JAKARTA - The Philippine government has postponed the payment of installments on home loans for three months amid an energy emergency triggered by the conflict in the Middle East. This policy is also accompanied by a package of relief for Filipino migrant workers who have been repatriated from the region.
Quoted from the Philippine News Agency, Wednesday, April 22, the policy was announced by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) or the ministry that handles housing and settlement affairs in the Philippines. DHSUD Minister Jose Ramon Aliling said this step was taken as part of the government's response to rising fuel prices and global economic pressures. "DHSUD remains committed to implementing programs that can help alleviate the impact of the crisis on Filipino citizens," he said.
Through the National Home Mortgage Finance Corporation (NHMFC) program, which is a state-owned home loan financing institution, all eligible borrowers will automatically receive a loan extension from May 1 to July 31, 2026. According to NHMFC official Noe Valencia, around 50,000 members-beneficiaries are estimated to be helped by this policy.
The delay was not accompanied by additional fines or interest. The loan period was only extended according to the length of the moratorium. This means that installments are postponed first without adding new burdens for borrowers.
In addition, the Pag-IBIG Fund, a savings and housing financing institution for workers in the Philippines, has prepared a special package for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) or Filipino migrant workers who were repatriated due to conflicts in the Middle East. As of February 2026, the number of Pag-IBIG OFW members in the region was recorded at nearly 900,000 people.
In the package, eligible members can withdraw up to 100 percent of their regular Pag-IBIG savings, including workers' contributions, employer contributions, and dividends, before the 20-year maturity. They can also withdraw up to 100 percent of their Modified Pag-IBIG II (MP2) savings, which is an additional voluntary savings program, before the five-year maturity. Beyond that, they still get a three-month moratorium on home loan installments without interest and without penalties.
DHSUD said the combined steps of NHMFC and Pag-IBIG are aimed at maintaining the economic resilience of the most vulnerable groups, especially workers who lose their income and low-income families. This step shows that, at a time when the energy crisis is putting pressure on households, the first thing the Philippine government saves is the burden closest to the people, namely the house installment.
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