MANILA, Philippines — E-wallet giants GCash and Maya have expanded their payment schemes even in public wet markets in Central Visayas as part of their efforts to promote cashless transactions.
In a joint measure, GCash and Maya said they introduced their cashless features to wet market vendors in Tagbilaran, Bohol to ensure that even consumers and enterprises in the regions are covered by the shift to digital.
GCash CEO Martha Sazon said the partnership allows merchants to put up their respective QR codes that could entice GCash users to buy from their store.
This way, Sazon said micro, small and medium enterprises can expand their market by adopting cashless transactions. Apart from wet market merchants, GCash eyes to include small-scale shops and tricycle drivers in its list of enterprises offering QR payment.
“Currently, there are about 138 active GCash Pera Outlets where GCash users can cash in and cash out. QR codes deployed as of January 10 are all operational and widely used by the locals and tourists. As such, GCash to GCash transactions continue to remain free of charge ensuring convenience to its patrons,” Sazon said.
On the other hand, Maya head of enterprise business Mar Lazaro said the introduction of Maya payment in Bohol public markets would enable vendors to access banking services as well.
Similar to GCash, Maya hopes to reach even tricycle drivers in accepting cashless payments to extend them the opportunity to transact through QR.
“Our small-scale merchants and Filipino consumers are not only enjoying a hassle-free payment experience for their daily transactions with Maya QR. They are also creating a financial footprint that allows them to access more advanced banking services offered by Maya,” Lazaro said.
Lazaro said Maya has expanded its merchant touchpoint to more than 800,000 since the launch of person-to-person payments in 2019 and person-to-merchant transactions in 2021.
Maya seeks to widen its reach by building on its network of partner outlets at the local level.
At present, GCash maintains over 71 million users across the archipelago, providing them with access to financial services like payment, savings, investments, loans and insurance.
Behind GCash, Maya is enhancing its network of partner enterprises in food, hospitals, schools, transport, travel, among others, in its bid to become the digital bank of choice of Filipinos.