TO help prevent the further spread of COVID-19, Paranaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez launched the on-site digital disbursement of its local cash assistance program “Paraña-Cash” via Bank-on-Wheels (BOW).
In partnership with Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank), the city’s 50,000 household beneficiaries can now withdraw their P5,000 COVID cash aid through BOW, a 5G-powered and air-conditioned banking kiosk in a mobile van.
The mobile van is designed to enable customers to perform standard automated teller machine (ATM) services such as cash withdrawal, balance inquiry, fund transfer, and bills payment, all without leaving their communities.
“This is another milestone as we witness the pilot run of the on-site digital disbursement of Paraña-Cash Assistance Program which is P5,000 for every household in Paranaque,” Mayor Olivarez said.
Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya, Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA), Union Bank senior vice president Paolo Baltao, city Business Permit and Licensing Office chief Melanie Malaya and city hall officials attended the launching held in Brgy. Moonwalk.
Olivarez expressed optimism that with this program, local residents will enable to fully embrace the benefits of modern technologies in this time of community quarantine and pandemic.
The mayor disclosed that eligible city residents have started receiving their respective UnionBank EON VISA Card, two weeks ago. He said households who did not receive cash from the national government are entitled to P5,000 cash assistance as part of the city’s relief efforts to mitigate the economic impact caused by COVID-19 pandemic.
Malaya lauded the efforts of the city government of Parañaque, who plays an important role in the promotion of online disbursement and other e-government services in the digital economy to help build trust and confidence between consumers and online platforms in this pandemic.
He said the DILG has been encouraging the use of technology in the delivery of government services to reduce face-to-face transactions and provide faster public service in a time of global pandemic.
For her part, Soriano-Malaya, head of the city’s Economic Preservation and Recovery Cluster Response Team, said Paraña-Cash complements the government’s effort towards digital transformation and added that there is no need for direct over-the-counter or face-to-face customer servicing which is essential in the implementation of public health and safety protocols.
