The Philippines' largest microfinance company, Cebuana Lhuillier, today inaugurated its first office in the Middle East, located in the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), which will provide service and marketing support to clients and corporate partners in the region.

The company operates in the UAE and wider GCC through a network of remittance partners, including Al Ghurair/Ersal, Al Fuad, Instant Cash, U Remit, Onyx Express, Lari, XpressMoney, and Smart Exchange. Cebuana Lhuilliers new DMCC marketing office will assist customers sending money to the Philippines with queries about the status of their remittances, and provide information about the branches where their beneficiaries can receive funds. It will also be a liaison office between the company and its partners in the region.

"The Middle East is one of the fastest-growing international markets for Cebuana Lhuillier and we feel now is the right time, and Dubai is the right place, to establish a marketing and services centre to support our fellow Filipinos. We will also deploy international relations officers in the DMCC to ensure the needs of our locally-based corporate partners are addressed speedily and efficiently, said Jean Henri Lhuillier, President and CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier

Five of the top ten countries globally for Filipino expatriates are located in GCC, while an estimated 700,000 nationals of the Philippines live in the UAE. Figures from the Central Bank of the Philippines show that global personal remittances from overseas Filipino workers totaled US$24 billion in 2014. Of this, Saudi Arabia and the UAE accounted for 10 percent and 7 percent respectively, while the entire Middle East region as a whole contributed 22 percent.

Cebuana Lhuillier has established its leadership in the microfinance industry in the Philippines under the dynamic and brilliant leadership of Jean Henri Lhuillier. Jean Henri can be credited for changing the landscape of how microfinance business in the Philippines should be run and starting Cebuana Lhuilliers expansion thru open partnership with remittance companies outside the Philippines.

Cebuana Lhuillier is now setting its sights on further expanding and solidifying its presence in the global arena and the opening of Dubai office is part of this thrust. This growth and expansion in key areas internationally is being spearheaded by Philippe Andre Lhuillier, Managing Director, Cebuana Lhuillier Services DMCC.

We selected Dubai and the DMCC as the base for our operations in the Middle East because it offers the ideal platform for Cebuana Lhuillier to extend our signature service promise to clients across the region. It also brings us closer to our valued corporate partners who play an essential role in our business model. We look forward to working together to build on our existing relationships and to unlock new opportunities of mutual benefit, said Philippe Andre.

I am very happy to see the direction that the company is taking. It has always been my vision to serve the financially challenged Filipinos in the Philippines and abroad. Im so proud with the work Jean Henri and Philippe Andre are doing for the company, said Ambassador Philippe Jones Lhuillier, Chairman of Cebuana Lhuillier.

Cebuana Lhuilliers money remittance service was created to address the increasing need for a fast and reliable money transfer service. Clients can conveniently claim their money all the days of the week, with select branches operating on extended business hours, even for 24/7 period. Cebuana Lhuillier also introduced various technological innovations, which allows real-time status monitoring and the fastest crediting.

For inquiries, please contact International Remittance Officers Eric Frayalde and Brian Niel Naval at efrayalde@pjlhuillier.com and bnaval@pjlhuillier.com, call CLS DMCC Office at 7142776922 and visit its official website: www.cebuanalhuillier.com