The collaboration forms part of Maya’s flagship sustainability initiative on women’s financing, aligned with its broader push to improve financial health among underserved sectors.

Under the partnership, Maya will expand access to digital financial services—including payments, savings, and credit—while SPARK! Philippines will provide training, mentorship, advocacy, and community-based support. The initiative recognizes that enabling women-led businesses to thrive requires more than access to capital alone.

“This is a segment that is heavily driving economic activity but still remains underserved,” said Toff Rada, Head of Corporate Affairs at Maya. “Our focus is to support women-led micro businesses in ways that reflect how they actually operate—through tools that help them manage, grow, and sustain their income over time.”

For its part, Maica Teves, Executive Director of SPARK! Philippines, emphasized the importance of holistic support. “Women micro-entrepreneurs are already driving economic activity in their communities, but many still face barriers beyond access to financing. By working with Maya, we aim to bring training, mentorship, and community-based support closer to them.”

Women play a vital role in the country’s micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) sector, with studies showing that more than half of small businesses in the Philippines are owned or led by women. MSMEs account for 99.5% of all registered businesses, employ around 63% of the workforce, and contribute roughly 40% of the country’s economic output, based on data from the Department of Trade and Industry and the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Despite their significant contribution, women-led enterprises remain underserved. A 2023 study by the Asian Development Bank found that only about 28% of women-led MSMEs adopt digital financial services, compared to 44% of male-led businesses—highlighting persistent gaps in access to tools that support growth and financial resilience.

Maya’s own ecosystem underscores the opportunity to close these gaps. More than 90% of its nationwide Maya Centers are operated by women, many of whom run sari-sari stores and other neighborhood enterprises.

Through the Maya Business app, MSMEs can accept digital payments, manage transactions, and access financial services in a single platform—streamlining operations and improving cash flow. Eligible businesses may also tap short-term credit through Maya Advance to support working capital needs such as inventory restocking and daily expenses.

The partnership reflects Maya’s broader approach to financial inclusion—expanding access to financial tools while ensuring these are used effectively to help women entrepreneurs grow sustainable businesses and build more resilient livelihoods.

A news release from the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday (March 24) visited the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) to personally oversee the initial rollout of fuel subsidies for PUVs and ensure that the distribution process is smooth and well-organized.

“Nandito ako para tiyakin na ‘yung aming ginagawa na fuel subsidy ay maayos kasi mag-start tayo today. Pero hindi lamang dito sa Metro Manila, pero all over the country na ito,” the President said as he addressed at least 27 bus operators who received the subsidy through checks.

The initiative is part of the ₱2.5-billion allocation for PUVs under the Department of Transportation (DOTr) Fuel Subsidy Project.

Under the program, bus operators will receive ₱10,000 per unit, while drivers are entitled to ₱5,000 each.

President Marcos said the subsidies will be released through various channels — including checks, fuel cards, cash, and direct transfers to bank or e-wallet accounts — to ensure all beneficiaries receive the assistance efficiently.

“Tulungan ninyo naman kami para ‘yung mga ating riding public ay hindi masyadong mahirapan, at hindi sila masyadong mabigatan sa pamasahe dahil nga alam naman natin kung ano ‘yung pangyayari – nagbabago ‘yung presyo ng langis all over the world,” the President said.

The Chief Executive stressed the importance of cooperation between the government and the private sector in managing the impact of fluctuating oil prices.

President Marcos also encouraged transport operators to provide feedback on how to further improve the system to benefit both operators and the riding public.

“Kung palagay namin ay kaya naming gawin para pagandahin pa ang sistema, please tell us. Dahil ang gusto natin is as convenient as possible, as easy as possible, at as quick – ‘yung mabilis as possible,” President Marcos said.

“Thank you all for being part of the solution at patuloy nating gagawin ito hanggat kailangan,” the President added.

The program covers a wide range of transport sectors, including jeepneys, buses, taxis, UV Express units, Transport Network Vehicle Services (TNVS), tricycles, and delivery services.

More than 245,000 drivers and operators of over 1.18 million vehicles are expected to benefit from the initiative.

Distribution for major PUVs has begun, while assistance for tricycle and delivery-service drivers is scheduled after Holy Week.

For drivers, subsidies will be distributed via e-wallet platforms such as GCash or Maya, with the government shouldering transaction fees to ensure recipients receive the full amount.

The measure is intended to support transport workers whose incomes have been severely affected by rising fuel costs.

Recent reports indicated that some drivers have temporarily stopped operating due to higher expenses, while certain bus companies have reduced their trips.

In addition to the fuel subsidy, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will provide financial assistance under its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations (AICS) program for selected transport sectors in Metro Manila.

Meanwhile, fare discounts remain in place for rail commuters using LRT-2 and MRT-3, with senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and students continuing to receive a 50% discount.

Commuters can also avail of the Love Bus “Libreng Sakay” Program, which has been implemented since July 2025 in Metro Manila, Cebu, and Davao.

Highlighting the Philippines’ growing reputation as a rising innovation hub, the country’s top tech and fintech leaders, through FinTech Alliance.PH, came together at the Singapore FinTech Festival to showcase digital excellence and strengthen collaboration with global partners.

The country’s largest and most influential fintech trade organization, representing more than 140 corporate members and accounting for 95 percent of retail digital financial transactions, FinTech Alliance.PH led the Philippine delegation in showcasing the nation’s achievements and breakthroughs in digital finance.

Recognized as one of the world’s most prominent gatherings of fintech professionals, executives, and investors, the Singapore FinTech Festival provides the Philippines with a prime platform to attract global partnerships and investments in its fast-growing fintech ecosystem.

Over the past three years, FinTech Alliance.PH has worked closely with the Philippine government in mounting the country pavilion to highlight the nation’s success stories and opportunities in digital finance. In 2024, the group hosted Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, who also serves as the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Financial Health. During her visit, she cited the Philippines as a model for promoting financial inclusion and measuring financial health.

Lito Villanueva, Founding Chairman of FinTech Alliance.PH and RCBC Executive Vice President and Chief Innovations and Inclusion Officer, expressed gratitude to the government for its strong public-private collaboration toward digital transformation. He said that through events such as the Singapore FinTech Festival, the Philippines moves closer to becoming a global innovation hub, strengthening its roadmap and forging new partnerships.

Villanueva emphasized that the Philippines’ participation in the festival marks a pivotal chapter in the country’s digital finance journey, underscoring its growing global influence as a rising tiger in digital finance.

The first day of the pavilion featured welcome remarks from Villanueva, Sopnendu Mohanty, Co-Founder and Group CEO of the Global Finance and Technology Network, and Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Medardo G. Macaraig.

FinTech Alliance.PH’s participation in the Singapore FinTech Festival also reflects its commitment to advancing its advocacy presented during the Manila Tech Summit, where President Marcos served as keynote speaker. Villanueva reiterated his proposed 4T Framework—Tech for Good, Tech for Growth, Tech for All, and Tech for Trust—and his 80×80 Vision to onboard 80 percent of adults to digital transactional accounts and convert 80 percent of retail transactions to digital by 2028.

The Bagong Pilipinas Country Pavilion is co-presented by GCash and Maya, with support from Land Bank of the Philippines, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Social Security System, Department of Information and Communications Technology, RCBC, FinScore, Actico, TrustDecision, Hungry Workhorse, and Eco Global Consulting. It is made possible through collaboration among key government agencies, including the Office of the President, Department of Finance, Securities and Exchange Commission, National Development Company, Department of Trade and Industry, Credit Information Corporation, Insurance Commission, and Department of Budget and Management.

The panel session, “By the Number: Putting a Value to Reputation and Relationships,” was led by PRSP Board Member and Meralco Vice President & Head of Corporate Communications Joe Zaldarriaga, who underscored that reputation must be regarded as a core business strategy rather than a mere byproduct.

“Reputation is not a byproduct. It is a business strategy. And relationships are not just about access—they are about authenticity, accountability, and alignment,” Zaldarriaga said.

Joining him in the discussion were Marzie Marzan, Co-founder & CEO of Alpas Consultancy; Nina Franco, Country Manager of Brand Finance; Toff Rada, Head of Corporate Affairs at Maya; and Richard Arboleda, Country Communications, Government Affairs & Market Access Head of GSK.

The group explored strategies on how communication professionals can strengthen their role as risk mitigators, strategic advisors, and architects of trust in an evolving business landscape.

Zaldarriaga highlighted the everyday value of public relations, noting that the real test of reputation-building is not limited to times of crisis but reflected in daily decisions that shape how organizations are perceived.

With nearly four decades in the communications field, Zaldarriaga is recognized as one of the Philippines’ most respected voices in corporate communications, public relations, advocacy, and crisis management.

In a news release, the two companies said borrowing is just a two-step process:
Complete a form on the Grab app, providing a mobile number and consent to Maya.
Download the Maya app, sign up, and upgrade the account.

“Apply for Maya Easy Credit within the Maya app, and funds will be available instantly upon approval, which is subject to credit evaluation,” the news release said.

Martha Borja, regional head of Payments of the Grab Financial Group, said the new partnership is part of her company’s mission to “drive progress in financial inclusivity for millions of Filipinos.”

Eligible Grab customers can also now use Maya Easy Credit to top up their Maya Wallet and pay for Grab rides or food deliveries, giving them more budget flexibility within the Grab app.

Maya Bank president Angelo Madrid said this initiative will address Filipinos’ primary financial challenge of lack of access to reliable and trustworthy lending services. “So, we’re very excited to partner with Grab to make it easier than ever to open a credit line of up to P30,000 with Maya Easy Credit,” he said.

Maya has simplified payments for Grab users within Grab’s super app. Users can now link their Maya accounts using their mobile numbers and connect their Maya Cards for seamless payments across all services.

Additionally, Grab users can grow their savings or invest in stocks and mutual funds through Maya’s partner marketplace, all directly within the Maya app.

Every transaction also contributes to increasing the user’s Maya Savings interest rate, which can reach up to 14% per annum, while helping to boost their future credit limits.

The two companies said this new partnership propels Maya closer to bridging the financing gap in the Philippines.

Since beginning its lending operations in 2022, Maya had disbursed P47 billion in loans to approximately 1.2 million borrowers by end-June 2024, with 59 percent of whom choosing Maya as their first bank partner for loans.

To qualify, eligible users must cash into their Maya Wallet using their Philippine-issued Visa credit, debit or prepaid cards via the Maya app. Free Visa transfers are available for transactions up to P5,000. The typical P200 surcharge for cashing into Maya using cards will be rebated back to users. For larger transactions above P5,000, a discounted fee of 50% off or P100 per transaction will be imposed.

The ”Cash-In for Free” program will benefit consumers and small businesses in the Philippines in driving acceptance of mobile wallets. Visa’s recent Consumer Payment Attitudes study found that Filipino consumers are increasingly embracing cashless transactions, with 87% of surveyed respondents using their mobile wallets in the last 12 months. There is growing acceptance of cashless payment methods in the Philippines, with more consumers observing that supermarkets (88%), food and dining (86%), and bill payment operators (82%) have opened acceptance of cashless payment methods.

Jeff Navarro, Country Manager for Visa Philippines, said: “We are delighted to collaborate with Maya to provide free cashing-in services to all Visa cardholders, in response to the increasing number of Filipinos shifting towards cashless payments. This initiative supports small businesses by enhancing their payment acceptance experience, given today’s growing reach of digital payment methods such as cards and mobile wallets. At Visa, we aim to promote growth and access to a broad spectrum of digital payment modes to drive digital and financial inclusion. This ensures Visa continues to be the preferred choice for Filipinos, by offering an enjoyable, seamless, and secure payment experience.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Visa on this initiative,” said Shailesh Baidwan, Group President at Maya and Co-Founder at Maya Bank. “Maya’s mission focuses on providing innovative and accessible digital financial services to both consumers and businesses in the Philippines. The Cash-In for Free initiative is part of Maya’s broader strategy to make digital financial services more accessible and convenient for everyone, promoting cashless transactions and financial inclusion in the Philippines.”

Maya has transformed Bohol’s Tagbilaran City Public Market into a digi-palengke in today’s ceremonies led by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Deputy Governor Bernadette Romulo-Puyat and Tagbilaran City Mayor Jane Yap.

The Paleng-QR Ph initiative is spearheaded by the BSP and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and it aims to empower the City Government of Tagbilaran to help public market vendors and tricycle drivers accept cashless payments from any customer via the QR Ph, the country’s standard for QR payments.

“Small merchants and Filipino consumers are not only enjoying a hassle-free payment experience for their everyday transactions with Maya QR but also creating a financial footprint that allows them to access more advanced banking services offered by Maya”, said Mar Lazaro, Maya’s Head of Enterprise Business.

Since QR Ph’s launch in 2019 for person-to-person (P2P) payments and in 2021 for person-to-merchant (P2M) payments, Maya has led the charge among financial institutions in the rollout of the QR Ph national standard and now counts over 800,000 merchant touchpoints powered by QR Ph-capable Maya QR. “Basta QR Ph, pwede kami”, Lazaro added.

Building ‘digi-palengkes’ nationwide is part of Maya’s own LGUs Embracing and Accelerating Digitalization (L.E.A.D). Through this program, LGUs encourage local merchants and constituents to digitalize their transactions with Maya’s business-in-a-box payment solutions and disbursement tools.

On top of digitalizing public markets, Maya has become the growth partner of choice of Philippine businesses. These enterprises include pharmacies, transportation, travel, retail stores, public utilities, food, hospitals, service providers, and schools.

Spearheading the “digi-palengke” program is Davao City Government with the support of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). Also supporting the launch are PLDT and Smart Communications. 

“By promoting the interoperable QR PH national standard codes, Paleng-QR PH creates a simple but more powerful digital finance experience at the local community level. At Maya, we fully support Davao City’s vision to build a stronger digital ecosystem,” said Orlando Vea, Maya CEO and Founder and Maya Bank Co-Founder.  

“Basta QR PH, pwede kami sa Maya,” Vea added. 

The Paleng-QR Ph program aims to digitalize transactions starting with public markets and local transportation. The program enables vendors and tricycle drivers to accept digital payments from customers regardless of their e-wallet or bank accounts via QR Ph, the national standard for QR payment. Maya’s QR codes are QR Ph-compliant, and its app can scan any QR Ph-powered transaction.  

Creating digi-palengkes is part of Maya’s own LGUs Embracing and Accelerating Digitalization (L.E.A.D). Through this program, Maya equips local governments like Davao City with business-in-a-box payment acceptance solutions and disbursement tools to enable faster public service delivery. 
  

Maya is the first digital financial services platform to adopt QR Ph. More than 52 million users can enjoy a seamless experience using Maya’s consumer platforms that can send and accept P2P payments from other QR Ph-participating financial institutions.  

Meanwhile, non-Maya users can pay at over 800,000 QR Ph-enabled Maya merchants, which are present in 96% of the total cities and municipalities.  

The BSP’s OR Ph initiative is part of the overall financial services transformation roadmap of the Philippines. It aims to raise Filipinos’ trust in digital financial services, as consumers and enterprises will get used to sending and receiving cashless payments for everyday transactions.  

Maya’s full support to QR PH is in line with the BSP’s thrust to increase the share of Filipino adults with a financial account from 56% in 2021 to 70% in 2023 and grow the volume of digital payments from 20% in 2021 to 50% by next year.  

“Digital payment is the entry point of Filipinos to the financial system. As they build their financial footprint, consumers and MSMEs can access more progressive digital banking services offered by Maya,” said Vea.  

Maya has made it easier for consumers to spend, save, get credit, and invest in crypto just by using its top-rated all-in-one money app. Its merchant partners, meanwhile, can open a business deposit account and access revolving credit lines leveraging their payment transactions.  

To know more about Maya, visit maya.ph or follow @mayaiseverything on Facebook, IG, TikTok, and YouTube and @mayaofficialph on Twitter. Join the Maya Telegram community at https://t.me/TeamMayaPH

A safer and more personal way to send and receive money has arrived, and that’s with your very own Maya @username.  

Maya, your all-in-one digital bank, rolls out a new, game-changing feature that lets you send and receive money with your very own username — another first-of-its-kind feature from the leading digital bank and fintech in the country.

This gives you options for more personalized, convenient, and safer money transfer transactions. Much like how you tag your family/friends on social media, you can use your @username when requesting payments – no need to memorize and input 11-digit mobile numbers. If you’re a small business owner, this feature can come in handy as you can easily set up your store name as your account username for an easier, hassle-free mode of payment! 

With Maya’s username feature, you can also choose to keep your personal data private, such as your account name and mobile number. This feature is available for upgraded Maya app users – ensuring a secure experience for the Maya community. 

“We’re excited to be the country’s first digital bank to launch this feature as we continue to help Filipinos master their money and enable meaningful personalization. It’s a game-changer for safety and making our experience with sending money more fun – especially when you attach a GIF to it!” said Pepe Torres, Chief Marketing Officer for Maya Philippines.  

Maya has also partnered with Giphy to help you add a personal touch to your Send Money transactions. To make your send money transaction even cooler, you can even throw some GIF action in there! With over 10 billion GIFs, you’re sure to find one that can perfectly complement how you feel. 

Setting up your Maya @username is easy. You simply need to:  

1. Tap the “Profile” icon on the upper-left corner and tap “Get Started.”  
2. Key in your preferred @username and hit “Confirm.”  
3. Finish off by keying in the One Time Password (OTP) sent via SMS.  

Once you’ve registered your preferred @username, your friends can now use this to send money to your account with these easy steps: 

1. Tap “Send Money” on the Maya app  
2. Key in the recipient’s @username, input the amount to send, and tap “Continue.”  
3. Review the “Send Money” transaction details and tap “Send.”  
4. Wait for Maya’s confirmation via SMS.

A username is unique to each Maya account holder, so choose well! You can have the option to present your username or your mobile number registered to your Maya account whenever you want to receive money through Maya. In general, registration of usernames is on a first-come, first-served basis, and to ensure protection, Maya has provided guidelines for username registration here. 

“Sending money via @username is just one of the innovative features which make money management with Maya more fun and rewarding. With up to 6% savings interest rate and free bitcoin or cashback offers, Maya is easily the most engaging and rewarding payments and banking platform for your money,” Torres added.   

Maya packs a feature-rich e-wallet, an inclusive digital bank, and everything else you need to save, spend, grow, and manage your money—right from your smartphone.  

Want to flex your Maya @username to your friends and family? Register to Maya now and get a joining bonus of P20 plus an additional P40 when you upgrade and do your first transaction until November 30, 2022.  

For more information and updates from the country’s all-in-one money platform, visit maya.ph