In line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to provide necessary assistance to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) affected by the Middle East crisis, the Pag-IBIG Fund has approved a special benefits package, allowing qualified members to access their savings and receive temporary relief on housing loan payments as they recover and rebuild their lives.

Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling, who also chairs the 11-member Board of Trustees of Pag-IBIG or the Home Development Mutual Fund, said the package is timely as the repatriation of war-affected OFWs continues.

“Ito po ang ambag ng Pag-IBIG Fund sa hangarin ni Pangulong Marcos Jr. para sa whole-of-government approach sa pagtulong sa ating mga bayaning OFWs (This is the contribution of the Pag IBIG Fund to President Marcos Jr.’s desire for a whole-of-government approach in helping our heroic OFWs),” Aliling said in a news release Sunday.

Under the approved benefits package, qualified OFW members may apply to withdraw up to 100 percent of their Pag-IBIG regular savings, including employee share, employer share and dividends earned, even before its 20-year maturity; withdraw up to 100 percent of their Modified Pag-IBIG II (MP2 Savings), inclusive of returns earned, even before its five-year maturity; or avail of a three-month moratorium on housing loan payments, free from interest and penalties, with the loan term extended by three months.

“Through this benefits package, qualified members may access their Pag-IBIG savings and receive temporary relief on housing loan payments, giving them more room to provide for their families and meet urgent needs during this difficult time,” he said.

As of February 2026, Pag-IBIG Fund has 891,427 registered OFW members in the Middle East, including 86,234 MP2 savers and 40,024 housing loan borrowers.

The largest numbers are in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.

“We recognize that for this assistance to be truly responsive, it must be made available to qualified members in a manner that is fast, clear, and accessible,” Pag-IBIG Fund Chief Executive Officer Marilene Acosta said.

“That is why we will make applications for these benefits available online through Virtual Pag-IBIG, while also ensuring that our more than 200 branches, OFW Centers and service offices are ready to assist members and their families.”

Pag-IBIG Fund said members may access its services from Monday to Friday in office-based branches and from Tuesday to Saturday in mall-based branches, as well as through its digital service channel, Virtual Pag-IBIG. (PNA)