SAN MARCELINO, Zambales — This first-class municipality became the first among the 13 towns in Zambales to join the growing bandwagon for “Paleng-QR Ph”, a program jointly developed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to maximize the use of digital payments in markets and tricycle hubs.

The system, which uses digital devices such as cellphone apps for making cashless transactions, was launched here on July 12 by Mayor Elmer Soria, along with Deputy Director Mark Jason Cagalingan of BSP San Fernando, Pampanga Branch; Provincial Director Martin Porres Moral of DILG Zambales; Provincial Director Enrique Tacbad of DTI Zambales; and Vice Mayor Cristopher Gongora.

The launch was supported by banking and money services outlets like Land Bank, GCash, Maya, Gotyme, USSC, the Olongapo Subic Bay Bankers Association, as well as the San Marcelino Market Vendors Association, which set up booths at the Plazuela Multi-Purpose Hall here to promote cashless payments to the public.

Mayor Soria hailed the “Paleng-QR” for providing the public with an efficient and faster payments system for residents, adding that the digital system would also prevent the circulation of counterfeit money in the locality.

The “Paleng-QR” is under the QR Ph initiative of the BSP and the payments industry to have a national QR code standard for digital payments. It aims to promote the use of QR codes in digital payments even between different banks or wallet providers, to make such transactions interoperable and convenient for both merchants and consumers.

The BSP has encouraged local government units (LGUs) to join the program so that residents can avail of cashless transactions in the marketplace.

Under the program, LGUs are expected to issue an ordinance promoting cashless payments by mandating and/or incentivizing the use of QR Ph digital payments by market vendors, tricycle operators and drivers, and other business establishments.

LGUs are also enjoined to help target users such as market vendors and tricycle drivers to have a transaction account by organizing an “account opening day,” with the help of financial service providers (FSPs) participating in the QR Ph initiative.

San Marcelino is the 83^rd LGU in the country to join the Paleng-QR” program. As of July 31, a total of 120 localities are already in the list as having had launch activities or policy issuances regarding the cashless transaction system.

DILG Director Porres-Moral at DTI Director Tacbad, meanwhile, pledged all-out support to LGUs in strengthening the digital mode of payments in Zambales. — Taktikom News & Features

PHOTO: Mayor Elmer Soria makes a purchase using the “Paleng-QR” system