When Rhea Inayan opened her boutique store in 2008, she sold imported clothes, bags, supplements, and canned goods that would otherwise be unavailable or too expensive for her neighbors to buy. Over time, her customers became loyal supporters who followed her through the ups and downs of her entrepreneurial journey. #GCash
Rhea Inayan tours the GCash team and media representatives in one of her GCash Pera Outlets in Brgy. Mandalagan, Bacolod City.
However, life took an unexpected turn when a health and family crisis forced Rhea to close her store. The setback left her uncertain and struggling to regain her confidence. Ultimately, she chose to focus on her recovery first, and when her health improved, she found the courage to start over. This time, it was her community that guided her.
Many of her loyal customers shared how difficult it was to access traditional financial services like money remittance. While some traveled far just to pay bills, others missed the transaction cutoff. Customers were also charged up to 10% in additional service fees for money transfers, a painful reality in communities where families depend on every peso from relatives abroad or in distant cities. Moved by this need, Rhea became a partner in the GCash Pera Outlet (GPO) program and helped ease this burden for her community.
Her journey was highlighted in the fifth installment of the #GCashStories campaign, launched in her hometown of Bacolod City. The event brought together local partners and showcased how digital tools can help entrepreneurs like Rhea rebuild their businesses while serving as lifelines for their communities.
Becoming a micro-entrepreneur with a purpose
The partnership between Rhea and GCash, the Philippines' leading finance superapp and largest cashless ecosystem, has provided a powerful solution for her community. It has also helped Rhea in her journey as a micro entrepreneur.
From left: General Manager of GCash for Business Jong Layug, business owner Rhea Inayan, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Negros Occidental Provincial Director Engr. Lynna Joy B. Cardinal, and Bacolod City Government Local Economic Development and Investment Promotions Officer Dr. Mae Ferrer-Llamas
At the GCash Stories launch event, public and private stakeholders discussed how micro, small, and medium enterprises can take their businesses to the next level through digitalization.
"Before, it was just us, our own start, our own fight," Rhea shared. "But when I started a GCash Pera Outlet, and I heard about the initiative of GCash and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), that's when I felt more support."
The GCash Pera Outlet program offers a practical solution for communities like Rhea’s, where financial services are limited. Through the support of the DTI and the Bacolod LGU, outlets like hers now make it possible to Cash In, Cash Out, and Pay Bills without the need to travel or pay excessive fees. Rhea has since become one of the many proud and successful GPO partners across the Visayas region.
Unified efforts to empower MSMEs
At the GCash Stories launch event in Bacolod, representatives from the government and the country’s leading finance super app talked about the common struggles of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The panel discussions shed light on the lack of access to capital, as well as the roadblocks to adopting digital solutions. Speakers emphasized how partnerships between GCash, DTI, and local governments are helping MSMEs overcome these barriers through training, digital platforms, and community-based solutions like the GPO.
From left: GCash Chief Marketing Officer Neil Trinidad, GCash Head of Communications Strategy Lou Batac, Mynt (parent company of GCash) President and CEO Martha Sazon, GCash Pera Outlet owner Rhea Inayan, G-Xchange Inc. Chief Operations Officer Barbie Dapul, DTI-Negros Occidental Provincial Director Engr. Lynna Joy B. Cardinal, Bacolod City Government LEDIP Officer Dr. Mae Ferrer-Llamas, and General Manager of GCash for Business Jong Layug
Officials of GCash and local government show their support to small business owner Rhea Inayan and other entrepreneurs in Bacolod City during the GCash Stories launch event
Engr. Lynna Joy B. Cardinal, provincial director of DTI Negros Occidental, said they ensure that even the smallest and farthest barangays have access to Negosyo Centers to assist entrepreneurs, especially in adopting digital platforms. She stressed that collaborations with GCash and LGUs like Bacolod City support digitalization efforts, making it easier for MSMEs to achieve progress and sustainability.
Meanwhile, Dr. Mae Ferrer-Llamas, Local Economic Development and Investment Promotions Officer of Bacolod City government, commended Inayan for staying the course despite the difficulties she faced in her life. "I think the financial inclusion story with GCash for our MSMEs is going to be a story that will shape Bacolod and Negros Occidental, starting with Rhea’s story," she added.
GCash for Business General Manager Jong Layug (left) and entrepreneur Rhea Inayan (right) visit one of Rhea’s GCash Pera Outlets in Brgy. Mandalagan, Bacolod City.
Jong Layug, General Manager of GCash for Business, emphasized that entrepreneurs like Rhea play a vital role in advancing financial inclusion.
“Through the GCash Pera Outlet program, partners like Rhea make it possible for essential financial services to reach communities that need them most,” Layug said. “Their efforts help families save on costs, access funds faster, and gain more control over their livelihoods.”
Layug also noted that MSMEs carry a bigger responsibility that goes beyond their own growth. “Nakakatulong ka habang umaasenso. At the end of the day, ang dream nila ay mapaganda ang kabuhayan nila, makapag-provide sa family nila,” he said. (You’re able to uplift others as you improve your life. At the end of the day, their dream is to improve their livelihood and provide for their families.)
“They (MSMEs) do that by solving the problems of other people, by providing a service,” Layug stressed.
Through platforms like the GCash Pera Outlet, GCash for Business, and campaigns like #GCashStories, GCash reaffirms its commitment to “Finance for All.” Together with government and community partners, the finance superapp is working to ensure that no one — including MSMEs in rural areas — is left behind in the country’s digital transformation.
For more information about GCash Pera Outlet, visit https://help.gcash.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408281111577-Mag-apply-bilang-isang-GCash-Pera-Outlet-Partner and watch Inayan’s full GCash Story here https://youtu.be/u5CD5dPlJu0.