Pag-IBIG Fund opens service desk in Sultanate of Oman

MANILA, Philippines - The Pag-Ibig Fund has opened an information desk in the Sultanate of Oman as part of its network expansion program aimed at providing service to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Arab state, Vice President and Pag-ibig chairman Jejomar Binay said yesterday.

Binay, presidential adviser on OFWs’ concerns, said the opening of the information desk at the Philippine embassy in Oman’s capital, Muscat, was in line with Pag-ibig’s thrust to make its services more accessible and responsive to the needs of its members.

He said the Pag-ibig office in the capital of Oman would cater to the needs of about 50,000 OFWs there.

Binay said Pag-Ibig operates 19 overseas posts worldwide.

“The OFW-membership is one of Pag-ibig’s faster growing segments. The number of OFW members has increased by 60 percent since 2010. To date, we have about three million members working abroad. That’s 24 percent of our total membership of 12.5 million,” he said.

The Vice President said Pag-ibig gives its members affordable shelter financing and low interest loans.

Binay said the agency has doubled the housing loan amount from P3 million to P6 million and reduced interest rates.

He said a separate socialized housing program with a 4.5 percent interest rate fixed for 10 years was launched to help minimum wage earners own a home.

Darlene Marie Berberabe, Pag-Ibig president, along with Ambassador Joselito Jimeno, Consul General Joy Quintana, Vice Consul Jose Garcia and Labor Attaché Ernesto Bihis met with the leaders of the Filipino community in Muscat.