OFW remittances soar to all-time high $35.63 billion in 2025

Money sent home by Filipinos abroad jumped by 3.3% to a record high of $35.634 billion in 2025, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported on Monday.

Based on central bank data, cash remittances rose by 4.2% to $3.522 billion in December from $3.38 billion in the same month in 2024, as overseas Filipino workers (OFW) sent more money home for the holiday season.

This brought the total cash remittances for the entire year to $35.634 billion, up by 3.3% annually. This exceeded the BSP’s 3% growth estimate or $35.5 billion in remittances.

“Overseas Filipino cash remittances hit a record $3.52 billion in December 2025, bringing full-year inflows to an all-time high of $35.63 billion, 3.3% higher than the $34.49 billion recorded in 2024,” the central bank said in a statement.

Month on month, money sent home by OFWs soared by 21.03% from $2.91 billion in November.

Meanwhile, personal remittances rose by 4.2% to $3.892 billion in December from $3.733 billion a year ago.

This drove full-year personal remittances to $39.619 billion, climbing by 3.3% from the $38.341 billion logged at end-December 2024. — Katherine K. Chan