DAVAO CITY – The city government here was recognized as a PalengQR implementer and was named one of the Outstanding Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Stakeholders in a ceremony held in Cagayan de Oro on 5 December.

The city was cited for being the first local government unit in Mindanao, and the second in the Philippines, to formally adopt and implement the BSP PalengQR Plus Program.

Maximo Macalipes Jr., the City Economic Enterprise (CEE) head, said that the city is beyond grateful for the recognition received.

"We are not just grateful but honored to receive this recognition from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. They have considered our beloved city to become one of the early adopters of the PalengQR Plus PH program. Without their tenacity to partner with our beloved city, this program will not roll out in our Bankerohan, Toril, and Agdao Public markets," he added.

It can be noted that the BSP, in partnership with the local government of Davao and other national government agencies, launched the PalengQR PH in Bankerohan Public Market on 23 November 2022, in Agdao Public Market on 11 July 2023, in Toril Public Market on 18 July 2023, and in Calinan Public Market on 26 July 2023.

He said that the PalengQR Program has greatly benefited the Dabawenyos.

"This system manifested the institutional objective of moving towards a digital economy across the country. It offered an opportunity to experience the convenience of using digital payments using their mobile devices," Macalipes added.

He said that the city is committed to ensuring that the program will be implemented properly in the city.

"We are working closely with the BSP in rolling out this system. It will continue with other public markets managed by the CEE with an inclination to expand to other CEE-managed and supervised facilities such as our street markets: the Roxas Avenue Street Market (Roxas Night Market) and the Road 1 Toril Street Market (Toril Night Market)," Macalipes added.

Through the PalengQR PH the use of cashless payment or QR codes as an additional option for buyers to pay for goods was pushed.