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The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is set to roll out an interoperable auto-debit facility for bill payments this year, expanding the system beyond current same-bank restrictions.
Speaking at the 2026 Annual Reception for the Banking Community, BSP Deputy Governor Mamerto Tangonan confirmed that the initiative follows a successful pilot conducted in 2025.
“We already piloted it last year. We’re getting ready to launch this year,” Tangonan stated.
The new facility aims to resolve a long-standing limitation in the Philippines, where auto-debit arrangements typically require the payer and the biller to hold accounts within the same bank.
Tangonan explained the practical application of the new system:
Mamerto Tangonan
“With this new system, if your bank account is in Bank A and, for example, the condominium you bought is financed by Bank B, that will already be possible. At present, you have to be in the same bank. This is still auto-debit, but now it will work in an interoperable way.”
This development is part of the central bank’s broader strategy to deepen digital payments, particularly for recurring transactions such as utilities, association dues, and loan amortisations.
In addition to domestic improvements, the BSP is advancing cross-border payment initiatives as the Philippines assumes the ASEAN chairmanship.
Tangonan announced that a payment linkage with Malaysia will also launch this year, utilising the InstaPay rails and Malaysia’s DuitNow system.
“We’re going to launch our linkage with Malaysia this year. So it means that Malaysian visitors, when they come here, they can buy stuff using their QR,” Tangonan noted.
This will allow Malaysian apps enabled with DuitNow to scan and pay via Philippine QR codes.
These initiatives align with the BSP’s digital payments transformation roadmap, aiming to improve collection efficiency for billers and reduce friction for consumers in both local and international transactions.
