Western Union, a global financial services company, has launched a new mobile app in the Philippines that allows users to both send and request money from abroad. The country is the first global market where the company is rolling out an app with these dual features.
“For many in the country, remittances represent a life with more opportunity and hope,” said Gregory Laurent, VP for the Philippines, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific Islands at Western Union. “At the same time, an increasing number of Filipinos opt to send funds abroad. Our new app gives the opportunity to do both, with the flexibility and trust that Western Union can provide.”
Through the app, users can send money to billions of bank accounts, millions of digital wallets and cards, and hundreds of thousands of retail locations across Western Union’s global network. Payments can be made securely online using the national QR code system, QR Ph. Registration takes only a few minutes.
The app also enables users in the Philippines to request money from senders in the United States, Australia, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and other countries with large Filipino communities. After receiving a request, senders can complete the transaction online from their country of residence. Recipients can then withdraw cash at a retail location, or receive funds in their bank account or digital wallet, depending on the market.
Receivers in the Philippines can also redirect incoming funds to their preferred bank account or digital wallet. Users can track transactions through the app using their money transfer control number (MTCN).
Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas showed that remittances to the Philippines reached a record $38 billion in 2024. The World Bank reported that the Philippines ranked fourth among low- and middle-income countries in remittance inflows last year, with the United States as the top source, followed by Singapore.