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STATE-owned Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP)
has set up a P1-billion livelihood facility to benefit
overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in partnership with
Smart Communications Inc.
DBP
president and chief executive officer Reynaldo David
said the livelihood program, “DBP-Smart OFW I-net
Negosyo—Negosyo Mo, Taya Ko,” will provide reintegration
and entrepreneurship opportunities for OFWs via bank
financing of Smart’s mini-Internet café package, the
Smart Bro Computer Station.
“Through
the program, OFWs will be able to invest their
hard-earned money in a potentially lucrative business
that will prepare them for their eventual retirement.
Their beneficiaries back home will also become more
self-sufficient with the additional income from the
business, aside from the monthly remittance,” he added.
The
“DBP-Smart OFW I-net Negosyo— Negosyo Mo, Taya Ko” has
been premarketed in the first week of May in Dubai, and
a number of OFWs have already signed up for the program.
Danilo
Mojica, Smart head for Wireless Consumer Division, said
the Smart Bro Computer Station package is very
affordable for start-up entrepreneurs.
“OFWs
and their beneficiaries can start their own one-PC
mini-Internet rental shop. A bonus is an e-loading
business, which we have conveniently bundled with this
livelihood package. Beneficiaries will also be able to
use the Internet to keep in touch with their loved ones
abroad more often. We have subsidized the rate to
encourage our OFWs to become entrepreneurs. Eventually,
they can increase the number of PCs, if they wish to
expand the business,” said Mojica.
The
Smart Bro Computer Station package includes one
brand-new top-of-the-line desktop computer with a
one-year limited warranty on the hardware, licensed
Microsoft Operating System, one-year unlimited Smart Bro
wireless broadband Internet connection, streamers and
flyers to promote the Internet rental service, and a
cellular phone bundled with a retailer SIM with initial
e-load value of P500 for e-loading business.
The
livelihood program is payable in 12 easy monthly
installments which will be paid by the OFW himself from
wherever he is worldwide through the DBP EC Remit
program.
The
amount already includes the subscription to Smart Bro,
affordable interest rates, and mortgage redemption
insurance. Monthly payments may be coursed through DBP
partner remittance and exchange companies.
To
qualify, an OFW must have at least one year of
guaranteed work contract or a work visa that is valid
for the next 12-month period. Other documents needed
include POEA registration document and/or OWWA
membership ID; photocopy of valid passport; and
photocopy of valid work visa. The forms and documents
should be submitted to the Negosyo coordinators or DBP
overseas marketing representatives in the country where
they are working.
To apply
for the loan package, OFWs may visit the DBP Remittance
Center at the DBP head office in Makati City, or the
bank’s subsidiaries and tie-ups abroad.
Smart
has been providing wireless broadband Internet access
nationwide through its subsidiary, Smart Broadband Inc.
(SBI). As of end-March 2007, Smart Bro subscribers
number more than 163,000.
Early
this year, Smart and DBP entered into a strategic
partnership that will push for the use of mobile
commerce in delivering financial services for small and
medium enterprises, migrant workers, microfinance
institutions and other sectors.
Under
the partnership, DBP will use Smart’s mobile commerce
platform, the Smart Services Hub, in developing new
remittance and financial services and products. The
Smart Services Hub is Smart’s global financial and
telecommunications services hub model based on its
award-winning Smart Money electronic financial services
platform.
Aside
from mobile commerce applications for development
financing, services for text-based remittances, mobile
banking, payroll account management, mobile payments,
e-wallet cards and text-based services are also in the
works. |
