Araneta City teams up with GCash to make cashless palengke possible
Araneta City has teamed up with GCash, the undisputed #1 e-wallet in the Philippines, to implement cashless and contactless transactions between vendors and customers of Farmers Market in Quezon City.
Under this partnership, GCash enables vendors at Farmers Market to accept digital payments through the Scan to Pay (STP) feature via its QR technology.
"We are pleased to partner with Araneta City in carrying out our very first cashless and contactless payment scheme in a public market. This is our way of helping create a safer and convenient retail environment both for our small entrepreneurs and the public consumers," according to Ana Bautista, Lead for Conglomerate Accounts of GCash Enterprise.
Once fully implemented, customers with GCash need only to scan the unique QR code of a particular Farmers Market stall to pay for the goods purchased.
"GCash commends the active participation of Araneta City in helping lessen the risk of spreading COVID-19. This is a major step as we adjust and move forward to the new normal in doing business," Bautista said.
The collaboration between Araneta City and GCash supports the government's call for the private sector to implement cashless transactions and electronic payment schemes, and help mitigate the rate of COVID-19 cases in Metro Manila.
"As an essential establishment, Farmers Market has remained open to the public regardless of the quarantine classification imposed by the government. We have always maintained that all market personnel, vendors, and shoppers will observe compliance with health and safety protocols. We value the cashless payment platform provided by GCash as a welcome addition to our strict anti-COVID measures," according to John Castelo, Araneta City’s Senior Vice President for Business Development.
Farmers Market is Araneta City's multi-awarded one-stop-shop market that was named 'Cleanest Market' Hall of Famer by the Quezon City government. It is an undisputed benchmark and source for fresh seafood, best cooking ingredients, and food choices in the metro.
"Even before the pandemic, the City of Firsts has been introducing digital solutions to provide convenience to our patrons. We will continue to innovate our digital offerings and partner with institutions that would help us achieve this goal," Castelo stated.