侨民抢在特朗普新税生效前寄钱回家 菲律宾12月海外汇款创纪录

Core Insights - Philippine overseas cash remittances grew at the fastest pace in three years in December, driven by holiday factors and some Filipinos sending money ahead of the 1% cross-border remittance tax introduced by U.S. President Donald Trump, which takes effect at the beginning of the year [1][3] - The amount of remittances from abroad increased by 4.2%, exceeding economists' expectations and marking the highest growth rate since December 2022. The total cash remittance for December reached a record high of $3.52 billion [1][3] - Michael Ricafort, Chief Economist at Rizal Commercial Banking Corp, noted that the increase in remittances was partly due to higher exchange rates during the Christmas period and the urgency to send money before the U.S. tax takes effect. The Philippine peso had previously fallen to record lows against the dollar but has since recovered some of its losses [1][3] Industry Context - The United States is the largest source of cash remittances to the Philippines [2][4] - Trump's budget plan signed last year included a provision for a 1% cross-border remittance tax, which also raised tax burdens on immigrants. Many immigrants send money back to their home countries to support relatives [2][4]