Filipinos who do not have credit cards will now have a chance to experience Uber. While Uber now accepts cash, the deal with PayMaya is that you don’t need to take out cash from your wallet to pay.
L-R: Benjie Fernandez, Co-COO of PayMaya Philippines and COO of Voyager Innovations; Laurence Cua, General Manager of Uber Philippines; Manuel Pangilinan Chairman of PLDT, Smart, and Voyager Innovations; Orlando Vea, President and CEO of Voyager Innovations, Paolo Azzola, Managing Director and Co-COO of PayMaya Philippines.
PayMaya Philippines (formerly Smart eMoney, Inc.), the digital financial services unit of PLDT and Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart), announced today that it has entered into a partnership with Uber that will allow more Filipinos to experience the ride sharing service even without a credit card. This unique partnership in Southeast Asia will enable faster, more secure, and convenient cashless transactions for Uber with the digital payments app PayMaya, the first-of-its-kind all-in-one and now the leading digital payments app in the Philippines.
Through the partnership, consumers can now link their virtual PayMaya Visa account to their Uber account via the Uber app, so they can request for an Uber ride even without a credit card. Consumers just need to download the PayMaya app from Google Play or App Store and register to get a 16-digit PayMaya virtual Visa account that can immediately be topped up and used for digital transactions.
“Today, PayMaya has once again changed the game for digital payments by pioneering a unique partnership with Uber. Filipinos who do not have credit cards will now have a chance to experience Uber and the ease of cashless transportation. We’re excited to collaborate with the world’s leading ride-sharing service and support Uber’s mission of ‘making transportation as reliable as running water, everywhere, for everyone,’” said Orlando Vea, President and CEO of PayMaya Philippines.
Laurence Cua, General Manager of Uber Philippines said, “PayMaya and Uber share the same vision of reliable services for all. For Uber, it’s reliable transportation everywhere, for everyone. For PayMaya, it’s digital payments made available for everyone, anywhere. Together, the synergies in payment and transportation will create an unparalleled commuting experience for users founded on convenience and reliability.”
Aside from the mobile app, PayMaya customers can also opt to have their own PayMaya physical prepaid card which can be used in brick-and-mortar stores worldwide that accept Visa. A variant also comes with its own beep™ wallet, allowing users to ride the MRT and LRT for their daily commute. Users who upgrade their PayMaya account can use their PayMaya for peer-to-peer money transfers and ATM withdrawals.
The benefits of going cashless with PayMaya
Ever since its launch in 2014, Filipinos have found Uber to be an innovative transport alternative, even if credit card penetration remains at a low 7 percent of the population, according to the Credit Card Association of the Philippines. While Uber has been accepting cash transactions since late 2015, the partnership with PayMaya today will allow consumers to enjoy the digital convenience that both services offer.
Cashless transactions are more convenient since paying through cash causes delays for both riders and Uber drivers. It also eliminates the security risk of cash handling for Uber partner drivers. Consumers who use PayMaya have more control over their expenses compared to credit card holders. A text message of the transaction is automatically sent to the user’s mobile number upon end of trip. The latest transaction history can be viewed on the PayMaya app for easier expense tracking.
Loading up a PayMaya account is also convenient as it can be topped up at any of the over 15,000 PayMaya reloading stations nationwide that include SM Malls Business Centers, Robinsons Malls Business Centers, Bayad Centers, 7-Eleven stores with Cliqq kiosks, TouchPay Kiosks, and Smart Padala Centers, on top of online banking via BDO.
50% off on first ride
As a special promo for PayMaya users, who take their first Uber trip from June 10 to July 10, 2016 will get 50% off on their ride when they use the promo code PAYMAYAxUBER. The promo is valid for both Black Car and UberX rides (Metro Manila and Cebu only). To avail of the promo, PayMaya users just need to have at least Php300 in their account.
PayMaya is powered by Visa and regulated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to ensure all user transactions are secure. Aside from being the first non-financial institution in Asia to be granted by Visa with an issuing and acquiring license, PayMaya Philippines also counts MasterCard as its partner giving it the unique opportunity to offer both Visa and MasterCard products.
