Jollibee, BPI team up anew for OFW meal delivery service

MANILA, Philippines - Fastfood giant Jollibee Foods Corp. has teamed up with Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) to allow overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to send meals to their families and beneficiaries in the Philippines.

The move forms part of the two companies’ efforts to reach out to Filipinos living abroad and promote closer family ties.

Dubbed “BPinoy Jollibee Padala”, the fastfood remittance delivery service allows Filipinos living or working in Spain, the United States, Hong Kong and United Kingdom to send Jollibee package meals to family members back home with the help of BPI’s 24 overseas remittance service centers.

BPI president Aurelio Montinola III said the program, which will run from Sept. 1, 2010 to May 31, 2011, is the second partnership between the Ayala-controlled bank and Jollibee. The first was the Free Jollibee BPI treats which gave BPI cardholders free Jollibee meals depending on the amount purchased.     

BPI cornered 24 percent (roughly $4 billion) of the total $18 billion worth of remittances sent home by OFWs in 2009.

 “We want to give our OFWs a more meaningful way to remit their money by giving them a chance to personally choose the meal package they want to send to their loved ones and making available our BPI Express Remittance Centers to receive the payment,” said Teresita B. Tan, BPI executive vice-president and head of the Overseas Banking and Channel Services Group.

There are five set meals to choose from, costing around $20 (roughly P1,000) - Chickenjoy and Yum with Cheese, Chickenjoy with Spaghetti, Spaghetti with Yum, and the Burger Steak.

 “Jollibee staunchly believes in uniting the family and strengthening relationships wherever they are in the world. We hope to help bring even more Filipino families together over good food and create memories that will surely remember even years from now,” said Ann Santos, national key accounts head of Jollibee.

Jose A. Minana Jr., Jollibee vice-president and head of the national business unit, said while sales from OFWs are not significant yet, he believes the amount will increase over the next few years as more and more Filipinos connect with their families in the Philippines.