring the scale of migrant workers’ contribution and the potential of channeling part of that income into enterprise development at home.

By positioning entrepreneurship as a reintegration pathway, the DTI is seeking to give returning OFWs not just emergency relief, but a longer-term option to create income, employ others, and establish a more stable future in the Philippines.