To promote financial literacy and digital transformation in the Ilocos region, GCash, the Philippines’ leading mobile e-wallet, has partnered with the provincial government of La Union. The partnership will involve a series of financial literacy programs aimed at educating local government employees, public market vendors, and constituents on the features and benefits of using digital wallets like GCash. This will make financial services more accessible to the public.
The partnership will also enable residents to make payments for services such as transfer of real property ownership, professional tax, annual fixed tax, sand and gravel tax, franchise tax, tax on printing and publication, and other fees and charges through GCash. The provincial government of La Union also plans to distribute financial assistance and scholars’ allowance via GCash.
Provincial Governor of La Union, Raphaelle Veronica Ortega-David, expressed her excitement about the partnership, stating, “I thank GCash for stepping up as our partner as we bolster the provincial government’s capability to accept payments through digital and mobile means. This partnership signifies a lot as I myself am a proponent for the integration of new methods in governance and to always look for ways to make our processes fast, easy and convenient for all of our constituents. I am positive that this partnership will open more opportunities to further innovate our digital processes.”
GCash’s efforts to encourage local government units to adopt digital payment solutions align with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ goal of making the Philippines a ‘cash-lite’ society. The company has already enabled over 40,000 vendors in various public markets across the country, including the San Fernando and San Juan public markets in La Union, the Super Iloilo Terminal Market, and the Biñan Public Market in Laguna.
Martha Sazon, President and CEO of GCash, said, “Partnerships with local government units allow GCash to continuously expand its reach in grassroot merchants of the province, such as market vendors, drivers associations, and sari-sari stores, fulfilling its mission of ‘Finance for All’”.
