With the recent eruption of the Taal Volcano, the spirit of Bayanihan became stronger and much more visible with the outpouring of donations and volunteers from the different sectors of the society to help those in need.
Various groups and individuals launched their own donation drives to collect humanitarian aid and bring them to the people who are currently affected by the volcanic eruption in Batangas.
All over the news and social media, the whole world see how Filipinos of different walks of life — from government agencies, humanitarian aid groups, foundations, down to individuals — strengthen one another to help those in need.
“The Filipino spirit of Bayanihan is best displayed during these times, and we at GCash inspired with the outflowing of donations and financial aid to those affected by this calamity. We have since added a new in-app feature to make it more convenient for our users to support relief efforts,” GCash President Anthony Thomas said.
To make it much simpler for individuals to support these causes, GCash, the Philippines’ leading mobile wallet, has partnered with several non-government organizations and foundations to enable its users to contribute any amount to their chosen groups or even individuals via their GCash app.
GCash users simply have to open their apps, click on the “Pay Bills” tile, select “Others,” click on “Tulong Taal,” and input the amount they would like to contribute.
“We at GCash are one with the Filipino people in helping those in need in this time of great need. Through our platform, GCash users now have a more convenient means to aid those who are affected by the Taal Volcano eruption. We have long realized the power of our platform, and we will continue to transform it as a conduit of generosity for the greater good,” Thomas said.
With the advent of financial technology, Filipinos are now more empowered to harness their innate generosity and helpfulness in times of disasters. First launched in mid 2019, GCash for Good enables users to donate monetary assistance to social causes such as disaster relief via their mobile phones.
Proceeds of the donation drive will go directly to partner organizations such as the Philippine Red Cross, World Vision, Animal Kingdom Foundation, Ayala Foundation, the School of Deaf and Applied Studies, Hope in a Bottle, and ABS-CBN Foundation. These groups are spearheading different humanitarian aid and relief operations for the evacuees.
GCash account holders may also opt to directly send financial assistance to their chosen aid group via their own QR codes posted in social media.
“No amount is too small when it comes to helping others. Each peso is a significant step towards the betterment of the lives of the people in need,” Thomas added.
Aside from the GCash-led donation drive, individuals are also harnessing the power of digital finance to gather donations and launch their own campaigns. Over the past few days, GCash has noted various GCash users receiving money from different people as financial assistance to humanitarian aid.
“It is encouraging for us at GCash to see our platform being used for good causes. This is a huge step for us, as we transform the GCash app to a more socially-significant, responsible and sustainable platform to create an impact on millions of lives in the Philippines,” Thomas said.