GCash, the Philippines’ leading finance super app and largest cashless ecosystem, paid tribute to its partner communities through the GCash Digital Excellence Awards (GDEA), where exemplary members of the private and public sectors were awarded for driving digital innovation and making financial services more accessible to the Filipino people.
We at GCash strive to go beyond connecting communities with essential financial services. We’re here to help them build a sturdy foundation for their long-term economic well-being.
CATHLYN PAVIA
Head of Strategy
GCash for Business
The 2024 edition of the annual ceremony recognized the shared mission of “Finance for All” put into practice by several cities in the Visayas region. Here, local government units (LGUs) and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have spent the year harnessing GCash as a powerful tool to empower their local communities, drive inclusive economic growth, and boost financial literacy.
Ernest Cu, Chairman of the Board of Mynt and President and CEO of the Globe Group, opens the event by emphasizing GCash’s commitment to advancing financial inclusion through digital transformation.
“There is a widespread need to make digital financial services accessible to a broad and diverse audience,” began Cathlyn Pavia, Head of Strategy of GCash for Business. “The next goal is to bring these solutions to more people, ultimately fostering financial inclusivity and ensuring that no one is left behind as we get future-ready. We see how cities in Visayas are working toward this.”
Cathlyn Pavia, Head of Strategy of GCash for Business, highlights how the event embodies a shared commitment to financial literacy among Filipinos, fostering digitally inclusive cities where technology seamlessly integrates into daily life.
Through the DigiCities Program, a defining feature of the GCash Digital Excellence Awards, GCash creates synergies that cut across government, businesses, and communities with the end goal of building a transformative digital nation. By empowering these partners with a wide range of digital financial services, the Philippines can work toward accelerating the adoption of digital payments and creating a future where safe, convenient, and accessible financial transactions can become part of daily life. Today, the program boasts 27 cities committed to digital inclusion, seven of which are from Visayas. Pavia shared: “With the growing number of Visayan cities adopting GCash as their platform of choice for digital financial services, the region is emerging as a leader in the push for greater financial accessibility.”
Rolando Puno, DILG Assistant Secretary for Communications and External Affairs, underscores the transformative power of technology and digitalization in enhancing government services and empowering Filipinos.
This year, two of the three winners of GDEA’s Top 3 DigiCities LGU Award hailed from Visayas: Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu and Victorias City in Negros Occidental. The two cities shared the coveted accolade with San Fernando City in Pampanga.
Lapu-Lapu City takes 2nd place in the DigiCities LGU Awards for its proactive support and exceptional execution in driving digital payment adoption.
The DigiCities LGU Award recognizes the pivotal role of these cities in improving access to financial services. For Lapu-Lapu City, a four-year consecutive winner at GDEA, success lies in the swift expansion of payment options available for traffic violations, environmental fees, business tax, and real property tax, among others. In addition, the city has completed all three phases of the DigiCities Program with great support from its internal stakeholders, priming the city for more expansive financial inclusion efforts.
Victorias City wins First Place in the DigiCities LGU Awards for its outstanding efforts in promoting digital payment adoption and diverse financial transactions.
For Victorias City, meanwhile, notable accomplishments include bolstering the use of digital transactions by 160% in 2024 by utilizing GCash payment solutions, raising awareness on how to maximize digital payments as part of Victorias City’s taxpayer program, and enabling digital disbursements for its government sectors, which allow constituents to access LGU services and transact with the city government. While accepting the award, Victorias City Major Javi Benitez said: “We are truly honored and proud to be named as one of this year’s finalists for the DigiCities award. This recognition is for all our local bureaus in Victorias’ LGU who poured their hearts and souls into our digital initiatives and projects. Together, let’s keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.”
Bacolod City’s Burgos Public Market wins the Palengke Excellence in Digital Transformation Award for effectively promoting and facilitating the adoption of digital transactions among vendors and customers.
In its other award categories, GDEA 2024 gave Bacolod City’s Burgos Public Market one of the four awards for Palengke Excellence in Digital Transformation. This award is dedicated to the country’s top-performing public markets that have seamlessly switched to digital finance, improving the day-to-day transactions of market customers and vendors. Bacolod City, in partnership with GCash, has leveraged local events like the Manokan Festival and Masskara Festival to promote digitalization among its markets, and works rigorously on expansion projects, covering Bacolod’s satellite offices and the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO). In addition, Bacolod City regularly hosts financial literacy sessions for vendors to inform them about building wealth and avoiding scams. These efforts have led the city to see a 1,000% growth in its 2024 GCash transactions.
Tagbilaran City receives the Leader in Sustainable Financial Digitalization award for setting industry standards and leading the way in providing innovative public services and programs that leverage digital financial solutions.
Named Leader in Sustainable Financial Digitalization, Tagbilaran was another Visayan city cited at GDEA 2024 as an exemplar of innovative public service hinged on digital transformation. This year, the capital of Bohol—a GCash partner since 2021 and the first to launch Paleng-QR Ph in Visayas—reinforced the support for its long-running digital payment advocacy. The local government has successfully pushed for in-market promotions in addition to making financial literacy programs available for employees, senior citizens, SMEs, and other community groups.
“This recognition underscores our administration’s steadfast advocacy for digitalization as a cornerstone of efficient governance and inclusive development,” said Tagbilaran City Mayor Jane Yap. “Our partnership with GCash has been pivotal in advancing financial inclusion and fostering digital transformation in Tagbilaran City. By integrating innovative digital solutions, we have enhanced public services and empowered our constituents to thrive in an increasingly digital world. This award inspires us to further champion initiatives that will drive progress and sustainability through technology.”
GXI President and CEO Renren Reyes concludes the event by acknowledging the vital role of the public sector in driving financial inclusion and its significance to the nation.
As GCash continues to expand its reach by exploring meaningful partnerships with local communities, the company sets its sights on making financial inclusion a reality for everyone. “We know now, having engaged model cities in Visayas, that financial inclusion is about more than providing access to financial tools; it’s about empowering people with the knowledge to use those tools effectively,” said Pavia. “We at GCash strive to go beyond connecting communities with essential financial services. We’re here to help them build a sturdy foundation for their long-term economic well-being.”