MANILA, PHILIPPINES — At the height of the pandemic when people were staying at home and many government services were interrupted, a handful of pioneering government agencies did not allow the health crisis to stand in their way of serving their constituents who urgently needed help. They bravely took a step forward by utilizing digital financial technology to ensure they can continue serving the community amid the pandemic.
To honor these outstanding government units and agencies, GCash, the country’s leading mobile wallet, is launching the GCash Digital Excellence Awards 2021, the first recognition program for institutions that pioneered digital finance programs to help ensure safe and efficient delivery of their services. This year, the awarding ceremony will be held in an exclusive online event on December 1, 2021.
“GCash’s goal is to make Filipino lives better every day and achieve financial inclusion for all. Over the course of the pandemic, we have witnessed the hard work and dedication of our partners from the public sector to uplift the lives of our countrymen, so it is only fitting that we honor and recognize their innovations and unwavering commitment through the first-ever GCash Digital Excellence Awards,” said Martha Sazon, GCash president and chief executive officer.
Government units, agencies, and even individuals will be given special recognition through six (6) different categories: The Excellence in Innovation and Leadership Award, recognizes government institutions that pioneered the use of digital solutions, in partnership with GCash, to deliver prompt and effective response for the needs of the public, while inspiring others to follow their lead.
The Excellence in Digital Public Aid Distribution is given to government bodies that partnered with GCash in providing quick and relevant digital solutions for the distribution of government benefits to their clients, members, and constituents. The Excellence in Digital Public Service Award is a citation for public institutions that contributed to the growth of the cashless ecosystem in the Philippines by providing their stakeholders access to digital payment solutions.
Meanwhile, the Excellence in Digital Ecosystem Innovation Award recognizes institutions or sectors that partnered with GCash in creating an effective digital ecosystem to improve the lives of their constituents. For state universities in LGUs that implemented an outstanding program to promote a digital ecosystem among the youth, GCash will be conferring the Excellence in Digital Advancement of the Youth Awards in recognition of their efforts to effectively prepare young people for a more advanced fintech-oriented environment in partnership with GCash.
Lastly, GCash will honor organizations or individuals as Digital Financial Inclusion Champions who go the extra mile in helping promote and build an inclusive digital ecosystem for the benefit of the community.
“The GCash Digital Excellence Awards is a testament of the public sector’s commitment to public service and an acknowledgment of the importance of financial technology, which they adopted during the pandemic. As we are rapidly moving towards a more digital society, I’m looking forward to a more fintech-educated community in the coming years,” shared Cathlyn Pavia, GCash assistant vice president and head for partnerships and public sector.
At the height of the pandemic last year, GCash became vital in aiding LGUs and other organizations in disbursing off-cycle allowances for employees and their families. For the government’s Social Amelioration Program, GCash was able to distribute more than P16 billion to Filipinos, saving the government about 952 days and P52 million.
Through the annual GCash Digital Excellence Awards, GCash hopes to motivate the public and private sectors to continue to innovate their services for Filipinos, as well as inspire others to follow their lead so that someday the Philippines can achieve a more inclusive financial society.
On the GCash app, users can safely and conveniently receive select government benefits, pay bills, send money, shop, save, and invest on the app. To date, GCash has more than 61 million users. The GCash app may be downloaded for free via the Google Play or App Store.
For more information, visit www.gcash.com.
