Philippine fintech leader GCash has joined hands with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in rolling out Paleng-QR Ph in Visayas to help achieve financial inclusion for Filipinos nationwide.

Paleng-QR PH was launched by BSP and DILG in June to promote cashless QR transactions among market vendors, community shopkeepers, and tricycle drivers to build the country’s digital payments ecosystem.

During the Visayan leg of the GCash-hosted One With The Nation forum, representatives from both the private and public sectors agreed to work together in implementing the digital initiative.

The event gathered key officials from BSP, DILG, and Local Government Units (LGUs), as well as leaders from the business sector to discuss the future of digital financial services in a post-COVID landscape.

“We fully support Paleng-QR because we recognize that to get everyday Filipinos started on cashless transactions, the natural place to start is where they usually spend money – our palengkes and local transportation like tricycles. We positioned ourselves in these areas to enable more vendors and drivers to thrive through digital,” said GCash President and CEO Martha Sazon.

By using the GCash app, tricycle drivers and merchants can easily receive and transfer money securely and conveniently with just a few taps on their smartphone, saving them time and effort.

During the gathering, key LGUs in Visayas pledged their support for the implementation and adaptation of the Paleng-QR Ph program before Gregg Bacay, BSP Head of Regional Economic Affairs Staff.

“I will take charge of the service’s implementation in my city to the best of my abilities and throughout my term as mayor. I will work with financial service providers to ensure orderly and smooth transactions among residents and visitors in my city,” they promised.

The forum also included talks about the “Pillars for Digital Financial Inclusion” by GCash AVP and Head of Public Sector and Partnerships Cathlyn Dolor Pavia, and “Bridging the Digitalization Gap with Accessible Financial Services for All” by Fuse Lending Chief Finance Officer Gabby Lacuesta. GCash Chief Commercial Officer Oscar Enrico Reyes wrapped up the event.

With the vision of achieving “Finance for All,” GCash is constantly on the lookout for more opportunities in the regions to empower more Filipinos.

“By removing barriers through digital channels, we have made financial services easier to access and understand. Now, fishermen, palengke vendors, tricycle drivers, and street vendors already have GCash. We have definitely made progress. But there’s still so much more we can do. We need to all work together for a brighter, more financially-inclusive future for Filipinos,” added Sazon.

GCash works for a future where financial services are accessible to everyone such as the unbanked and underserved. With over 71 million users, it leads the way in ensuring that everyday Filipinos have opportunities for savings, loans, investments, and insurance, which were previously unavailable to them. (PR)

ORMOC CITY-A laboring mother did not reach the hospital as she delivered her baby on board a motorboat while they going to a hospital at the town center of Dolores, Eastern Samar on Sunday (Nov. 20).

Mary Balbaboco,28 was having some labor pains while she was at their house in Barangay Hilabaan at about 4 am.

One of the village’s councilors, Letecia Corado volunteered to bring Balbaboco to a hospital at the town center.

However, at about 6:30 am, she delivered a baby girl-her fourth child with other passengers on the boat providing assistance for a safe delivery.

The mother and her newborn baby were still brought to a hospital on board an ambulance where the umbilical cord of the baby was cut.

It was learned from Corado that in their village, the ‘no home’ delivery is strictly imposed reason they don’t have a midwife or ‘kumadrona.’

This means, she said, all mothers are to deliver their babies at the town center reason there were instances that a mother delivers her baby while being on board of a motor boat.
(ROBERT DEJON)

ORMOC CITY– An alleged personal grudge led to the death of a ‘habal-habal’ driver in Sta.Margarita, Samar on Sunday (Nov.20) with the suspect still at-large.

The victim, identified by the local police as Rogelio David,48 and a resident of Barangay Nabulo of said town was hacked to death by the suspect Victor Pellina,49, using a bladed weapon, locally known as ‘sundang.’

The local police said that they received a phone call at about 9:55 am from a concerned citizen purportedly due to a vehicular accident transpired in the Nabulo.

The police led by PEMS Vitaliano Galban, immediately proceeded to the village to verify the report and saw the dead body of the victim lying on the ground.

Initial investigation conducted by responding police disclosed that the victim, on board of his motorcycle, was suddenly hacked by the suspect using the sundang.

After hacking David, the suspect fled going to a forested direction in the village.
The police said that a personal grudge between the two is being seen as the reason why the suspect killed the victim.

Santa Margarita Municipal Police Office immediately conducted a hot pursuit operation and coordinated with nearby police offices for his arrest.
(ROBERT DEJON)

In Northern Samar

CATARMAN, Northern Samar- The regional office of the Department of Tourism (DOT) conducted an orientation to the tourism establishments in the province regarding the new guidelines for accreditation in order to maintain and ensure compliance with international standards of excellence in local tourism facilities.

The event was done in partnership with the provincial government through the Provincial Tourism Office.

Participants of the said orientation were enterprise/establishment owners and tourism officers on the DOT accreditation procedure during the 9th DOT Accreditation Caravan held on November 15.

The DOT accreditation caravan aimed to promote the importance of the DOT accreditation and encourage stakeholders or establishment owners to maintain and improve the quality of their property’s facilities and services.

Rodel Balierbare, DOT senior tourism operations officer, thanked the participants for attending the seminar and to collaborate with the provincial government and their office.
He also emphasized the need for the DOT and LGUs to strictly comply the tourism enterprises regarding the accreditation rules and regulations, under Section 5 of the RA 9593 or the Tourism Act of 2009.

The DOT now adopts the progressive accreditation system (PAS) which starts from basic accreditation, and moves to regular accreditation, then the star rating system.
PAS is a three-level recognition scheme for primary tourism enterprises entailing progressive minimum standards and reflecting customers’ expectations and also accommodating persons with disabilities (PWDs).

Tourism entities and establishments are accredited through the two-fold regulation process – the physical requirements (amenities and facilities they offer, among others) and the legal requirements.

Tourism development in the province is part of Governor Edwin Ongchuan’s development agenda.
(TITO B. TEPACE with NORTHERN SAMAR PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE)