Eleven returning overseas Filipino workers have received the first loans released under the Department of Trade and Industry’s newly established OFW Negosyo Fund, with the agency confirming a combined initial disbursement of P2.9 million to help the beneficiaries launch or grow businesses back home.
The payouts were made during the “Bayanihan para sa Balikbayang Manggagawa: A Reintegration Network Fair,” a government-organized event designed to connect displaced and returning workers with support programs. Among those who received funding were a water refilling station operator, a pharmacy owner, and an events management service provider — part of a range of small enterprises that also included food kiosks, a hardware supply shop, a printing business, and food manufacturing and repair services.
The OFW Negosyo Fund, administered through the DTI’s financing arm, the Small Business Corporation, carries a total allocation of P2 billion. DTI Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque has been pressing OFWs to take advantage of the program. “To our OFW, please take advantage of this opportunity. The DTI is here to help you — as best as we can, and as aggressively as we can,” she said.
The fund was formally launched on March 11, 2026, at the DTI MSME Hub in Makati, with applications opening the following day. It was designed partly in response to the ongoing Middle East conflict, which has contributed to a wave of displacement among the more than two million Filipinos working across the region.
Under its terms, eligible OFWs — including those with at least one year of business operating experience — may borrow anywhere from P30,000 to P20 million, depending on their track record and the scale of their proposed enterprise. Loans carry no collateral requirement up to P3 million for first-time borrowers and up to P5 million for returning clients. A 12-month grace period on both principal and interest applies to qualifying loan products, with repayment extended over as long as five years.
Roque has also framed the fund as part of a larger effort to redirect OFW remittances into domestic investment. “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,” she said. “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.”
OFWs who need help preparing business plans or identifying which DTI programs apply to their situation may approach any of the 1,431 Negosyo Centers operating nationwide.
