Mayor Abby expands Makatizen card distribution to District 1 residents

• Source: http://www.makati.gov.ph/portal/news/view.jsp?id=3855
• Sunday, May 6, 2018

(PRESS RELEASE)

Makati Mayor Abby Binay today led the ceremonial launch of the Makatizen Card distribution to residents of the city's first district barangays at the Gen. Pio del Pilar Elementary School-Main, following initial rollouts done in the second district for the past two months.

Some 1,500 registrants of Barangay Pio del Pilar were issued their Makatizen Cards at the launch, where they were able to immediately try them in purchasing goods from partner merchants.

The mayor said the event symbolized the growing communal effort driving the momentum of the city's digital transformation.

“This ceremonial launch for District 1 signifies our strong unity as a community which has steadily propelled us closer to our shared vision of a Digital Makati," Mayor Abby said.

Since she took office, the mayor has been consistent with her resolve to lead Makati toward becoming a full-fledged Digital City, whose residents and stakeholders are able to experience the optimum benefits of modern technology.

Aside from considering the convenience of residents, the mayor also wanted cardholders to get firsthand technical assistance from the Makatizen Card Team. The team, composed of city personnel from the Urban Development Department (UDD) and representatives from private sector partners, G-Xchange, Inc., Globe Telecom, and iBayad Online Ventures, Inc., personally briefed them on the benefits and usage of the Makatizen card.

Meanwhile, after on-site validation by the Makatizen Card Team, cardholders whose GCash mobile wallet accounts were activated were able to test in real-time the efficacy of the cards through iBayad Fishball, iBayad Buko, and GCash loading stations set up at the venue.

Other district 1 barangays whose registrants have passed the pre-screening and have successfully registered for the program are also scheduled for card distribution. Among these are Olympia, Poblacion, Sta. Cruz and Valenzuela on May 19; Bangkal, Palanan, San Isidro and San Antonio on May 26; and Carmona, Kasilawan, La Paz, Singkamas and Tejeros on June 2.

The Makatizen Card functions as a valid government-issued ID card and can reduce documentary requirements for city-provided services and benefits, as some city offices will be equipped with iBayad machine readers which can verify the identity of residents and Makati City employees in a single tap. Through the embedded NFC (Near Field Communication) technology, the card will allow holders to conveniently access the city’s public services and transact with the city government.

Also, since the card is linked to their GCash mobile wallet account, residents can receive cash allowances, stipends, and other cash benefits from the city. Meanwhile, city government employees can receive their salaries and other financial benefits through it.

Utilizing the GCash-enabled feature of the Makatizen Card, holders can pay fees and taxes, send remittances, and settle bills and financial transactions through the card. Moreover, through other features of GCash, such as Scan to Pay and the GCash App, cardholders can purchase products and services with partner merchants displaying “Makatizen Card Accepted Here!” signage.

Mayor Abby said she believes that the Makatizen Card will not only speed up and improve public services, but will also stimulate entrepreneurship in the city, thus promoting a more inclusive economic growth.

To promote the digital economy of the city, a Makatizen Rewards Program was developed which allows holders to earn a Makatizen Loyalty Point with every card transaction. The accumulated loyalty points can be used for future purchases or to avail of the special products and services offered under the program.

Initial batches of Makatizen Cards were already distributed to 11 barangays, including Rizal, Comembo, East Rembo, Pembo, West Rembo, Cembo, Post Proper Southside, Guadalupe Nuevo, Pitogo, Pinagkaisahan and South Cembo.