Jeepney Press/Isabelita Manalastas-Watanabe

Take it or Leave it!

ADVICE NI TITA LITS

Isabelita Manalastas-Watanabe

My Dear Tita Lits readers:

I committed to make a part 2 of the Pag-IBIG benefits offered to OFWs – the first one, on loans, during the 2022 summer issue of Jeepney Press.

I remember getting feedback from many readers on their surprise upon reading my opening line:

OWN A HOUSE FOR ONLY JPY10,700 - 12,000?

Well, be in for another (pleasant) surprise.

In Japan, we do no earn interest for our savings – we even have to pay a fee to make deposits to our bank accounts!

Pag-IBIG offers very good interest earnings for saving money through them. But first, YOU MUST HAVE SAVINGS, right?

I have a different definition on how to save your money. It is not the usual:

Savings = Earnings – Expenses.

I say: Expenses – Earnings = Savings.

It means, you first pre-determine how much you intend to spend for the month, make total is less than your total earnings. Then of course, you will be able to generative positive savings!

Alisin muna sa list of expenses mo, things that you do not absolutely need – new shoes, new dress, new bag, and such other material goods. You will be able to survive without these, or if you are really gung-up on acquiring such “luxuries”, you can probably just postpone for a while, after you have achieved your savings goal.

What is your minimum savings goal to be able to take advantage of good interest returns on your Pag-IBIG savings?

For as low as PHP500 monthly savings, or even PHP1,000 monthly (kayang-kaya nating mga Japan OFWs ito!), you can already earn good dividend payments.

For example, for monthly MP2 savings of only Php500 (isang lunch lang iyan sa Tokyo), with compounded dividend payment option, your accumulated MP2 savings at the end of the 5th year will be Php35,222.35.

For monthly MP2 savings of Php1,000, a much bigger accumulated savings of or 5 years, you will be entitled to Php70,444.70.

Medyo mabigat na iyong 3rd option - PHP1 million one-time savings. Pero baka naman marami sa atin ang pwedeng buksan ang ating mga baul kung saan natin itinatago ang savings natin and then decide to earn by placing these in MP2* Savings Plan of Pag-IBIG:

Maraming siguradong magtatanong, SAFE bang ilagay ang pera sa Pag-IBIG? Ang dami kasi nating naririnig na mga anomalya sa ibang mga government offices, at siyempre, pawis at dugo ang puhunan nating mga overseas workers para makapagtabi ng kahit kaunting halaga, in the hope na kumita and pera natin, at hindi mawalang parang bula!

While I cannot personally guarantee na walang magiging problema, ginagarantiyahan ng ating gobyerno ang dividend rate Pag-IBIG savings. In 2021, ang government-guaranteed dividend rate was 5.50%. Not bad at all, di-ba?

*Modified Pag-IBIG2. MP2 Savings earn higher dividend rate than the Pag-IBIG regular savings.

In 2021, there were13.69 million active Pag-IBIG members. From the webinar conducted by Pag-IBIG in Japan, presentors showed below, a SNAPSHOT on Pag-IBIG Fund for year 2021. Those 14 million can’t all be wrong, can they?

With total assets of Php742 million and a net income of Php35 million, we can’t go wrong. (But my conscience dictates that I should say, sana the Fund will continue to be managed well and no corruption will seep in).

• Visit www.pagibigfund.gov.ph

To learn more on how to save thru Pag-IBIG:

• Click the “Be a Member” button, followed by “apply for MP2”

• Get your MP2 Savings Account Number and start saving!

Should you have questions about your Pag-IBIG Fund benefits, contact them directly via these service channels:

• Tel. +63 2 8724-4244 (standard rates apply).

• Email: contactus@pag-ibigfund.gov.ph

• Chat: www.pagibigfund.gov.ph

• Fb: /PagIBIGFundOfficialPage

Isang paalala: Kailangang long-term ang inyong pag-se-save sa Pag-IBIG to get full benefits. Mag-withdraw kayo either upon

• membership maturity (20) years;

• your retirement;

• permanent total disability or insanity;

• termination from service by reason of health;

• permanent departure from the Philippines;

• death;

• critical illness of the member of any of Pag-IBIG member’s relatives within the 2nd civil degree of consanguinity;

• any other reason for prior approval of the Pag-IBIG Board of Trustees.

Sige, kapag nakapagbukas na kayo ng inyong regular Pag-IBIG savings, or better still, your MP2 savings, you can remit your monthly savings/contributions thru several channels in Japan, including thru: SPEED (Speed Money Transfer K.K.) Tel. (03) 6869-8555 (regular charges apply); Viber: 080 4143 9494; Line: 080 3508 8555; Facebook: SPEED SMTJ; fb messenger Fax: (03) 3635-8625; URL: www.smtj.co.jp

Tita Lits

Isabelita Manalastas-Watanabe

Jeepney Press