Logistics firm taps GCash for cashless payment system

CEBU, Philippines —  Package delivery company UPS has teamed up with GCash in a bid to provide Filipino businesses and consumers with a new streamlined, cashless payment system.

According to UPS Philippines’ Finance Manager Grace Gavilan, through this partnership any shipper or recipient in the Philippines can now instantly and securely pay for UPS’s logistics services, and settle any outstanding shipment-related charges, at any time, using GCash’s digital payment app on their mobile phones, instead of having to transact in-person with cash or credit cards.

“Being able to leverage GCash’s leading mobile payments technology enhances how our customers do business with us in several ways, including improved customer experience, payment convenience, and even minimizing package delays in the event shipments are held at customs due to outstanding duties and taxes,” explained Gavilan.

“Small businesses form the backbone of our economy, and as the Philippines pivots towards becoming a digitalized and cash-lite economy, their active participation is crucial or they risk getting left behind. We’re confident this enhancement opens more doors for Filipino small businesses to be part of an inclusive financial ecosystem, and addresses their needs for a smarter, more digital-first approach to logistics and international trade,” Gavilan added.

Traditional payment methods are relatively cumbersome, less secure, and involve more time and resources from all parties to implement accurately.

Additionally, adoption levels of digital payments in the Philippines have risen since the pandemic began, accelerated by the switch to e-commerce and contactless delivery.

The new digital payment capability also helps to minimize shipment delays by allowing shippers and recipients to pay for outstanding customs-related charges instantly.

GCash, which has over 55 million registered users to date, sees UPS as a valuable addition to its robust portfolio of top Filipino corporate and consumer-oriented partners.

“Our company’s fintech service is built on the premise of enabling a digital ecosystem to help every Filipino. We are delighted to team up with UPS as this moves us closer to our goal of accelerating financial inclusion in our society – across government, businesses and consumers – via our financial services platform”, said Luigi Reyes, GCash vice president for Enterprise.

UPS currently invests US$1 billion per year in technology to enhance network efficiency and improve its services. In recent years, UPS has unveiled several initiatives aimed at enabling a global smart, technology-enabled logistics network, including new shipping technologies like My Choice for Business which provides shippers with greater flexibility and visibility of their inbound and outbound shipments.

UPS provides a broad range of integrated logistics solutions for customers in more than 220 countries and territories.