Cash Cards for OFW Remittances to the Philippines
Here are Cash Cards or Debit Cards designed for OFWs sending money to their families and other recipients in the Philippines.
Savings Accounts for OFW Remittances
Here are savings accounts designed by Philippine banks for OFW remittances.
Lessons for Depositors from the Banco Filipino Collapse
The Banco Filipino closure can give lessons and reminders to all Philippine depositors about where and how to handle their savings accounts, time deposits and checking accounts.
Best Savings Accounts for Students in the Philippines
Let’s look at the best savings accounts for students, children and teens in the Philippines.
You can choose from four types:
1. Cash Card or Debit Card — The key advantage of this card is No Maintaining Balance.
Walang maintaining balance kasi hindi regular deposit account ang cash card. Merong info about this below.
2. Savings Account with the Lowest Maintaining Balance
You can choose one from among the accounts offered by banks in this list of low-maintaining-balance savings accounts in the Philippines.
3. Savings Account Designed for Kids — The advantages of this account are the promos attached to this account.
Go to this post to check out savings accounts for kids, offered by Philippine banks.
4. Visa or Mastercard Debit Card — This type is just like any cash card, but it offers more features, particularly Internet use. Currently, the most popular in the Philippines is the Union Bank Eon card. Will write about this card type soon.
In the meantime, let’s focus on CASH CARDS.
The advantages of Cash Cards are:
- No maintaining balance
- Free ATM withdrawal, free ATM deposit, free ATM balance inquiry, and free over-the-counter deposit (for most, but not all)
- You can attach it to your Internet banking account, so you can transfer money to it online (for many, but not all)
- No annual fee (for most, but not all)
- No expiration date (for most, but not all)
- You can enroll in phone banking (for many, but not all)
Important notes to remember about Cash Cards:
- You withdraw through the ATM only; you CANNOT withdraw over the counter (for most banks, but not all).
- Reload or deposit to your cash card over the counter (for others, you can deposit through the ATM, or make ATM or online transfer).
- A cash card is NOT a regular bank account, so it’s NOT insured by the PDIC. Cash cards are debit cards and are just like prepaid cards.
- A cash card does NOT earn interest.
- As you already know, you pay a fee if you withdraw thru the ATMs of other banks.
Here are some of the Cash Cards in the Philippines:
BDO Cash Card
This cash card has two types for individuals:
Pre-Embossed: Hindi nakalagay ang pangalan mo sa card. Makukuha mo agad ang card when you apply. The maximum balance limit is 10,000 pesos.
Embossed: Ilalagay ang name mo sa card. Wait for 3 to 5 days, then you go back to BDO to claim the card. The maximum balance limit is 25,000 pesos.
- Withdrawal is through ATM only. Free, but there’s a limit of 5 withdrawals per day.
- To get this card, go to a BDO branch and apply with your ID. You pay about 150 pesos for the card (amount might have changed).
- Minimum reload or deposit is 100 pesos. No deposit charge, it’s free.
- To deposit, you go to BDO and fill up the Card Sale/Reload Slip.
- You can attach this to your BDO Internet banking account and transfer money to it. The same for phone and mobile banking.
- You can also deposit through the ATM.
- You can use it to pay your bills through the ATM, Internet, phone and mobile banking.
- There’s a dormancy charge: you must do at least one transaction every 6 months (for Pre-Embossed) and every 12 months (for Embossed)
- You cannot use this for telephone or mail orders.
LANDBANK Cash Card
- No opening deposit
- No maintaining balance
- No dormancy period
- Withdrawal up to 50,000 pesos per day
- Can be used for remittance
- Maximum balance is 100,000 pesos
- To get this cash card, just apply with your ID. Pay 100 pesos for the card.
- Reactivate the card after three years. Pay 50 pesos.
- You can request for a bank statement.
BPI Express Cash Card
- No maintaining balance
- ATM withdrawal fee is 15 pesos per withdrawal
- Withdraw only through the ATM.
- Valid for 2 years, renewable, but if you’re late in renewing, check charges before you renew.
- You can get this card at any BPI or BPI Family branch, or any BPI Express Banking Center with your ID. Pay about 150 pesos.
- You can track your last five transactions thru the ATM.
- Minimum ATM withdrawal is 500 pesos.
- Valid for use only in the Philippines.
- You can attach this to your Internet, phone, or mobile banking account, or you can enroll it as your main account.
- Maximum withdrawal per day is 10,000 pesos.
RCBC MyWallet Cash Card
RCBC offers 4 MyWallet cash cards
1. RCBC MyWallet
2. Mercury Drug-MyWallet Card: Collect rewards points from your purchases from Mercury Drug Store.
3. RCBC MyWallet Visa
4. RCBC MyWallet MRT: Pay your MRT fares at chosen stations (Check MRT first)
- You can buy any of these at RCBC or at RCBC Savings Bank.
- Free ATM withdrawal, free ATM balance inquiry (RCBC and RCBC Savings ATMs)
- Pay 10 pesos to reload or deposit over the counter.
- Pay 10 pesos to transfer money from an RCBC account to MyWallet over the counter.
- You pay 50 pesos if you withdraw over the counter.
- Pay 10 pesos to transfer money from an RCBC or RCBC Savings account to MyWallet thru the ATM.
- Maximum balance is 100,000 pesos.
- No maintaining balance
ALLIED BANK ABC Cash Card
- No expiration date
- No renewal fee
- No maintaining balance
- Maximum balance is 100,000 pesos
- Accept remittance from OFWs
- Get your cash card for 100 pesos. You can get it for free if you load your card immediately with 500 pesos.
Security Bank SB Cash Card
- No initial amount to open
- No maintaining balance
- No annual fee
- No card expiration
- You can enroll in Internet, phone, and mobile banking
MAYBANK Cash Cards
1. My CashCard
- No initial deposit
- No maintaining balance
- No charge for first two interbank withdrawal
2. Money2U ATM Cash Card
- No initial deposit
- No maintaining malance
- Accept money from abroad
- No charge for first two interbank withdrawal
Related Articles:
Savings Accounts in the Philippines with the Lowest Maintaining Balances
BPI and BDO Internet Banking — Free and Quick Ways to Send Your Children’s Allowance
Ofws Parents Take Advantage of Free Internet Banking to Manage Your Childrens Weekly Allowance
Tuition Fees at FEU and Some Other Universities in Manila, Philippines
BPI, BDO, or Metrobank Fees — Why Keep Paying Them?
Savings Accounts in the Philippines with the Lowest Maintaining Balances
Here are the best savings accounts in the Philippines if our basis is low maintaining balance.
List of BDO Remittance Partners in London, England, Other Cities
Send Money to the Philippines from London, England thru BDO Remit Partners.
BDO Kabayan Maintaining Balance
As of today, March 12, 2011, the maintaining balance for a BDO Kabayan savings account is ZERO. But you need to have at least one remittance per year.
BDO Remittance — Send Money from Abu Dhabi to the Philippines
You cand send money to the Philippines from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates thru the BDO Remit service.
BDO Remittance — Send Money from Canada to the Philippines
Updated January 9, 2012:
If you want to send money from Canada to the Philippines, just go to any of the BDO Remittance partners in Canada, as listed below. This list was based on the BDO website’s remittance partner list, which BDO most recently updated in November 2011.
You can send money through BDO in the following ways:
- Direct deposit to a BDO bank account, in Metro Manila or in the province
- Credit to an account in another bank, in Metro Manila or in the province
- Door to door delivery, in Metro Manila or in the province
- Cash pick-up from a BDO bank, in Metro Manila or in the province, or from SM Department Store, SM Business Center, or a BDO partner
If you like to open BDO Remit cash cards to be given to your families in the Philippines, some of these partners in Canada have systems that enable you to get BDO Remit cash cards from them. Just inquire.
TORONTO, ONTARIO
Atin Ito Variety Bakery and Remittance Ltd.
938 Pape Ave.
Toronto, Ontario M4K3V2
First Global Data Corp.
555 Richmond St.
West P.O. Box 214 Suite 905
Toronto, Ontario MSV3B1
Mabini Express
4841 Yonge Street
Unit 133 Sheppard Center Mall
Toronto, Ontario M2N 5X2
Tri-Value
632 St. Clair Avenue West
Toronto Ontario
SCARBOROUGH, TORONTO, ONTARIO
Gemini Exchange International
Gemini Worldwide Inc. 23 Glen Watford Drive
Unit 31 Dragon Centre,
Scarborough, Ontario
NORTH YORK, ONTARIO
LDV Express Inc.
6330 Yonge St., Unit 120 Centerpoint Mall
North York, Ontario M2M 3X4
Reliable Peso Remit
4132 Bathurst St.
North York, Ontario M3H 3P2
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA
E-PERA
369 West Broadway, Vancouver
BC V5Y 1P8
J&M Coin and Jewellery Ltd.
127 E. Broadway, Vancouver
British Columbia V5T 1W1
Maharlika Services
4321 Fraser St., Vancouver
British Columbia V5V 4G4
RICHMOND, BRITISH COLUMBIA
Granstar Global Services Corp.
Suite 201 – 6700 No. 3 Road Richmond
British Columbia V6Y 2C3
WINNIPEG, MANITOBA
I-Direct Payment Systems Canada Inc.
622 Burrows Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba R2W2A7
Instant Money Solutions
909 Notredame Ave. corner Arlington St.
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 0M8
MONTREAL, QUEBEC
Mercury Quick
4781 Van Horne Ave. Unit #201
Montreal, Quebec H3W-1J1
More info on BDO Remit.




