Western Union to open 2 new outlets

Western Union will open two more outlets in the CNMI next week to better serve more individuals remitting money to their loved ones abroad.

The money transfer company will open two new branches at Town & Country along Middle Road and Carmen Safeway Supermarket in Chalan Kanoa, according to the local franchise’s president Juan T. Guerrero, although he did not specify what specific day they will open the two new outlets. This raises the number of Western Union branches in the CNMI to nine.

Guerrero announced the opening of the additional Western Union sub-agents during its Live Speed Challenge Money Transfer activity yesterday at the Western Union Mita Travel branch office in Garapan.

Despite the bad economic climate, Guerrero said they are adding more branches to serve the community better. “Somebody’s got to make it good despite the bad economy,” he said.

Guerrero said the Town & Country branch would serve the community 24 hours a day and seven days a week, while the one at Carmen Safeway would observe the company’s regular hours.

Sydney-based regional manager for the Pacific Islands David Chin and assistant marketing manager South Pacific and Islands Shanti Krishnan joined Guerrero during the opening ceremony.

Guerrero said the two visiting Western Union officials are here to assist the local branches in launching promotional campaigns and to provide support and further training for Mita Travel and its sub-agents in the CNMI.

Gov. Juan N. Babauta graced the event together with other government officials. Business community members also attended the event.

Donna Liwag, a sales and marketing representative of a local firm on Saipan, led the live transfer challenge yesterday, remitting $400 to her family in Cavite, the Philippines. The live transfer was held at 11am Saipan time and 9am Manila time. The transfer took only eight minutes and Liwag’s sister confirmed the successful transfer of her money to the Philippines through a text message from her hometown.

Guerrero said that at Western Union the money transferred to a loved one in any country is secured under the umbrella of a trusted name.

He said since the start of their operation in 2004, the group has seen an increased coverage of its services in the CNMI by appointing sub-agents on Rota and Tinian as well as other locations on Saipan.

Chin said Western Union has already 225,000 locations in more than 204 countries and he said he is commending the CNMI for being No. 1 in the Pacific Islands. He said they will be more aggressive in terms of providing excellent service to the community by putting up more marketing activities that would give incentives to loyal patrons of the money transfer company.

Western Union has a robust system, said Krishnan, who also assured the CNMI community that she is extending her hand to more marketing strategies that would benefit the entire community for their continued support.

Guerrero said Western Union, Garapan branch is eyed to be a one-stop payment center on Saipan where the community could remit and pay their utility bills such as the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.’s billing statements. He said with the new set-up the government could save from hiring more people at CUC.

House Speaker Benigno S. Fitial, senators Paul Manglona and Thomas Villagomez, Rep. Tim Villagomez, CUC’s Herman Sablan, MVA board chair David Sablan, Consul Wenceslao Gayola of the Philippine Consulate, Board of Education member Herman T. Guerrero, Department of Commerce Secretary Andrew Salas, American Red Cross Kyle Callabriz, Hardt Eye’s Agnes McGrath, officials from Tan Holdings Corp. and other government and private sector officials also attended the event.