Paymaya rolls out LGU digitization program

Digital financial service firm PayMaya has rolled out a new program to help local government units (LGUs) build cashless ecosystems and better reach their constituents especially at this time of constrained mobility and social distancing requirements.

Paymaya’s “LEAD” program, which stands for LGUs Embracing and Accelerating Digitalization, aims to accelerate the digital transformation of the government from the ground up by enabling citizens to transact through online and mobile channels.

Apart from enabling businesses and merchants to accept contactless payments, the LEAD program aims to ensure that citizens can receive aid and other benefits from government through their digital financial accounts. 
 
“Consumers and businesses around the country are increasingly opting for cashless payment methods for their day-to-day needs, and we’re seeing the government, especially LGUs, stepping up and adapting quickly in order to serve the requirements of their constituents. LGUs are at the forefront of delivering government service to citizens since they are at the grassroots. Ensuring that they are equipped with the right digital financial tools is therefore the primary goal of PayMaya’s LEAD program,” said Orlando Vea, founder and chief executive officer of PayMaya. 

The LEAD program was recently introduced during the webinar forum series organized by PayMaya and USAID E-PESO in partnership with the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) and the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP), with the support of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA).

One LGU showcased during the webinar on Thursday was the city of Manila which uses the digital platform in disbursing aid to senior citizens in the country’s capital. Mayor Isko Moreno said the program has so far reached about 19,000 of the city’s senior citizens while additional 10,000 would soon be added to the roster.

Moreno noted that by eliminating human intervention in the disbursement of public funds, the less likely the system will be prone to corruption.

Vea said LGUs must be able to provide their constituents with inclusive payment acceptance options – from credit, debit, and prepaid cards to emerging payment solutions such as the QR (quick response) barcode readable by mobile devices.

This platform is also offered for LGUs to disburse financial aid and other benefits to their citizens through the PayMaya citizen ID, which acts as a payment and ID card in one, coupled with the PayMaya Payout disbursement solution. 
 
Apart from the city government of Manila, PayMaya has worked with the local governments of Mandaluyong, Pasig, Caloocan, Valenzuela, and Quezon City, among others, in their efforts to accept payments online and disburse financial aid to constituents in light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. 

PayMaya is touted as the only end-to-end digital payments ecosystem enabler in the Philippines with platforms and services that cut across consumers, merchants, and government.