- CHERYL G. CRUZ
The Bacolod City government launched at the Libertad Public Market Tuesday morning, March 14, the Paleng-QR PH program, which seeks to promote cashless payments in markets and local transportation.
The launching in Bacolod is the first in Western Visayas and the seventh in the Philippines, the city said, with Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas deputy governor Bernadette Romulo-Puyat as guest of honor and speaker during the event.
The BSP initiated the program jointly with the Department of the Interior and Local Government to promote digital payments among market vendors, community shopkeepers, and tricycle operators and drivers in all cities and municipalities in the country.
“Until a market vendor or tricycle driver can accept digital payments, transitioning to cashless transactions would be difficult for an average Filipino consumer,” the BSP stressed in a statement as it urged local government units to issue policies or approve ordinances to incentivize or mandate the use of QR PH digital payment by market vendors and drivers.
In Bacolod, the Sangguniang Panlungsod passed on third and final reading Feb. 1 the ordinance authored by Councilor Celia Flor enjoining all business establishments and transportation in Bacolod to adopt the QR PH digital payments.
Flor, chairperson of the SP Committee on Markets and Slaughterhouse, said the ordinance is also in support of the plan of Mayor Alfredo Benitez to promote Bacolod as a smart city, and as part of the financial inclusion program of the national government.
The ordinance covers all public market vendors, public transportation, and all stores and business establishments, including but not limited to, sari-sari stores and ambulant vendors.
All public market vendors, sari-sari store owners, TODAs/local transportation, and other merchants in the City of Bacolod are directed to make QR PH payments available to their customers, in line with the Paleng-QR PH program…and at their own discretion, may select the mode of payment from any QR PH-ready financial service providers participating in the program, like GCash or Maya, the ordinance states.
Meanwhile, the BSP, with the help of the city government, initiated a financial literacy seminar earlier today, March 13, at the Libertad public market with regard the Paleng-QR PH.
The city said about 200 vendors, TODA members, and micro, small, and medium businessmen attended the seminar where issues on digital financial literacy, national retail payment system, electronic financial transfer facilities, e-payment services, benefits of e-wallet and QR code, and financial consumer protection, among others, were discussed./CGC
