GCash, the leading mobile wallet in the Philippines, has facilitated over P18.14 million in donations for the collective fight against COVID-19, helping support Filipino frontline workforce and provide assistance to those who were gravely affected by the pandemic.
The amount, which was tallied as of March 31, is composed of donations made directly to partner organizations and through the GCash-led digital donation drive called #FightCOVID19. These funds were used to purchase medical gears to protect frontline health workers from contracting the virus, as well as relief goods for the families that were hit the most by the effects of the enhanced community lockdown.
“We are overwhelmed by the generosity of the Filipino GCash users. We know very well that everyone is affected by the pandemic, and we at GCash are happy to see that our platform is being maximized during these trying times,” GCash Chief Technology and Operations Officer Pebbles Sy-Manalang said.
GCash users forwarded their donations via GCash through its various services.
Based on the current tally, almost P12 million were collected via the Scan to Pay service of GCash. They were sent directly to Caritas Manila, ABS-CBN Foundation, Globe BridgeComm, Generation Hope, Hapag Asa Foundation, Philippine Red Cross, World Vision, and UNICEF.
GCash users also donated over P16,500 to the ABS-CBN Foundation through the Send Money service of GCash. ABS-CBN Foundation, UNICEF, and the Philippine Red Cross also received support via the Pay Bills service on the mobile money platform.
#FightCOVID19, the GCash-led digital donation drive, on the other hand, facilitated over P5.58 million in donations from various GCash users nationwide. The digital fundraising is part of GCash for Good, the corporate social responsibility program of GCash.
The funds raised via #FightCOVID19 is equally divided among seven partner organizations namely: the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), the Philippine Red Cross, World Vision, UP Medical Foundation, PGH Foundation, Inc., ABS-CBN Foundation, and Ayala Foundation. As advised, GCash will include Lung Center of the Philippines Physicians Association starting April 1 to replace the UP Medical Foundation as beneficiary.
GCash users may continue to send their support via #FightCOVID19. To support, GCash users simply have to click on the “Pay Bills” icon on their GCash apps, choose the “Others” tab, and click on “FightCOVID19.” GCash users then have to enter their name and the amount that they are donating to confirm their donation.
“Seeing that humanitarian groups and non-government organizations use the GCash app as a channel of good is very rewarding to the hardworking men and women of GCash. It validates that the work we do at GCash directly makes an impact on the lives of many people,” Sy-Manalang said.
Aside from these, individuals are using GCash to conduct their own fundraising activities to help mitigate the effects of the pandemic on the lives of Filipinos, especially those who were displaced. Through the funds that they gather via GCash, good-hearted individuals are supporting families in different parts of the Philippines by providing them care packages, and health workers by securing personal protective equipment (PPEs) for them.
“The willingness of the Filipino people to band together — all while maintaining social distancing — is what keeps us going despite working with limited capacities due to health protocols. We hope that as we go through these challenges together, we would see more people willingly supporting those who are deeply in need,” Sy-Manalang said.
