PhilSmile Information

PhilSmile is a new payment facility, enabling Overseas Filipinos (OFW) to pay directly the school of their relatives back in the Philippines, securing the key goal of OFW, Makapagpatapos (have their children graduate). By paying directly the school, PhilSmile reduces remittances costs and reconnects parents and their children left behind. 9m children under 18 grow up with one or both parents living and working abroad (UNICEF, 2009), or 27% of them. 12m Overseas Filipinos sent $25b back to the Philippines in 2013, of which 5% or 1.25b was spent on education. We act as collecting agent for education institutions in the Philippines (universities and private schools), where OFW children represent 20 o 40% of enrollees. Difficulty in payment to university directly translates into loss to education institutions.