Filipinos SMS to transfer money home

Dubai- Filipinos workers in the Middle East can now send money home as fast as anyone can say “SMS''.

“Using their mobile phones, Filipino workers can send money whenever they want and wherever they may be,'' said Orlando Vea, Chief Wireless Adviser of Smart Communications, which has developed the money transfer service in partnership with state-owned Land Bank of the Philippines.

The service was launched on Sunday night immediately after Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo spoke before Filipino community leaders at the Mina A' Salam Hotel.

A Filipino hotel worker was summoned on stage to demonstrate the service. After taking the cue from Smart vice president Ramon Isberto, the worker clicked on his phone's keypad to send Dh1,000 to his sister in Manila. The transaction was completed in less than three seconds.

Jojo Malolos, New Business Development Manager of Smart, explained that the money sent through the system gets credited to a LandBank cash card held by the sender's beneficiary.

Malolos said the electronic money transfer system is more efficient than sending cash through remittance centres.

“It takes two to three days to send money via remittance centres or through door-to-door service while in our system a worker's beneficiary can get his money in an instant,'' he said.