ZAMBOANGA PENINSULA—Among the 760 respondents of the survey conducted in 2024 with 4Ps beneficiaries on their preparedness for digital financial transactions, 712 or 94% said that they prefer using their cash cards when receiving grants from the DSWD.

The survey was conducted to determine the reception of the 4Ps beneficiaries to the current direction of the Department to digitalize financial transactions such as the provision of their monthly cash grants from the 4Ps program by using digital platforms such as GCash or Maya.

This initiative is part of the e-Panalo ang Kinabukasan Campaign of the Program which is a Digital Financial Inclusion program for 4Ps beneficiaries. It aims to empower them with essential personal finance management skills, including budgeting, saving, debt management, and protection against financial fraud. The initiative provides orientation on Digital Financial Literacy, with beneficiaries listening to presentations from Land Bank of the Philippines, GCash, and Maya.

As per result of the survey, 4Ps beneficiaries in Region IX still prefers doing transaction thru ATMs and bank services. In terms of potential future adoption of digital wallets, 726 beneficiaries expressed interest in using LBP PISO, which is the most likely alternative digital wallet among beneficiaries, reflecting its widespread acceptance. In contrast, only 16 beneficiaries indicated they would use GCash, and 14 beneficiaries are interested in Maya, indicating limited interest in these wallets compared to LBP PISO.

“Nauunawaan namin na ATM ang gamit ninyo para makuha ang cash grants ninyo, at malalayo ang inyong lugar. Minsan, sa pagkakaunawa namin, apat na oras papunta sa pinakamalapit na ATM, apat na oras pabalik—walong oras suma total. Ang good news ngayon, dahil sa teknolohiya, pwede na nating hindi gawin yan lahat,” DSWD Secretary, Rex Gatchalian said during the smartphone distribution in Palawan early this year.

Prior to this, the DSWD has partnered with a telecommunication company to support the abovementioned direction by providing access and digital financial literacy seminars, and provision of refurbished smartphones (in some regions).

No cellular phones have been issued to 4Ps beneficiaries in Zamboanga Peninsula and provision of grants for education and health to the beneficiaries will still be done thru Landbank directly to the beneficiaries’ cash cards.