Smart banks on the OFW market

Banking on its aggressive support activities for the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), Smart Communications aims to capture 90 percent market share of the growing population of Pinoys residing and working abroad.

In an interview with Smart Communications group head for sales and business development for international services, Perry V. Bayani, he said that the company has lined up several support initiatives for the global Pinoys to strengthen its penetration to this particular market.

At present, Smart claims to have cornered 60 percent share of the OFW market in terms of telecommunication network choice in contacting their families in the Philippines.

Part of the initiative is to give special treatment to the arriving OFWs, especially during Christmas season, supporting the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) initiated program called "OFW Grand Salubong", which is held every December to honor arriving OFWs who come home to visit their hometowns during Christmas season.

OWWA, together with Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Tourism (DOT), and Mactan Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA), hold this event annually, and is supported by Smart Communications.

According to Bayani, Smart is recognizing the role of OFWs to the Philippine economy, as well as its contribution to the telecommunication industry, and that OFWs are now very important revenue generator for the telecom sector.

"We have customized a lot of services for the OFW market. We continuously understand their different needs," Bayani said.

Affordability of international calls and texts services have been introduced along with other programs to effectively capture the Pinoy market abroad.

Aside from service affordability, Smart is also partnering with financial institutions abroad to broaden its coverage in terms of remittance service, using SMS feature for money remittance requirement.

Availability of Smart SIM, and re-loading outlets will be strengthen this year, penetrating other countries and continents, aside from United States, Middle East and Europe.

Last year, Smart announced the availability of the P2 billion loan facility for overseas Pinoys, to promote entrepreneurship and change of cultural dependency of OFW families in the Philippines.

This program was launched by Smart and DBP in 2007, in order to address the "cultural dependency" of OFW families in the Philippines, so that remittance money will be put into business, Villanueva said.

The P45,000 minimum loanable amount, which is payable in 12-month to 18-month terms, will be utilized to established a neighborhood Internet Café, through SmartBro wireless network, and air-time reloading station.

OFWs based in other countries, will be able to get their application forms from authorized sales agents of Smart, and remittance centers, and Smart will facilitate the submission of the applications to DBP.

Similar initiatives and other programs are lined up for the OFW market starting this year, as part of the company's effort to dominate the international Pinoy market, Bayani added.