Overseas Filipino workers coming home from conflict-affected areas can now tap into a dedicated financing program offering loans between P30,000 and P20 million, as the Department of Trade and Industry moves to cushion the economic impact of the Middle East crisis on displaced workers.
The OFW Negosyo Fund, administered through the Small Business Corporation, carries a total allocation of P2 billion and is structured to help returning workers either launch new enterprises or grow existing ones. New borrowers can access up to P3 million without collateral, while established clients may borrow up to P5 million on the same terms.
Repayment terms extend to five years, and eligible borrowers are given as much as 12 months before principal and interest payments begin — a provision designed to give returning workers time to stabilize before debt servicing kicks in.
The program’s early rollout was formalized at the “Bayanihan para sa Balikbayang Manggagawa: A Reintegration Network Fair,” where an initial P2.9 million in loans was distributed to returning workers. Early beneficiaries included owners of a pharmacy, water refilling station, food kiosks, events management service, hardware supply shop, printing business, and food manufacturing and repair operations.
Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque framed the fund as part of a coordinated government response to the displacement of Filipinos abroad. “Through a whole-of-government approach, we want to ensure our OFWs that when you come home, you are supported. You come home to opportunities, programs, and a government ready to help you move forward,” she said.
Roque also directly addressed returning workers: “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.”
Loan applications can be filed through SBCorp’s online portal and mobile app, or in person at any of the DTI’s more than 1,300 Negosyo Centers, where staff can also assist applicants in preparing business plans and completing government program requirements.
Alongside the OFW-focused fund, the DTI has separately launched a P4-billion MSME Business Fund for small and medium enterprises contending with supply chain disruptions, rising logistics costs, and cash flow strains tied to the regional conflict. That facility offers loans from P30,000 to P20 million at 12 percent per annum on a diminishing balance, with processing fees of 2 to 3 percent and collateral-free borrowing of up to P5 million.
