Private sector initiative pushes earning potential of REITs among OFWs in Europe
Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) remain a largely untapped force in the Philippine capital market. Despite their economic contributions, less than 1% maintain stock market accounts, according to Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) President and CEO Ramon S. Monzon, who has emphasized the need to attract overseas Filipinos to invest in domestic securities.
The Systembrand Group, through its Conectando Filipinas program, affirms this call to action with a strategic push to engage overseas markets and empower OFWs as long-term participants in the Philippine capital market. The platform, which connects Philippine businesses to European communities, finds that Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) offer a compelling entry point for OFWs seeking stable, long-term investments.
“With their simplified investment process and mandated dividend payouts, REITs present a practical way for small-scale investors to participate in the growth of income-generating real estate assets,” said Juan Martin Buñag, Systembrand Group’s representative in Madrid.
He noted that REITs allow retail investors, especially OFWs, to earn regular income through dividends while gaining exposure to a diversified portfolio of assets. These include residential condominiums, high-rise office buildings, hotels, malls, warehouses, and export processing zones. “Investors become part owners of these properties without needing to purchase them outright,” he said.
Buñag added that OFW participation in REITs aligns with the PSE’s broader push to democratize access to the stock market. Conectando Filipinas estimates that if just 14,000 of the 182,191 OFWs in Europe invested 20 percent or USD60 of their monthly USD300 remittances, the resulting trade value could reach USD840,000 (PhP42 million) from new investors.
This underscores the importance of sustained engagement. Buñag, who also serves as Managing Director of Investor Relations Global, believes that discussions, events, and roadshows with overseas Filipinos will help increase global interest in Philippine capital markets and attract more foreign capital. Investor Relations Global supports Systembrand operations across major international stock exchanges, including NYSE, NASDAQ, London Stock Exchange’s AIM, and the Australian Securities Exchange.
The strategic intent to empower OFWs as informed, long-term investors is further embodied in Conectando Filipinas, which advances the group’s value proposition, Formas de Ganar or “Ways of Earning.” The program promotes financial literacy and equips OFWs and their families with practical investment pathways to build stability, generate passive income, and sustain their quality of life.
Systembrand Group Head Lito Buñag emphasized that the approach is not just about financial inclusion, but about helping OFWs stay on course. “We want to optimize their financial resources by assuring them of ways to obtain sufficient return on investments and of sustaining their quality of life and livelihood,” he said.
Among its anchor programs, ConectaInver, short for Investments and the Capital Market, spotlights REITs as a resilient and salable investment option. It cites their accessibility and resistance to market volatility.
REITs gaining traction include Ayala Land REIT (AREIT), RL Commercial REIT (RLR), Megaworld REIT (MREIT), Citicore Energy REIT (CREIT), and Filinvest REIT (FILRT). AREIT, the first REIT registered with the PSE in 2006, is expected to sustain its strong financial trajectory under new leadership by former Ayala Corporation CFO Alberto de Larrazabal. Its planned PhP21 billion asset infusion will expand its leasable area to 4.3 million square meters and boost its Assets Under Management to PhP138 billion, with cash dividends up by 44 percent to PhP1.17 per share.
To optimize REITs’ earning potential among OFWs in Europe, Conectando Filipinas is prioritizing financial literacy through webinars tailored to key markets in the UK, Spain, Italy, and Austria. These programs contextualize investment strategies within everyday realities such as cost of living, healthcare, personal business earnings, lifestyle budgeting, travel, and savings. They aim to help OFWs make informed decisions for both present needs and future security.