To send money to the Philippines with MAJORITY, open the app, select the Philippines, choose your delivery method, enter the recipient's details, and confirm.
Quick answer
The Philippines is a supported destination with three main delivery methods: bank transfer to a Philippine bank, mobile wallet deposit to GCash, and cash pickup at a participating partner branch. You set up the transfer in the app, pick the Philippines, choose the method that fits your recipient, enter their details, and confirm. The funds are delivered in Philippine pesos (PHP) at the exchange rate the app shows you before you confirm.
What you need to know
- To send money to the Philippines from the US, you need an active account, a destination delivery method, and the recipient's name and contact details for that method.
- The Philippines destination supports three delivery methods: bank transfer (30 minutes to 5 business days), mobile wallet to GCash (minutes to hours), and cash pickup at participating partner branches (same day at most locations).
- The account is opened in the app with a government-issued ID such as a passport, a US driver's license, or a matrícula consular; an SSN is not required to open the account.
- Transfers can be initiated from the app on your phone; members can also start a Philippines transfer by messaging on WhatsApp, which routes into the same destination.
- The funds are delivered in Philippine pesos at the live USD-to-PHP exchange rate the app quotes before you confirm.
- With the membership at $5.99 per month, money transfers to supported countries are fee-free at the member tier, regardless of delivery method, so there is no per-transfer charge stacked on top of the membership.
Before you send: opening an account
Sending money to the Philippines starts with an active account in the US. The account is opened in the app and verified with a government-issued ID. You do not need an SSN to open the account.
Accepted IDs include:
- Passport from your country of origin
- Driver's license issued by a US state
- Matrícula consular issued by your country's consulate in the US
- Other government-issued IDs accepted in the in-app verification process
The app walks you through the steps: provide your name and address, upload a photo of your ID, take a selfie for identity verification, and submit. Once the account is active, you can fund it and send to the Philippines.
How to send money to the Philippines, step by step
These are the sender-side steps, from opening the app to seeing the transfer marked complete.
- Open the app and sign in.
- Tap Send money and select the Philippines as the destination country.
- Enter the amount you want to send in US dollars. The app shows the live USD-to-PHP exchange rate, the PHP amount your recipient will receive, and the estimated delivery time before you confirm.
- Choose the delivery method: bank transfer, mobile wallet (GCash), or cash pickup.
- Enter the recipient's details for that method.
- For bank transfer: bank name, Philippine bank account number, account type (savings or checking), full legal name, and a Philippine mobile number for the arrival notification.
- For mobile wallet: the recipient's GCash-registered mobile number and their full legal name as registered on the wallet.
- For cash pickup: the recipient's full legal name exactly as it appears on the Philippine government-issued ID they will present, plus a Philippine mobile number.
- Review the summary: exchange rate, PHP amount the recipient will receive, delivery method, recipient details, and any cost.
- Confirm the transfer. Track the status in the app under your wallet or transfers tab; it moves from Pending to Completed when the funds reach the recipient.
Which delivery method to choose
The Philippines destination supports three delivery methods. The table below summarizes the trade-offs so you can match the method to your recipient's situation.
| Delivery method | What your recipient needs | Typical speed | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer to a Philippine bank | An account at a major Philippine bank such as BDO, BPI, Metrobank, Landbank, UnionBank, PNB, Security Bank, or another supported institution | 30 minutes to 5 business days, depending on the receiving bank | Recipients with a Philippine bank account who do not need the funds the same hour |
| Mobile wallet deposit to GCash | An active GCash account on the recipient's phone, verified to a tier that accepts the amount you are sending | Minutes to hours | Recipients who already use GCash for daily payments, bills, and savings |
| Cash pickup at a participating partner branch | A valid Philippine government-issued ID at a participating partner location, such as Cebuana Lhuillier, M Lhuillier, Palawan Express, LBC Express, or a partner bank branch | Same day at most participating locations | Recipients without a Philippine bank account or a verified GCash wallet, or who need cash in hand the same day |
The fastest method depends on the recipient. Mobile wallet deposits to GCash typically arrive in minutes when the recipient's wallet is verified and active. Cash pickup at a participating partner branch is usually available the same day. Bank transfer is the most common option for monthly support transfers to a household in the Philippines, especially for larger amounts.
What information you need from your recipient
The exact fields depend on the delivery method, but the core details below cover the three Philippines delivery methods.
- Full legal name. Exactly as it appears on the recipient's Philippine government-issued ID, bank account, or GCash wallet. Include middle name if it is on the ID, and avoid nicknames.
- Philippine mobile number. Used for bank arrival notifications, registered to the GCash wallet, or available at the pickup counter so the partner can text the recipient.
- Bank or wallet name (if applicable). The exact Philippine bank for a bank transfer, or GCash for a mobile wallet deposit.
- Account number (bank transfer only). The full Philippine bank account number as it appears on the recipient's statement or in their banking app. Philippine account numbers vary in length by bank, so do not trim leading zeros and do not include dashes or spaces.
- Account type (bank transfer only). Savings or checking, where the app asks. Most Philippine retail accounts are savings.
- Philippine government-issued ID type (cash pickup only). The ID your recipient plans to present at the counter, such as passport, PhilSys (national ID), driver's license, voter's ID, postal ID, or UMID. The name on the ID must exactly match the recipient name on the transfer.
Confirming these details in writing with your recipient before you start the transfer is the easiest way to avoid typos that can delay or block the delivery.
How much does it cost to send money to the Philippines?
The cost of a Philippines transfer at the member tier has one component: the exchange-rate margin. With the membership at $5.99 per month, money transfers to supported countries are fee-free regardless of delivery method, so there is no per-transfer charge stacked on top of the membership cost.
The exchange rate the app shows you before confirmation is the rate applied to the conversion from USD to PHP. The total PHP amount the recipient receives is the number you see on the confirmation screen.
Tracking and resolving issues
Every Philippines transfer is visible in the transfers tab inside the app. The status moves through Pending, In Progress, and Completed; if a transfer is held for additional verification, the app prompts you in-flow.
Common reasons a Philippines transfer can be delayed or returned:
- A typo in the recipient's account number, full legal name, or GCash-registered mobile number.
- A name mismatch at a cash-pickup counter, where the ID name does not exactly match the recipient name on the transfer.
- The recipient's bank is not on the supported list (a small minority of institutions are not yet supported).
- The recipient's GCash wallet is on a lower verification tier and the send amount exceeds its receive ceiling.
- An unusual transfer amount that triggers additional verification on the US side.
If a transfer is returned, the funds usually settle back to your balance within a few business days. The cleanest fix is to re-confirm the recipient's details and resend.
What to do next
- Open or sign in to the app to get started.
- Confirm with your recipient which delivery method works best: bank transfer to a Philippine bank, mobile wallet to GCash, or cash pickup at a participating partner branch.
- Collect the recipient's full legal name, Philippine mobile number, and any method-specific details such as the bank and account number, the GCash-registered mobile number, or the Philippine ID type they will present at the counter.
- Enter the amount, review the PHP amount your recipient will receive and the estimated delivery time, and confirm.
- Track the status in the app and stay reachable in case the receiving partner asks the recipient for an additional detail.
How MAJORITY can help
MAJORITY is a financial membership for migrants and newcomers in the US, and the Philippines is one of the more than 30 supported money-transfer routes. The destination covers bank transfers to supported Philippine banks, mobile wallet sends to GCash, and cash pickup at participating partner branches. The membership is $5.99 per month and includes money transfers at the member tier in supported countries, with the PHP amount the recipient will receive shown in the app before each transfer is confirmed.
Frequently asked questions
How do I send money to the Philippines from the US?
Open the app, sign in, tap Send money, and select the Philippines as the destination. Choose a delivery method (bank transfer to a Philippine bank, mobile wallet to GCash, or cash pickup at a participating partner branch), enter the recipient's details, review the PHP amount and exchange rate, and confirm.
Can I send money to the Philippines via WhatsApp?
Yes, members can initiate a Philippines transfer by messaging on WhatsApp. The WhatsApp flow asks for the same details as the app and routes into the same Philippines destination, with the PHP amount and exchange rate shown before you confirm.
Do I need an SSN to send money to the Philippines?
No, you do not need an SSN to open an account or to send money to the Philippines. Accepted IDs at account opening include a passport, a US driver's license, a matrícula consular, and other government-issued IDs supported in the in-app verification process.
Which delivery method is fastest for the Philippines?
Mobile wallet deposits to GCash are typically the fastest, arriving in minutes to hours when the recipient's wallet is verified and active. Cash pickup at a participating partner branch is usually available the same day. Bank transfers to a Philippine bank arrive in 30 minutes to 5 business days, depending on the receiving institution.
What information do I need from my recipient in the Philippines?
You need the recipient's full legal name and Philippine mobile number, plus method-specific details: the bank, account type (savings or checking), and account number for a bank transfer; the GCash-registered mobile number for a mobile wallet deposit; and the Philippine government-issued ID type your recipient will present at the counter (passport, PhilSys, driver's license, voter's ID, postal ID, or UMID) for cash pickup.
How much does it cost to send money to the Philippines?
With the membership at $5.99 per month, money transfers to supported countries are fee-free at the member tier, regardless of delivery method. The exchange rate applied to the USD-to-PHP conversion is shown in the app before you confirm the transfer, so the total PHP amount the recipient will receive is visible up front.
Disclosures
The MAJORITY app facilitates banking services through Axiom Bank, N.A. ("Axiom"), Member FDIC. The funds deposited in the account held at Axiom, Member FDIC, are FDIC-insured on a pass-through basis up to $250,000 per depositor in the event Axiom fails and subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions. Non-deposit products or services such as money transfers and telecom services are not FDIC-insured.
MAJORITY Visa® Debit Card is issued by Axiom Bank, N.A., Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc.