In new era, GCash invites millions of Pinoys to ‘heart’ financial progress

Written by: Vaughn Alviar

GCash steps up from financial inclusion to financial progress as it welcomes a new era this 2024, hand-in-hand with its newest brand ambassador, global fashion icon Heart Evangelista-Escudero.

“This new era is an invitation to a brighter future for all Filipinos,” explained Neil Trinidad, Chief Marketing Officer at GCash, the Philippines’ No. 1 finance app and largest cashless ecosystem. “We are giving them the confidence and trust that they can shop whatever their heart desires, save and fund their dreams for the future, and manage their finances independently and without worry – all through GCash.”

“We’re very excited to have Heart lead the way and inspire all Filipinos in their financial progress era,” he added. 

GCash officially welcomed the next chapter in its story on Feb. 7 in Makati City with a live filming of “GCash Spotlight,” where Heart sat down with Boy Abunda for an interview. In their one-on-one, the popular fashion and lifestyle influencer shared how GCash helps her personal life and career.

On “GCash Spotlight,” Heart Evangelista-Escudero and host Boy Abunda agree that GCash has made their lives easier and could propel millions to financial progress with its suite of tools.

“GCash fits into your life and makes so many things easy. Pwede mo i-GCash ang kahit ano – money, bills payment, mag-set up ng savings, insurance kahit investing in stocks – and the more you explore your GCash app, the more you learn to love it,” Heart told Abunda during the interview, set to premiere on the GCash YouTube channel this month. 

“I heart GCash,” she declared.

Proving her belief in the brand, Heart co-wrote the scripts for the films in the campaign. She even brought out some of her signature luxury pieces for the shoots. 

‘Send love’

During the interview, Heart shared how easy it has been to use GCash to Pay Online and gain exclusive access to deals when buying her furbabies’ needs, and how her husband Sen. Chiz Escudero would “Express Send ‘love’ via “Send Money” through the app. 

Heart Evangelista-Escudero and Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero pose with Martha Sazon, Mynt President and CEO; and Ernest Cu, Mynt Chairperson and Global Group CEO. The couple admitted that forwarding funds through GCash has been their love language.

She also shared how she is able to use the app for her everyday needs, from buying items while in Paris or paying for kwek-kwek in Manila through GCash Scan To Pay. 

Globetrotters like Heart, for instance, can also use GCash to pay without the hassles of service fees through Scan-To-Pay or with the GCash Card, which lets them do more, like shop online, withdraw money, or pay for products and services in over 200 countries and territories, at low forex and without surprise charges. A few months since its launch, the GCash Card has surpassed a million holders, Heart being one of them.

Overseas Filipinos may also register on the GCash app using their local Philippine mobile number or international SIMs from the US, Canada, Australia, UK, Japan and Italy. President and CEO of GXI Oscar Reyes confirmed this with Inquirer, “You can use the local number or SIM [in the country where you are] to register on GCash.” 

“You may then cash in with foreign banks and partner remittance centers to receive the money in your GCash wallet in Philippine peso, ready for your payment needs, he said. “That way, you can express your love to your family back home by doing the tasks yourself. Second, you know your hard-earned money does not go anywhere else.”

Growing wealth

At “GCash Spotlight,” Heart shared how she would spend and save wisely. She explained that saving and growing her money didn’t have to equate to placing limitations to her lifestyle, and then shared how GStocks PH and GSave have helped her protect and grow her wealth.

“We know life is tough in the Philippines, but we also know that digital technology presents an opportunity to make things easier,” shares Ernest Cu before the live audience of “GCash Spotlight.”

GStocks PH is AB Capital Securities, Inc.’s (ABCSI) online retail securities trading services made accessible through the GCash App. Through GStocks PH, Filipinos can access the local stock market with 3 easy steps (register, top up, and trade).

“Ultimately, for us to really get people to do more stock trading, it had to be simple and easy to use,” said Jong Layug, Head of Wealth Management in an interview.

GSave, on the other hand, gives users the ability to open a savings account with only their verified GCash account and earn up to 6.5% p.a. interest through four different banks with no minimum balance.

Protect life, assets, experiences

Traveling a lot, Heart has availed of GInsure Travel Insurance for coverage during mishaps and other eventualities, like missing flights and losing pieces of luggage. 

With the insurance package powered by Standard Insurance and Malayan, users can get up to P2.5 million coverage on flights, luggage and emergencies. It takes 5 minutes and as little as P350 to opt in.

“It’s nice that Heart is an advocate of protecting your properties and yourself from bad experiences through insurance,” said Winsley Bangit, Head of New Businesses, explaining that, beyond travel insurance, a “one-stop shop for all your needs” awaited in the GInsure hub. 

“We’re making sure we’re creating one affordable [package] suited for the different needs of our customers — not just protecting lives and assets, but experiences,” he said.

On the GInsure hub, a dashboard shows you all your active policies. From there, you can easily manage, change and amend policies; and register claims.

For the Filipino

The advocacy for financial progress mirrored by GCash in its new era is a natural extension of its longtime crusade for financial inclusion, said Reyes. “We’ve reached a lot of Filipinos already. We continue to do that, but we also have to think, ‘For those who own GCash accounts, what’s next?’ … We need to show them, ‘Now that you are in the formal financial system, you can benefit.’ And, the benefit is progress.

“A lot of the things we do at GCash are founded on pushing [customers] toward financial progress; and we built a lot of our products and tools to help them be closer to their dreams,” Layug noted. Heart, he said, would inspire millions to succeed.

And just like Heart, GCash vows to improve to become the true partner of Filipinos. Trinidad said: “GCash is deeply committed to bringing every Filipino closer toward their goal of financial progress. We’re excited to share even more innovative solutions this year to help achieve that.”

Martha Sazon says Heart is the perfect brand ambassador for GCash as the platform enters a new era of financial progress.

“Heart talked about not just protecting yourself or spending, but also progressing,” noted Bangit. “[GCash] should be able to empower more Filipinos to aspire better.”

“So, the new era is more and more Filipinos dreaming bigger,” he said.

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