For millions of people around the globe, pursuing economic and educational opportunities involves crossing borders and embracing the challenges of life in a foreign land.
This Overseas Filipino Worker Day, Remitly acknowledges and pays homage to the millions of Filipinos who work overseas. These individuals, known as Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), have a profound impact on both their host countries and their loved ones back in the Philippines. OFW Day acknowledges the sacrifices Overseas Filipino Workers make for their families and communities, honoring the spirit of home that millions of people keep alive in their hearts, despite the distance.
The Philippines was the first country that Remitly enabled money transfers to over a decade ago. We’ve remained deeply committed to serving Overseas Filipino Workers and we provide customers with the ability to send money to trusted banks, cash pickup locations, mobile wallets, and home delivery in the Philippines. Matt Oppenheimer met Remitly’s first customer, Earl Golla, and his father Bert, during a special event at the Seattle headquarters. Matt moderated a Q&A session where Earl and Bert shared their experiences with Remitly.
Earl expressed his support for Remitly, inspired by his father Bert’s efforts in sending money back home. Bert, a dedicated CPA and community leader, highlighted the significant changes in sending money abroad since 1985, crediting services like Remitly for transforming it into a fast, secure, and convenient experience.
In a tribute to OFWs, two of Remitly’s Creative Directors, Mario Reinoso and Laura Goodman, worked to conceptualize an ad that honors the sacrifices and triumphs of these individuals. In this ad, real OFWs and their families share the dreams they’re chasing and the loved ones they save and send for. They candidly discuss the ways in which they offer financial support to family and friends and how they nurture emotional bonds that span across distances.
“We wanted to show that we see OFWs as more than a transaction,” Mario says. “There are sacrifices that many people are making, missing milestones like birthdays and graduations to support their families.”
The ad honors the OFW experience with stories of sacrifice, love, and determination. Along with Mario and Laura, Theo Henry, Karen Khouth, Christoph Sagemuller, Simson Chantha, Ayisha Jones, and Adam Lingerfelt worked to bring the stories of OFWs to the screen.
“We wanted to feature real OFWs and their families,” Mario says. “From the director to the production company, everybody was from the Philippines and speaking Tagalog on set. We wanted to be authentic with telling their stories.”
The ad will air on December 18 on The Filipino Channel as part of their OFW day programming.
