cashless payments

From left: DOT Assistant Secretary for Branding and Marketing Communications Armand Lorenze Valerio Sapitan; GCash for Business General Manager Paul Albano; DOT Secretary Maria Bernardita Angara-Mathay; GCash International Head of International Payments Juan Carlos Bauza; and Mynt Chief Regulatory Affairs Officer Atty. Cef Sison

The Department of Tourism (DOT) and GCash signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to expand digital payment acceptance among tourism-related MSMEs nationwide and accelerate the tourism industry’s digitalization.

GCash tools and training to help local merchants welcome cashless payments from Filipino and foreign travelers

The Department of Tourism (DOT) and GCash, through its mobile wallet operator G-Xchange, Inc. (GXI), have partnered to promote cashless payments among tourists and DOT-accredited micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Local merchants will receive digital payment tools and training so they can serve visitors more conveniently.

The memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed on November 3. Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay and Assistant Secretary for Branding and Marketing Communications, Armand Lorenze Sapitan, signed for the DOT. Paul Albano, General Manager of GCash for Business, and Juan Carlos “Caloy” Bauza, Vice President and International Payments Head of GCash International. The MOU sets a framework for joint campaigns, merchant onboarding, and financial literacy initiatives in support of Philippine tourism.

As mobile payments become a way of life around the world, travelers increasingly expect to pay with their phones wherever they go. For tourism businesses, offering digital payment options is fast becoming essential to staying competitive. The benefits are greatest in remote destinations, where money changers may be far away or nonexistent. Visitors no longer need to carry large amounts of cash or convert currency before they arrive, and merchants no longer lose a sale because a customer is short on pesos.

This initiative will enable local businesses to seamlessly accept a wider range of payment methods, including supported foreign-issued cards, giving international visitors greater convenience while helping local businesses capture tourism-driven spending.

“Visitors already want to pay digitally, and our accredited enterprises should be ready for them. From homestay hosts to market vendors and local artisans, these are the people who make a destination lively enough to be worth visiting,” said Secretary Angara-Mathay. “This partnership with GCash gives them the tools and the training to accept digital payments, so more of what tourists spend stays in local communities.”

“The DOT will do its part by endorsing and actively promoting the onboarding of our accredited MSMEs, consistent with our Love the Philippines and Discover More to Love campaigns,” she added.

Under the MOU, the DOT will provide guidelines on the proper branding of its marketing campaigns and give GCash access to its digital assets for co-branded efforts, along with relevant tourist arrival data. It will also share lists of accredited entities for outreach and merchant verification, subject to data privacy laws, invite GCash to its events and trade activities where merchants may be onboarded, and coordinate with relevant offices, particularly its regional offices.

On its part, GCash will organize co-branded campaigns in support of the DOT’s tourism advocacy and streamline the onboarding of accredited MSMEs. It will provide merchant incentives, customized digital payment toolkits, and promotional support to drive cashless transactions across key tourism destinations, and will facilitate financial literacy training for MSMEs. GCash will also share insights on campaign performance and consumer trends, and work with the DOT on tourism product development projects that support local artisans and other creative enterprises among the accredited MSMEs.

GCash, in addition, will onboard tourism-accredited MSMEs to GCash for Business and equip participating merchants with payment acceptance solutions such as GCash SoundPay, GCash PocketPay, GCash SoundPay Plus, and GCash EasyPOS. With simplified registration requiring only a verified GCash account to get started, more small businesses can access digital payment facilities without the complexities of traditional banking.

“At GCash, our mission of ‘Finance for All’ means ensuring that every Filipino, including every single micro and small merchant who brings our local tourism destinations to life, can thrive in the digital economy. Through this partnership, we are boosting the Philippine tourism sector by connecting even the smallest local businesses to more tourists, both local and international, and giving them the tools to benefit from global tourism opportunities,” said Albano.

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), tourism contributed over ₱2.27 trillion to the economy in 2025, or 8.1 percent of GDP, and supported 7.7 million jobs. By equipping accredited MSMEs to accept digital payments, the partnership aims to help more of that spending reach local communities.

CEBU City once again came alive with color, devotion, and celebration as the Sinulog Festival filled the streets with music, movement, and community spirit in honor of the Sto Niño. Joining the festivities, GCash brought a mix of exciting on-ground activities and practical digital solutions, turning Sinulog into a celebration of faith and culture, and progress for local nano, micro, small, and medium enterprises (NMSMEs).

GCash Sinulog activities highlighted how faster, cashless payments can help small businesses keep up with the festival rush, serve more customers, and unlock new income opportunities during peak moments of celebration.

Festival-goers enjoyed GCash experience hubs across key festival areas, with interactive booths at the grandstand and mobile PisoCarts stationed along parade routes. Through these PisoCarts, essential items were offered for just ₱1 when paid via GCash QR, showcasing how digital payments make transactions quicker, easier, and more convenient amid large crowds. Driving an additional income boost and faster payment processing for our NMSMEs engaged for the Sinulog Festival.

“We want every festival-goer and merchant partner to experience a Sinulog that is as seamless as it is vibrant. Through initiatives like our PisoTreats and cashless QR payments, we are weaving financial technology into the very fabric of the festival. We are proud to support Cebu’s nano, micro, small, and medium enterprises (NMSMEs) as they transition from traditional retail to a digital-first future and a trusted financial hub in their communities through GCash Pera Outlet Plus, ensuring that no one is left behind in our journey toward a ‘Finance for All’ Philippines,” said Tania Gil Padilla, Vice President for GCash Regional Business Unit.

From tradition to transformation: MSMEs at the heart of Sinulog

In Cebu’s communities, sari-sari stores and family-run businesses remain everyday lifelines. During Sinulog, they also become frontliners of commerce—serving locals, devotees, and tourists alike. By bridging traditional retail with digital finance, GCash helps these businesses not just survive busy seasons but grow sustainably beyond them.

One such story is Ysabela Store in Mabolo, Cebu City, run by husband-and-wife team Soledad “Sol” Braceros and John Paul Braceros. What began as a modest sari-sari store named after their daughter has grown into a mini-grocery, driven in large part by their early adoption of GCash and GCash Pera Outlet Plus (GPO+).

“What began as a small sari-sari store named for our daughter nine years ago has grown into a mini-grocery, significantly thanks to GCash,” shared Sol and John Paul. “The cash-in, cash-out service provides us with a steady revenue stream. This is essential for serving our community, particularly the families who receive remittances from loved ones working in Manila every payday. GCash has been crucial to our expansion.”

Through services such as cash-in, cash-out, and bills payment, Ysabela Store has become a trusted financial touchpoint in its neighborhood—proof that digital trust can thrive even in the most local of spaces.

Keeping up with the pace of festivities

Meanwhile, at Taboan Market, where tourists flock for Cebu’s famous dried fish pasalubong, Cindy & Nico Dried Fish Store reflects how digital payments are reshaping long-standing family businesses.

“My parents founded this store years ago, and I joined them to help manage it two years back,” said Cindy Bayon-on. “After the pandemic, we started using GCash because customers kept asking for it. Now, especially during Sinulog, it’s been a huge help. Tourists buying pasalubong are often in a hurry to see the next event. With GCash, transactions are quick and hassle-free, and it’s convenient for our customers, which makes business much smoother.”

A festival of progress shared by the community

Through initiatives like these, GCash further strengthens its commitment to help MSMEs grow their businesses. Its initiatives during festivals like Sinulog, aim to help participating merchants increase service-related earnings as it encourages the continued use of digital payments even after the festivities.

By weaving financial technology into one of the country’s most iconic festivals, GCash helps make the Sinulog experience more inclusive and empowering by supporting local businesses, easing everyday transactions, and ensuring that progress is shared across the community long after the final dance.

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DOT, GCASH SIGN MOU TO EXPAND CASHLESS PAYMENTS AMONG ACCREDITED TOURISM MSMEs

GCash supports local MSME growth and local entrepreneurship through accessible digital financial tools at Sinulog Festival 2026