GCash Signs DOT Deal to Help Philippine Tourism Businesses Go Cashless
Accredited tourism MSMEs will get GCash for Business tools, merchant incentives and financial literacy training, with registration needing only a verified GCash account.
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The Department of Tourism (DOT) and GCash have signed an agreement to help DOT-accredited tourism businesses accept cashless payments from both Filipino and foreign travellers.
Under the memorandum of understanding, GCash operator G-Xchange will onboard accredited micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to GCash for Business.
These merchants will receive digital payment tools, training and incentives, and will be able to accept a wider range of payments, including supported foreign-issued cards.
Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay and Assistant Secretary Armand Lorenze Sapitan signed for the DOT.
GCash for Business General Manager Paul Albano and GCash International Vice President Juan Carlos Bauza signed for GCash.
Fewer Lost Sales in Remote Destinations
The partnership is aimed partly at remote destinations, where money changers may be far away or unavailable.
Visitors won’t need to carry large amounts of cash or change currency before they arrive, and merchants won’t lose sales when customers run short of pesos.
Dita 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,” said Angara-Mathay.
Who Does What
GCash will equip merchants with payment tools including GCash SoundPay, SoundPay Plus, PocketPay and EasyPOS.
Merchants only need a verified GCash account to register.
GCash will also run co-branded campaigns, provide financial literacy training and share insights on consumer trends.
The DOT will promote onboarding through its regional offices and events.
It will also share lists of accredited businesses for outreach and verification, subject to data privacy laws, and give GCash access to tourist arrival data.
Albano said the partnership connects “even the smallest local businesses to more tourists both local and international.”
Tourism contributed over PHP 2.27 trillion to the Philippine economy in 2025, or 8.1% of GDP, and supported 7.7 million jobs, according to Philippine Statistics Authority figures cited by GCash.
Featured image: Edited by Fintech News Philippines based on an image by GCash via its Press Release.
