Western Union agent expands in RP

Western Union, one of the world’s leading money transfer services, will now reach more Filipinos due to the expansion of its authorized agent Petnet, Inc.

The unprecedented growth of Petnet and its affiliates will see the provision of fast money transfers to the largest network of consumers in the Philippines. The new combined services will now cover Manila, Batangas, Zambales, Baguio, Cebu, Iloilo, Nueva Ecija, Agusan del Norte, Lanao del Norte, Davao and Sultan Kudarat as well as other far-reaching cities and towns.

Petnet’s presence in the countryside will be further strengthened by the recent partnership with the Rural Banker’s Association of the Philippines.

This deal also complements other alliances signed with Tambunting Pawnshops, Prudential Bank, Planters Development Bank and Security Bank to ensure that the majority of people living in the Philippines will be able to use Western Union’s value-added money transfer services.

"We have trained tellers from Prudential Bank with 186 locations in the country, Rural Banks in Mindanao with 21, eight branches of Planters Bank in Mindanao, Exquisite and Tambunting Pawnshops with 101 locations to ensure quality customer service," said Tony Lehman, Petnet president.

Petnet has a total of 2,500 locations strategically placed nationwide, making it the largest private agent network in the Philippines and in Asia.

Meanwhile, Western Union launched last week an outreach initiative called Helping Hands which involves the publication of a reference guide for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) called "Pinoy Care Package."

Designed to assist Filipinos who are about to leave their home country to work overseas or present OFWs who have just arrived in new countries of employment, Pinoy Care Package covers topics ranging from labor laws, working conditions, survival tips, a shopping guide and useful references covering Filipino publications, organizations, help groups, local government departments and contact details for the Philippine Consulate General.

"The Western Union Helping Hands initiative is dedicated to making positive changes in the lives of people worldwide," said Lily Chan, vice president of marketing for Asia Pacific, Western Union.

"We are extending our Helping Hands program to the Philippines by providing our customers with a useful informational guide to help Filipinos adapt to their new working environment. At Western Union, we believe building our business means investing in our customers and their future."

Western Union is cooperating with governmental and non-governmental organizations that have made significant inroads in providing assistance to OFWs who need additional resources. These include the Philippine Overseas Employment Admininstration (POEA), the Society of Hong Kong Accredited Recruiters of the Philippines (SHARP) and Women in Development Foundation (WID).

The cooperation enables Western Union to develop a comprehensive but easy-to-read guide that complements the pre-departure orientation seminars and helps overseas Filipinos better adapt to their new environment.

Western Union Financial Services, Inc. is one of the worldwide leaders in money transfer services. Famous for its pioneering telegraph services, the original Western Union dates back to 1851 and introduced electronic money transfer services in 1971.