Filipinos are
now scrambling to keep their home supplies at bay, as the deadly novel
coronavirus (COVID-19) has spread in various parts of the country, and a community
quarantine has been ordered in certain areas of the archipelago.
In Metro
Manila alone, some grocery stores have seen their shelves almost wiped out of
stocks, as people stockpile their homes with food and other grocery items to
prepare their families for more stringent quarantine measures.
This means
that the exchange of paper money is faster than ever, and money is circulating
from one hand to another without prejudice to whoever handled the banknotes
before people and merchants ultimately keep them in their wallets or cash
registers.
Paper money,
according to various studies, can harbor the viruses and bacteria that they
contract with for several days. This may include the deadly novel virus that
has forced the world into a pandemic.
And in the
Philippines, where cash is still king, the virus may potentially spread through
the exchange of paper money, which circulates not only in one area but can go
anywhere where payment is demanded.
Aside from
practicing personal hygiene, the World Health Organization (WHO) has already
encouraged everyone to use contactless payment solutions to avoid viral
transmission via banknotes and coins.
Thus, it is
high time for Filipinos to consider using frictionless payment methods such as
mobile wallets. Through mobile apps, account holders may transact with a wide
variety of merchants without physically touching paper money. They may also use
their mobile phones to pay for bills, settle for government dues, or even
support humanitarian efforts to combat the dreaded disease.
GCash, the
leading mobile wallet in the Philippines, is encouraging Filipinos to adopt a
more digital lifestyle, especially at times like these, when crises strike
everyone the hardest.
“At this
trying time, every one of us should adopt measures that will reduce our risk of
contracting the virus from any surface — and that includes paper money. We at
GCash believe that there is power in technology, and Filipinos could benefit
from this, especially during emergencies,” GCash President Anthony Thomas
said.
The digital
economy helps lessen the risk of transmission for those who leverage it, as it
limits the physical interaction between people and leverages new technologies
to facilitate services.
Transferring
funds to loved ones in the provinces
For instance,
a man who works in quarantined Metro Manila may send money to his loved ones in
Bicol via GCash. He may either send the money to their GCash wallets or even
transfer funds from his GCash account to their bank accounts via the Bank
Transfer option in the GCash app.
The funds
transferred may then be used by his family to purchase their everyday goods,
pay for services, and even pay for their bills.
No queues at
payment centers
Speaking of
paying bills, with social distancing protocols now in place, queuing at payment
centers also increases the risk of spreading the virus.
By using the
GCash Pay Bills service, anyone with a GCash account may settle their utility
bills, credit card bills, cable and internet bills, insurance, real estate, and
even government dues without going out of the comforts of their homes.
Get things
delivered
Likewise,
instead of going to supply stores, GCash users may use their GCash wallets to
shop online. Through its partnership with Lazada, which has the widest arrays
of goods being sold, GCash users may opt to buy their grocery items or even
daily necessities via their mobile phones. The items they purchased will then
be delivered to their doorsteps, reducing their risk of contact to the virus.
Pay with
credit lines
But if it is
really necessary to go outside and buy daily necessities from the grocery
store, GCash users may also use their mobile wallets to purchase goods via the
revolutionary Scan-to-Pay (STP) via QR or STP via Barcode payment systems,
which are accepted in over 70,000 merchants in the country. They may
either use their available balance or tap into GCredit, a credit facility
embedded in the GCash app, to transact with grocery stories like
Puregold.
Savings in
times of emergencies
GCash users
with GSave savings accounts may also digitally cash out their money when
emergencies arise. The money, when cashed out from the GSave account, directly
goes into the GCash wallet balance, and instead of physically cashing the money
out of ATMs, they may opt to use their digital wallets to transact with various
merchants across the Philippines.
Not the only
risk reduction measure
These are
just some of the services that Filipinos may benefit from during the global
pandemic. But while frictionless payments reduce the risks of spreading the
virus, everyone should still keep in mind that proper hygiene, as directed by
the Department of Health, should be thoroughly and strictly practiced.
“We have to
work together as a team — albeit following social distancing protocols — to
defeat this almost invisible enemy. We at GCash are exploring more ways to help
the government and the private sector in mitigating the further spread of
COVID-19 in the country,” Thomas said.
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Stay safe.
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