SOME tricycle drivers and vendors in Lapu-Lapu City are not keen on using cashless transactions or payments even though the City is set to introduce the measure within this month.
Anoy Ibarat, 40, a tricycle driver plying the route from Barangay Bankal to the market in Barangay Poblacion and vice versa, told SunStar Cebu on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, that he has no mobile phone that can be used for digital payments.
“I don’t agree with it. It’s good for paying bills but when it comes receiving fares, I don’t agree with it,” Ibarat said in Cebuano.
Hassle
Ibarat, who has been working as a tricycle driver for 15 years, said cashless transactions would also be a hassle since majority of tricycle drivers know nothing how digital payment works.
Like Ibarat, tricycle driver Mario Moradas, also didn’t agree with the shift to cashless transactions.
“I heard of stories of people losing their money when using digital wallets... That’s why I’m reluctant to use it,” Moradas added.
While he prefers cash as a mode of payment, Moradas said he may change his mind provided that there will be an orientation on how to use the cashless payment system and that they are assured of its security.
Gertudes Tajanlangit, 61, who sells fish at the city’s public market, didn’t agree to shifting to cashless payment system, adding that it would just be a “hassle.”
Tajanlangit, a fish vendor for two decades already, said her hands are often wet.
Apart from that, Tajanlangit said using cashless transactions would also mean they have to open their mobile phones to verify their customers’ transaction.
“With this, we would be slow in accommodating other customers,” she said.
The Lapu-Lapu City Government is set to introduce its cashless transactions to business establishments and transportation sectors in the city on Feb. 17.
The move is in partnership with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and the Department of the Interior and Local Government as part of the implementation on the Paleng-QR PH Program that was adopted by the Lapu-Lapu City Government through Ordinance 16-042-2022.
According to BSP’s website, the program aims to build digital payments ecosystem in the country by promoting cashless payments in public markets and local transportation, particularly tricycles.
Registration of merchants and stakeholders in coordination with financial service providers will happen during the launch of the program, which will be held on JP Rizal St. near the market.
The service providers include banks and electronic money issuers such as GCash, Maya and StarPay.
Under Lapu-Lapu City’s approved ordinance, business establishments, including market vendors, community shopkeepers and tricycle drivers, are mandated to maintain and make available to their patrons, customers, buyers, passengers and clients the option of paying through digital or alternative mode of payment.
Authored by City Councilor Annabeth Cuizon and co-authored by Councilor Climaco Tatoy Jr., the ordinance, however, clarified that nothing prohibits the payment in cash when chosen by the clients.
Prior to the program launch, the Lapu-Lapu City Government will conduct an information drive and encourage financial literacy to the market sellers and public transportation drivers about the initiative.