More Filipinos can now enjoy cashless transactions in public markets and local transportation as the government ramps up the rollout of the Paleng-QR Ph program, an initiative promoting digital payments nationwide, Malacañang touted Friday.

This development follows the expansion of the program to some 180 local government units (LGUs) across the country.

Presidential Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer, Atty. Claire Castro, said the program serves as “a key milestone” in the government’s ongoing push for digital transformation at the grassroots level.

Castro cited that the Paleng-QR Ph program enables consumers to make payments conveniently and securely using QR Ph — the national standard for interoperable digital payments — in sari-sari stores, market stalls, and even tricycles.

“Ang layunin ng Pangulo ay gawing mas ligtas at madali ang pagbabayad ng bawat mamamayang Pilipino—at ito ang isinusuong ng Paleng-QR Ph. Cashless ang kinabukasan ng lokal na ekonomiya (The President’s goal is to make payments safer and easier for every Filipino citizen—and this is what Paleng-QR Ph is promoting. The future of the local economy is cashless),” Castro said in a press briefing.

The program is a collaborative effort between the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). It aims to reduce reliance on cash transactions, enhance convenience, and improve financial inclusion across communities.

Of the 180 LGUs currently participating in the program, 127 are in Luzon, 33 in the Visayas, 15 in Mindanao, and 5 in the National Capital Region (NCR).

These LGUs have either launched the program locally or enacted policies to support its implementation.

To facilitate wider adoption, the DILG, in partnership with BSP, continues to provide technical assistance to LGUs, including digital account onboarding, merchant integration, and financial literacy programs.

“Sa tulong ng DILG at BSP, mas marami pang LGU ang matuturuan at maihahanda sa pag-shift sa cashless system. Hindi lamang ito usapin ng convenience—ito ay usapin ng inclusivity at pag-unlad (With the help of the DILG and BSP, more LGUs will be trained and prepared to shift to a cashless system. This is not just a matter of convenience—it is a matter of inclusivity and progress),” Castro further said.

Launched in 2022, Paleng-QR Ph exemplifies the government’s vision to modernize everyday economic transactions using financial technology.

Beyond improving safety and convenience amid health concerns, Palace said the initiative also opens opportunities for market vendors and transport drivers to access formal financial services such as loans and savings.