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The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) are calling on local government units (LGUs) and small businesses in Pangasinan to embrace the Paleng-QR Ph initiative—a joint effort designed to accelerate the country’s transition to a cashless economy.
Developed by the BSP in collaboration with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Paleng-QR Ph programme seeks to create a nationwide digital payments ecosystem by promoting QR code-based transactions in public markets and local transport systems. The initiative encourages LGUs to integrate digital payments among market vendors, small shopkeepers, and tricycle operators, making everyday transactions more efficient, secure, and transparent.
According to DTI Region 1 Assistant Director Natalia Dalaten, digital payments offer multiple benefits for both consumers and merchants. “Using QR codes eliminates the hassle of finding change, as customers can pay the exact amount. It also reduces the risk of theft since vendors no longer need to carry large sums of cash,” she explained.
However, officials acknowledged that broader adoption requires stronger collaboration and awareness at the grassroots level. BSP Deputy Governor Bernadette Romulo-Puyat emphasized the importance of partnerships with local governments to drive wider usage.
“There are already those who use digital payments, but we have to do more,” Romulo-Puyat said. “We need to partner with different LGUs, because through them, the adoption of cashless payments will truly take off.”
In Pangasinan, Alaminos City has already begun implementing the programme, while the municipality of Calasiao is preparing to launch it soon.
Nationwide, about 222 LGUs have either launched the Paleng-QR Ph initiative or issued supporting policies as of September, marking steady progress toward the Philippines’ goal of building a fully inclusive and digitally enabled payment system.
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