New app to benefit OFWs

WITH the new money transfer feefree app called Sendwave, people from even the farthest places in the Philippines can now conveniently receive money from their loved ones abroad without hitches.

According to Dan Santos, growth manager for the Philippines, Sendwave is the latest app for people around the world to send money to their loved ones with zero remittance fees and near-instantaneous transfers.

Actually, he said, GCash has already partnered with Sendwave to help overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families make the most out of their hard-earned money by offering remittances with zero transaction fees and very reasonable exchange rates.

“The pandemic revealed a need to shift toward more digital options for sending money. We want to help address that for the Filipino community and provide them with a more affordable way to send funds to the people they care about,” Santos explained.

He added that Sendwave was launched in the country in September 2021 in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In another Sendwave launching held recently in Quezon City, King of Talk Show host Boy Abunda said he agreed to be the new “fee-free money transfer app” endorser to help spread the word to make sure all our kababayan (countrymen) know about the revolutionary app that sends money quickly and fee-free.

“I know how hard our family and friends work overseas, and how important it is to support our loved ones back home. Sendwave is just as easy and affordable as sending a text message,” Abunda said.

With the Sendwave app, both Santos and Abunda estimated that OFWs can save over $1 billion in remittance fees each year.

“The pandemic was a very unstable time for many OFWs, so we wanted to make sure as much of their money as possible is getting to their families, and in the quickest way possible,” Santos said.

“Through the Sendwave app, OFWs can securely send money back home directly to a family member’s GCash app — without the need to fill out forms, line up, or leave to go to a bank or remittance center,” Santos further explained.

Sendwave works by partnering with traditional money transfer methods, like bank transfers or cash collection, as well as digital wallets like GCash.

“Digital wallets are really the future, because they are able to quickly and affordably link people around the world, especially in areas where people have not had as much access to traditional banks,” Santos added.

Julie Abalos, GCash International Remittance head, said GCash is the largest digital wallet in the Philippines with X3 percent of the adult population currently using the service.

“Close to 70 million Filipinos are now placing their trust in GCash and we are still growing. We vow to continue providing reliable service to our customers and innovate to deliver their fintech and lifestyle needs,” Abalos said.

Sendwave was first launched in 2014 and has since expanded to Africa, Asia and Latin America.