Filipino remittances from Kuwait pump $286 mln home

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 18: Remittances from Filipino workers in Kuwait rose to $286 million in the first half of this year, a 3.4 percent increase compared to the same period last year, according to data from the Central Bank of the Philippines, reports Al-Seyassah daily. Remittances from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries increased by 3.5 percent year-on-year during the first half of the year, reaching $2.93 billion, compared to $2.83 billion in the first half of 2025. The UAE recorded the largest growth, with a 4.27 percent increase, while Saudi Arabia received the largest share of remittances among GCC countries, at $1.08 billion. Remittances from Filipino workers in the six GCC countries accounted for 96.64 percent of total Filipino remittances from the Middle East in the first half of 2025, amounting to $3.03 billion. Across Asia as a whole, Filipino remittances reached $7.03 billion in the first six months of this year, with 41.65 percent coming from the six GCC countries. Statistics indicate that remittances from Filipino workers worldwide reached approximately $17.15 billion in the first six months of 2026, with 17.07 percent coming from the Gulf countries.

Remittances are crucial to the Philippines, a major global exporter of labor. Asia is the primary destination for Filipino workers, with the Gulf countries receiving a significant share of them.