Philippine remittances from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Canada and Japan increased by $1 billion in November, according to the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP).

The TUCP said the 2009 remittances coursed through banks by Filipino workers in Canada increased by 55 per cent or $494.22-million, while cash transfers from Japan jumped by 57 percent or $212.43 million.

"We now see 2009 remittances coursed through banks growing by $500 million to $1 billion over the $16.426 billion that OFWs wired home in 2008," the TUCP said in a statement.

“The increase in remittances in Canada and Japan is attributed to the rush of highly paid Filipino professionals and the increased hiring of Filipino sailors, respectively,’’ the group added.

TUCP said the recent natural disasters that hit the country have driven many OFWs to advance cash to their families here, mainly for "recovery spending" and housing repairs.