PalawanPay expands services for domestic workers

The Palawan Group of Companies said that it will expand the services of its e-wallet and digital payment application, PalawanPay, to cater to the needs of Filipino domestic workers and promote financial inclusion.    

“Our plan is to really expand our services for PalawanPay,” Palawan Group of Companies Chief Marketing Officer Bernard V. Kaibigan told reporters in an interview on Monday.   

“Eventually, in our PalawanPay, we’ll form a community of services that is really applicable to our house helpers,” he added.  

This initiative aligns with the group’s mission to champion house helpers, as mentioned in its annual Kasambahay Kasambuhay Pilipinas Awards, where they honor stories of Filipino helpers from across the globe.    

“The proof is when you talk to a lot of helpers, whether here in Metro Manila or other parts of the country, a lot of them are loyal customers of Palawan,” Palawan Group of Companies President and Chief Executive Officer Karlo M. Castro said in an interview.    

House helpers are among the group’s valued customers, according to Mr. Castro. “The kasambahays (housekeepers) are really an important and significant customer segment for the Palawan Group.”    

“That segment and similar segments are part of the mission of Palawan, which is to really connect people and businesses towards financial success,” he added.  

Data from the 2024 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices in the Philippines, published by the U.S Department of State, found that there are approximately two million domestic workers in the country. Of which, nearly 85% are women, aged as young as 15 years old.     

Although the population of helpers in the country is notable, Mr. Kaibigan underscored that the well-being of these workers is often overlooked. “The most neglected aspect, also for housekeepers, is that they are not given the benefit of having an annual physical exam.”   

To address this issue, the group offers insurance for housekeepers, specifically for annual physical examinations.     

“It’s really more of an advocacy product to support our households so that they can also have a health benefit,” he added.     

The group also promotes jewelry investment among domestic workers to help with their finances. “They can’t usually afford the 24K that has high grams. So, what Palawan made is one gram of gold, but the rest is silver,” the Palawan Group executive said.    

“When the time comes that they need it [funds], they can use it,” he added.    

Other services lined up in the group’s pipeline for domestic workers include savings accounts and lending services, Palawan Credit. — Almira Louise S. Martinez