GCash, the Philippines’ leading fintech company, has begun partnering with local government units (LGUs) nationwide to help them adopt safe and convenient digital financial solutions, in line with its goal of making government transactions faster and safer for millions of Filipinos.
Recently, GCash partnered with the City Government of San Fernando, Pampanga, through its Treasurer’s Office to enable digital payments and educate its employees and constituents on the features and benefits of using e-wallets such as GCash .
“Our partnerships with the public sector are geared towards reaching out to the unbanked and underserved communities and equip them with digital financial solutions that can make everyday transactions safer, more secure, and convenient. We are always open to working with more LGUs to help Filipinos have better lives,” said Martha Sazon, president and CEO of GCash.
Under the initial stage of the partnership, citizens of San Fernando are now able to pay their business and real property taxes through the “Pay Bills” feature inside the GCash app. Public market vendors can also easily pay their monthly stall rent anytime, anywhere via GCash using the same feature.
“Mas pinadali at pinabilis na ang pag collect namin ng mga payments for real property, business tax at market stall rentals at malaking pasasalamat po natin sa oportunidad na maka-partner ang GCash sa ganitong adhikain, lalo na ngayong panahon ng pandemya” said Mary Ann Bautista, city treasurer of San Fernando.
In support of the city government’s digital transformation, GCash held a week-long Express Lane program that educated and promoted cashless payments via GCash Pay Bills to users in the city. GCash booths and roving ambassadors were deployed in the San Fernando City Hall to assist the public and answer any queries.
To further promote digital payment adoption, GCash also conducted financial literacy (FinLit) programs to local government employees, market vendors, and heads of Tricycle Operators and Drivers’ Associations (TODA). Through the Everyday Wais Tips FinLit sessions, GCash taught consumers about the different everyday transactions that they can do using the GCash app – including access to financial services such as savings and credit. The attendees also learned how to better secure their accounts and prevent being scammed to promote trust in using financial technology.
Another module of GCash’s FinLit program is the Palaguin ang Negosyo with GCash. The public market vendors and TODA heads of San Fernando were informed about the convenience and safety of receiving payments from their customers through the GCash QR payment feature.
The opportunity to earn extra by becoming a GCash Pera Outlet (PO) was also introduced. GCash POs offer customers in their community convenient access to various GCash services such as Cash-in, Cash-out, Pay Bills, and Send Money. By being a GCash PO, micro entrepreneurs like sari-sari store owners, have the opportunity to earn as much as P10,000 a month through fees charged on transactions. They can also have an increased wallet size of up to P500,000 and free Cash-in via GCash agents.
“We are truly excited to partner with the City of San Fernando in making our purpose of financial inclusion a reality to various communities and the public sector at large. At GCash, we ensure that these communities gain access to financial literacy programs and that we work with them in building a reliable digital ecosystem to promote sustainable adoption,” said Cathlyn Pavia, AVP and Group Head for Public Sector and Partnerships.
There are currently 364 market vendors and 38 TODA heads ready to accept payment via GCash QR, and 270 active GCash POs in San Fernando City. Tricycle drivers in the city will also begin receiving their fuel subsidy from the government via GCash.
Through partnerships with LGUs like the City Government of San Fernando, more Filipinos will now have access to safe, secure, and convenient digital financial products and services, empowering communities across the nation and helping GCash achieve its goal of Finance for All.
The GCash app is available for free on the Google Play or App Store.