As someone who loves to travel, I often visit "off-the-beaten destinations" and far away villages and islands as I explore the many different tourist spots and attractions in our country. I remember, in one of my travels many years ago, I visited a remote town and I asked a local where I could find an ATM or a bank. He told me that banks are only found on the mainland. So, if they need to withdraw or receive money, they need to take a boat to the mainland and to the bank.

Since then, I always make sure that I always have enough cash on hand whenever and wherever I travel.

Sometimes, sh!t happens even if you don't want it. It's always wise to be ready for any "unwanted events" in our travels, such as what if you lost your wallet while in transit? What if you got short of cash and there is no available ATM or bank where you could withdraw? What if you get robbed while exploring an unfamiliar place? What will you do?

Good thing, there are now many ways to receive or send money wherever you are. Thanks to the advancement of technology and to the dedication of financial institutions such as BDO to provide banking services to far-flung communities.

Cash Agad is the solution provided by BDO Unibank to unbanked and financially underserved communities, especially those places where setting up a building or bank branch or even an ATM machine would prove to be impractical and unfeasible.

The Cash Agad partner agents network is comprised of small to medium business owners in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao who are operating the Cash Agad service in their communities. This service aims to provide ready access to cash for distant communities, especially those who are not so easily reached by public transportation. These would include communities in places that were located in challenging terrain like mountains, hilly areas, or those in far flung islands only reachable by boat.

Krystal Bantic, owner of Ivee’s Sari Sari Store and a Cash Agad partner agent in Quirino, Cagayan Valley facilitating a withdrawal transaction.

Community shops-turned-ATMs

A community shop owner (the business might also be a salon, drugstore, hardware store, etc.) is usually tapped to be Cash Agad partner agent. Since such a business owner has long been part of the locality, has an establishment close to the residents, and is a trusted figure in the community, it’s much easier for the people to trust him or her with their money-related transactions.

Once the shop owner becomes a Cash Agad partner, he or she is given a POS terminal that is capable of accepting transactions using any Philippine-issued ATM card whether debit or credit. And even though BDO Unibank is the one that runs the Cash Agad service, the POS terminal accepts ATM cards from all banks in the Philippines.

Cash Agad and LGUs

Another advantage of using Cash Agad is that it does not depend on banking hours. As long as the Cash Agad partner shop is open, it can accept transaction. This was modified, however, when the pandemic struck and community quarantines were imposed. Local official had to set schedules and limit operating hours for Cash Agad transactions in order to follow physical distancing requirements designed to keep customers safe and prevent disease transmission.

Even LGUs depend on Cash Agad to deliver government’s financial aid to those in need. For example, the beneficiaries of 4Ps withdraw their monthly cash assistance from Cash Agad. Even the IPs or memberes of the indigenous people’s communities are able to get their financial aid through Cash Agad. All these are possible thanks to the cooperation between LGUs and Cash Agad partner agents.

LGU employees, policemen, and teachers in the community likewise depend on Cash Agad for their salary withdrawals. Private employees, families of overseas Filipinos, all of them now access salaries and remittances from Cash Agad, too.

All of these were a great relief to residents who, for several months during community quarantine, were unable to travel due to lockdowns and checkpoints. Their mobility had been restricted within their own or the nearby barangays. They could no longer go to urban areas to transact with banks or go to ATMs.

Lorna Taruc, owner of Jan Pau convenience store and a Cash Agad partner agent in San Simon, Pampanga facilitating a withdrawal transaction.

Helping local businesses

According to Lorna Taruc, owner of Jan Pau convenience store and Cash Agad partner agent at San Simon, Pampanga, the Cash Agad service is a big help to their community.

"It’s so much more convenient and easier for people here to go to my store and withdraw their cash. They no longer need to travel so far. Especially during the lockdown when it was so difficult to find public transportation. Apart from this, I had more customers buying from my store.”

Meanwhile, another Cash Agad partner agent, Roselyn Abela of Pitogo, Bohol, said that many residents were afraid to leave their town during the community quarantine because they heard news that there were many COVID-19 cases in the city where they usually go to transact with banks and use ATMs.

This city is quite far from Pitogo. A person traveling there would need to ride a habal-habal (passenger motorcycle) then cross the sea by boat to another island. At the island, he or she would have to ride another habal-habal to reach the city. It takes half a day to an entire day to travel there and back again to Pitogo. A two-way trip costs 500 pesos.

"When the community quarantine was imposed, people were thankful that I have Cash Agad at my store. They withdraw their cash here and then afterwards, they buy some of the essentials they need at home. That’s why my sales at the store also increased,”, said Roselyn.

Roselyn Abela, owner of FBA Merchandise and a Cash Agad partner agent in Pitogo, Bohol facilitating a withdrawal transaction for a local security guard.

Financial Inclusion

According to Jim Nasol, Head of Agency Banking (Cash Agad) of BDO, the bank has been planning to have Cash Agad partner agents in secluded areas for a long time. This is because they want to help rural areas across the country to be more progressive.

“Many Filipinos are smart and hardworking; they dream of better livelihoods. But they are being held back because of their lack of access to cash and capital. There are a lot of Filipinos who don’t have enough money because just withdrawing it already takes a lot of time and a huge expense.”

“Our Cash Agad partner agents are the key to broadening financial systems. We see that in places like Pitogo, financial inclusion can go a long way in making lives easier for Filipinos in secluded communities,” he explained.

In addition, Arnold Katipunan, Head of Sales of Cash Agad in BDO, said that financial inclusion and access to money is very important during this time of the pandemic, when a lot of people and businesses need to rise up from the dampening effects of the crisis. Ultimately, their recovery will bring new life to the national economy.

The number of Cash Agad partner agents in the country continue to increase. For more information about Cash Agad, please visit the BDO website at www.bdo.com.ph/cash-agad or send an email to cashagad@bdo.com.ph.