Now that the cases of coronavirus are rising in the Philippines, we must find ways to keep ourselves and the people around us safe. The month-long quarantine seems to be helping because a lot of people are staying home. Malls and non-essential establishments have temporarily closed, classes are suspended, and flights are being canceled. So what else can we do to protect ourselves from the dreaded COVID-19?
Other countries have pushed for cashless systems when paying for goods and services. Restaurants in the US are recommending cashless payments, while Iran has seen a spike in contactless transactions for the past week. It’s understandable when you consider that paper money host thousands of microbes and are passed around by dozens of people. Imagine if a bill handled by an infected person is passed on to you? As of yesterday, there are 140 cases in the Philippines, which makes this scene likely.
Now is the time to embrace going cashless. GCash is a trusted app that offers a scan-to-pay option, where you can settle your bill with just your smartphone. It’s easy to use: simply scan the QR code of participating establishments using the GCash app.
Where can I use GCash?
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More and more businesses are offering this and you can even use GCash while shopping for groceries. Take for example Puregold. Once you’ve stocked up on your essentials (please don’t hoard), simply scan the code at the counter and you’re done. No contact with other people, no need to look for your wallet in your bag, and no need to worry if you have the right amount of cash.
Restaurants and fastfood places are also accepting GCash. We’ve been advised to stay at home but there are times when we’re too lazy to cook and we just want to eat out. You can also use GCash to pay for your meals so you can still protect yourself. Some places that accept this are Bonchon and Army Navy.
Another feature that we can all benefit from during the community quarantine is the bills payment feature. We can settle our balances for a wide variety of services, including electricity, water, cable/internet, telecoms, credit cards, loans, government, insurance, and more.
Benefits of using GCash
There are other benefits to using GCash aside from cashless payments. You can also transfer money to your loved ones, especially those you can’t reach because of the community quarantine. You can transfer to other GCash users and more than 30 participating banks, including BPI, BDO, and Metrobank. It takes just a few seconds and comes at no cost.
You can also use GCash to open a savings account. GCash Save can earn up to 12 times higher than current industry rates, without a minimum deposit or a required maintaining balance. If you’re short on cash, you can use GCredit as a line for emergencies.
Is GCash safe?
Of course. The platform launched Customer Protect, a program that assures compensation for unauthorized financial transactions. Transactions covered by Customer Protect include unauthorized point-of-sale merchant transactions using your GCash Mastercard, withdrawals, and online payments.
We’re just on our second day of the community quarantine. Let’s make things easier by not panicking, staying at home, and practicing social distancing. When we need to go out, let’s observe proper hygiene. Let’s go cashless.
This story is in partnership with GCash. For more information, visit the website or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.