GCash and the Filipino Community: Independence Day Celebrations in New York

 

#GCash recently participated in the Independence Day celebrations in New York City. The event was organized by the Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc. (PIDCI), a non-profit organization that brings together Filipino-American associations along the East Coast. The PIDCI’s Independence Day Parade, the largest of its kind outside the Philippines, is an annual event that celebrates Filipino culture, strengthens family and community bonds, and showcases Filipino pride.

 

Paul Albano, General Manager of GCash International, used the occasion to introduce new features that enhance digital financial services for Filipinos living abroad. GCash has made significant progress in its international expansion, with its app now available for download in the US using a US mobile number. Moreover, cashing in and sending money has been made easier from over 12,000 US banks to GCash accounts.

 

“Finance for All is our vision at GCash, and it drives us to extend our reach beyond the Philippines to as many Filipinos as possible around the world,” said Albano. “We are honored to join our community in this uniquely Filipino celebration, and we are excited to share how GCash has been continuously innovating and improving our services to meet the needs of our overseas compatriots.”

 

The celebration, held on June 2, 2024, included a full-day cultural festival. GCash unveiled a float at the main event, an Independence Day Parade along Madison Avenue, highlighting GCash’s key features that connect Filipinos worldwide, especially with their loved ones back home.

GCash booths were also set up during a parallel street fair between Madison and Park Avenues, featuring trade and travel merchants. The booths showcased GCash’s role as a seamless fintech solution for overseas Filipinos and highlighted partnerships with financial institutions like Meridian, bridging US-based fintech services with the mobile wallet that is a staple for financial services across the Philippines.

GCash and Meridian have partnered to enable transfers from US banks to GCash peso accounts. This partnership allows US-based users to directly transfer funds from a selection of 12,000 US banks to GCash accounts within the GCash app. The service automatically converts dollar amounts into Philippine pesos, offering competitive foreign exchange rates and a nominal $1 fee per transaction.

Albano added, “At GCash, we aim to help our compatriots abroad with the most important thing: caring for their families and maintaining connections with their loved ones despite the distance. With GCash’s international expansion, this is exactly what we are doing. We’re making it possible for overseas Filipinos to take better control of their finances, and sending money to the Philippines is more convenient with our competitive rates.”

GCash announced in March that it has expanded its international reach and fully launched its global push following approval from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. Filipinos in 14 territories can now use international mobile numbers to sign up and use the GCash app. Kuwait and Saudi Arabia will follow suit in the next half of 2024.

With its expansion outside of the Philippines, GCash is able to serve and empower more Filipinos, wherever they may be based. In addition to free real-time money transfers among GCash wallets for convenient access to funds and the ability to buy load for loved ones back home, GCash users abroad can now directly pay their bills—ranging from utilities and tuition fees to government payables like taxes and contributions—from more than 1,900 Philippine billers.

To access GCash outside the Philippines, simply download the GCash app on Google Play, App Store, or Huawei AppGallery with an active international SIM card. On the app, select the country, type in your mobile number, and fill out important personal information to register– residency requirements may apply. Next, set your MPIN then proceed to log in. Ready your valid ID, like your Philippine passport, for scanning to verify your account. Afterward, complete the facial verification via a selfie and provide additional information, then wait for the SMS confirmation. Upon receiving the confirmation, you may now enter your MPIN and use the app.

GCash is also expected to meet with the Filipino communities in Carson City, California and Dubai, UAE within the coming weeks to share its GCash Overseas innovations.

FAQs

1. What is GCash? GCash is the leading finance app and the largest cashless ecosystem in the Philippines.

2. What is the GCash International expansion? GCash International expansion is an initiative to make the GCash app available to Filipinos living abroad. It allows them to use international mobile numbers to sign up and use the GCash app.

3. What are the new features introduced by GCash? GCash has introduced features that make cashing in and sending money easier from over 12,000 US banks to GCash accounts.

4. What is the partnership between GCash and Meridian? The partnership between GCash and Meridian enables transfers from US banks to GCash peso accounts. The service automatically converts dollar amounts into Philippine pesos.

5. How can I access GCash outside the Philippines? To access GCash outside the Philippines, download the GCash app on Google Play, App Store, or Huawei AppGallery with an active international SIM card. Follow the registration process in the app to create an account.