Enjoy competitive exchange rates and minimal fees when you transfer funds from Canada to the Philippines.
There are plenty of international money transfer options to choose from if you want to send money to the Philippines. Both banks and specialist money transfer services allow you to send money overseas, and it’s important to compare what they offer.
Banks usually charge higher fees and provide less competitive exchange rates. With specialist international money transfer companies, you generally open a free account with the company, deposit your funds into the account and then initiate the transfer. You may need to provide proof of identity, such as your driver’s licence or passport, and some personal details to open an account.
Once your transfer has been placed, you’ll be provided with a receipt or tracking number so that you can monitor your transaction. Unlike banks, these types of services generally provide competitive exchange rates and charge minimal fees.
Although it’s cheaper and easier than ever before to send money to the Philippines, it’s vital that you shop around for the best deal so less of your money is lost to the transaction.
Browse options to send money to the Philippines below.
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Banks vs international money transfer services
Most Canadian banks allow you to send money directly to the Philippines. As mentioned above, using your bank to send the international transfer will incur costly fees and you may have to settle for a poor exchange rate. You might be much better off looking to send funds with a dedicated money transfer provider.
Specialist money transfer companies offer fast and affordable overseas transfers, typically with competitive exchange rates and lower fees than those offered by banks. These companies offer faster turnaround times and can even have the money available to your recipient just minutes after you send it.
Case study: Arvin sends money to the Philippines
Arvin wants to send a gift of $1,000 to his cousin in the Philippines. He knows that sending the money from his bank in Canada will incur high fees. With this in mind, he decides to compare the exchange rate and fees of his bank with those offered by a specialist money transfer company. The results of his comparison can be seen in the table below.
| Bank | Money transfer company | |
|---|---|---|
| Exchange rate | CAD 1 = PHP 37.30 | CAD 1 = PHP 40.17 |
| Transfer fee | CAD$25 | CAD$12 |
| Transfer time | 2-5 days | Less than 24 hours |
| Transfer options | Online or at a branch | Online |
| Amount received for CAD1,000 | PHP37,300 | PHP40,170 |
| Difference (PHP) | PHP2,870 |
If Arvin sends money using a specialist money transfer service, he will not only be able to send PHP2,870 more to his cousin, he will also pay CAD$13 less to send the funds overseas. Sending money via the dedicated service provider will save Arvin almost CAD$100 with the better exchange rate and the lower fee.
How do I compare transfer companies when sending money to the Philippines?
Take the following factors into account when comparing the services offered by different money transfer companies:
- Competitive exchange rates. You’ll want to look for a company that offers high exchange rates. Keep in mind that some companies will hide high fees with better exchange rates, so be sure to compare both the exchange rate and the fees.
- Little to no transfer fee. Most companies will charge a fee for every transfer you make, either at a flat rate or as a percentage of your transfer amount. Other companies will waive any fees when you transfer more than a certain amount of money, which usually begins at the $10,000 mark.
- Flexible transfer methods and options. Compare providers to determine if you can send the funds online, via phone or in a branch. Some services will also provide flexible options like regular scheduled transfers, forward contracts and market orders.
- Quick turnaround time. Compare the average processing time offered by each company for money transfers to the Philippines. Companies may be able to send funds in a few minutes, a day or a few days. Keep in mind that the faster the transfer, the higher the fees may be.
- Convenient pick-up methods. Some companies will allow cash pick-up within minutes, while others can send funds directly to your recipient’s bank account. Compare options that suit both you and your recipient.
- Low minimum transfer amounts. Some companies have minimum transfer limits in place, which can be an issue if you only want to send a small amount of money. Other companies may have a maximum limit in place, which can also cause you problems if you’re looking to transfer a large sum of money.
- Reliable customer service. Check to see if support by phone, email and live chat are offered by the service provider. Some companies may provide 24/7 help while others may only be available during weekdays.
How to send money to the Philippines from Canada
The Philippine Peso (PHP) is a commonly traded currency on the global marketplace, which means there are plenty of options to choose from when looking to send money to the Philippines from Canada. Your options include:
- Bank transfers. Many Canadian banks will let you send funds to the Philippines, though you should keep an eye out for poor exchange rates and high fees.
- Money transfer for cash pick-up. Western Union and MoneyGram allow you to send cash to the Philippines within minutes. Your recipient can pick up the funds from a number of agent locations across the Philippines. Fees tend to be higher with these companies, but if you’re looking for quick transfers, you should consider these two services.
- Money transfer companies. Specialist money transfer services like TorFX, OFX, World First, CurrencyFair, Travelex, WorldRemit and FairFX offer fast and affordable international money transfers.
- PayPal. Funds can be sent via PayPal if both you and your recipient have a PayPal account. Keep in mind that funds take a few days to reach your recipient’s bank account.
- International money order. You can also obtain an international guaranteed cheque from your bank or the post office which can then be posted overseas. This is the slowest way to send a money transfer.
Emergency cash transfers in the Philippines
There are some situations where you or someone you know may need to transfer funds to the Philippines as quickly as possible. For example, you may be travelling in the Philippines and have your wallet or purse stolen. One of your relatives can send you cash via a money transfer service, which allows you to pick up the funds within minutes after they are sent.
It’s important that you exercise caution when sending an emergency cash transfer. Make sure you know the exact exchange rate that will apply to your transaction and read the fine print to understand if you’ll face any other fees.
Cash pick-up locations in the Philippines
WorldRemit, Western Union and MoneyGram offer multiple branch locations across the Philippines where you or your recipient can pick up funds. When you go to pick up funds, remember to take a valid photo ID and some details of the transaction with you. You’ll likely need to know the reference number, who sent the money and how much money was sent. In addition, it’s also a good idea to phone ahead and make any necessary arrangements if you’re picking up a large sum of cash. Ask your hotel to call you a trusted taxi driver and immediately return to the hotel to put the funds in a safe place. If you have been robbed, remember to report it to the police. Here are some of the WorldRemit, Western Union and MoneyGram locations in the Philippines:
WorldRemit
WorldRemit allows you to make cash pick-ups at M Lhullier, Metrobank, Palawan Pawnshop, PSBank, LBC, BDO and Cebuana Lhullier branches.
Quezon City
M Lhuillier
Palawan 7 Quezon
New Public Market, Poblacion 5304
CLH Bago Bantay
132 D Ilocos Sur St cor Bukidnon St. Bago Bantay, Brgy. Ramon Magsaysay District 1
2-928-3425
Open Monday to Saturday 7am to 7pm, Sunday 7am to 6pm
Manila
CLH G. Tuazon
2019 G. Tuazon St. Cor. Honradez St. Ext., Brgy. 549 Zone 045, District IV, Sampaloc
2-708-8051
Open Monday to Saturday 7am to 8pm, Sunday 7am to 6pm
PSBank Caloocan
G/F G. Raymundo Building, 314 EDSA
Monumento, Caloocan
(632) 361-2163
Western Union
Quezon City
Aguirre Pawn Shop
General Luis Street 245
Novaliches
Quezon City, Metro Manila 1123
+63-2-6202360
Open Monday to Saturday 8am to 5pm
Alyanna Pawn Shop
N Domingo Cor Dna Juana Rodriguez
Alyanna Mini Mart
Quezon, Metro Manila 1100
+63-2-4138510
Open Monday to Saturday 8am to 6pm
Manila
Aguirre Pawn Shop
Prime Block Podium Level
Tutuban Center
Manila, Metro Manila 1013
+63-2-6202360
Open 9am to 6pm seven days
China Banking Corporation
J A Santos Ave Cor Batangas St No 2159
Tondo
Manila, Metro Manila 1014
+63-2-6202360
Open 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday
MoneyGram
Quezon City
Bank of Commerce
Am Assoc Bld 28 Quezon Avenue
Quezon City, 0
6327122560
Open 9am to 3pm Monday to Friday
Banco De Oro
Cedar Executive Building II 26 Timog Ave Cor Sct Tobias St
Quezon City, 0
6327026652
Open 8:30am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday
Manila
Bank of Commerce
609 SALES ST.
QUIAPO
MANILA, 1001
27338705
Open 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday, 10am to 3pm Saturday
Banco De Oro
No 116-120 C Palanca St Quiapo
Manila, 1000
6327337434
Open 9am to 6pm Monday to Saturday
Tips for picking up cash in the Philippines
The Canadian Government recommends that travellers to the Philippines exercise a high degree of caution, so keep this in mind especially when picking up cash. If possible, take a friend with you for extra precaution and make sure to keep your money out of sight. Avoid questionable or dangerous areas and head straight back to your hotel to deposit the funds in a safe place. Do not use public transportation with lots of cash on you, instead ask your hotel to call you a trusted taxi driver.
Before sending cash to the Philippines from Canada, compare your options and consider which type of service provider best suits your needs. Sending cash overseas has never been faster or more affordable and there are plenty of options available.
I need to send money from Australia to Philippines as a cash pick up. What are my options
Hi William,
Thanks for your question.
You may want to consider Worldremit if you want a cash pick up option. Most international money transfers process bank to bank transfers.
hello how can i track world remit cebuana lhuillier ? WORLDREMIT sent me text message with the control number but the girl said control number is invalid ?
Hi Janeviel,
Thanks for your question.
Airtime transfers should be instant – if this isn’t the case please get in touch with WorldRemit directly by clicking ‘Go to site’.
Cheers,
Shirley
my friend send me money through WORLDREMIT CEbuana Lhiullier (Metrobank Transaction) on DEc.1 but then when i come to the Cebuna Outlet here , its says the control number invalid nothing found on the control number WORLDREMIT texted me and that text i give it to the Cebuna but as they told me many times no money in that control number totally invalid , all outlet i come all says its INVALID!!! i talk them personally and the manager here its INVALID!!. my friend already contact worldremit but then nothing happen What is the problem??? **********
Hi Janeviel,
We’re sorry to hear about your experience with Worldremit. As we are not Worldremit unfortunately we do not know what the problem is.
If you’ve quoted the reference “WorldRemit” and your transaction number (the one that your friend has received) and it still hasn’t arrived, please speak to Worldremit directly on: +61 2 6145 2161.
It might be worth checking with your friend that he or she has put in the correct details.
Cheers,
Shirley
I am here in turkey. How can i send money through this FINDER .com , is it have here in turkey?
Hi Yasemine,
Thank you for contacting finder.com , a financial comparison website.
You have reached finder.com , we are an Australian financial comparison website and do not process any transaction only supply information regarding services offered by different financial providers. All the information for our international money transfers is for transferring funds from Australia.
Please feel free to see if any of the providers we have on our international money transfer page work within Turkey.
Regards
Jodie
why NO calculation or calculator for Australian dollar to Philippines peso?
Hi Gabriel,
thanks for the feedback.
We’re working hard to expand our calculator in the near future to offer the ability to calculate transfers from AUD to PHP. Thanks for using our service in the meantime.
Cheers,
Marc.