Remittances up by 8%

Remittances maintained a robust pace of growth in January on the back of improving global economic conditions.

Money sent home by Filipinos working overseas amounted to $1.68 billion in the first month of 2013—up by 8 percent from the $1.56 billion recorded in the same period last year, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas yesterday reported.

“Remittances were sustained on account of steady demand for skilled and professional Filipino workers abroad, as well as the continued expansion of global market coverage of remittance service providers,” the BSP said in a statement.

The United States continued to be the biggest source of remittances, accounting for nearly 39 percent, or $653 million, of the total.

Other sources of remittances were: Canada, which accounted for 11 percent of the total; Saudi Arabia, 7.6 percent; the United Kingdom, 5.3 percent; the United Arab Emirates, 4.7 percent; Singapore, 3.9 percent; and Japan, 3.8 percent.

According to the BSP, remittances will continue to grow this year given the significant number of newly deployed Filipino workers abroad.