PalawanPay supported micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) by providing digital payment solutions and leveraging its nationwide branch network at the 3-day BIYAYA Sustainable Living Festival 2026. The event, held from July 17 to 19 at SM Megamall, served as a platform for sustainability advocates, social enterprises, and local artisans to showcase their products.
Bringing Cashless Options to Local Markets
The mobile e-wallet powered cashless transactions throughout the festival, specifically within the Coffee Village where merchants and visitors interacted directly. The initiative allowed participants to access a broader suite of financial services from the Palawan Group while maintaining the tactile experience of local trade. According to the Palawan Group of Companies, this approach bridges the gap between traditional commerce and modern fintech.
Palawan Group vice chairman and chief financial officer Lilian Castro-Selda emphasized the importance of this physical and digital hybrid model. “For them, it will be easier because Palawan Pawnshop is already in their communities. If they need digital, it’s there. If they need cash, they can go to the nearest Palawan branch,” she stated.
The company highlighted that PalawanPay charges a merchant discount rate of less than 1% for accepting digital payments. This rate is below typical industry standards, addressing a common barrier for small business owners who struggle with high transaction fees. The group also offers a free cash-in service at branches regardless of the amount and charges only P5 for InstaPay transfers.
Building Trust Through Presence
Ms. Castro-Selda noted that one significant challenge for MSMEs is the cost and technical barrier of adopting digital tools. She explained that the strategy relies on the group’s 41 years of history to lower the barrier to entry for hesitant users. “Palawan Pawnshop as a group is the most trusted pawnshop in the Philippines,” she said.
She argued that the company’s physical footprint reassures customers that digital solutions are safe and reliable. “Over the last 41 years, we’ve established trust in our brand, and we’re physically present. From there, we’re educating customers that digital is easier and more convenient, while assuring them that if they need cash, we’re still there,” she added.
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PalawanPay currently has 23 million users. By demonstrating these services at events like BIYAYA, the company aims to show how digital financial tools can strengthen local enterprises without forcing a complete abandonment of traditional cash methods.
Supporting Local Industries
The company was drawn to the festival’s mission of promoting local industries, specifically highlighting coffee farmers and weavers who have earned international recognition. “We’ve been really very interested from the time that we met them because these are small coffee farmers who are winning internationally,” Ms. Castro-Selda said. “We’re here to help support our small industries.”
Palawan Group supports MSMEs through Palawan Credit’s lending products, pawnshop financing, and the company’s nationwide branch network. This infrastructure provides access to services such as cash deposits and withdrawals, remittances, payroll, and collections. The physical presence of more than 3,800 branches nationwide complements the digital platform, allowing customers to choose between cash and electronic transactions.
Castro-Selda noted that the hybrid model ensures a seamless experience across all services. “The goal is that all the services in the branch should be in PalawanPay, and all the services in PalawanPay should also be available at the branch. That’s our differentiation. We’re not purely digital—we have both brick-and-mortar and digital,” she explained.
If merchants encounter problems with their terminals or QR Ph stands, they know there is a nearby Palawan branch they can approach for assistance. This network of physical locations ensures that digital adoption is supported by practical, on-the-ground help, further lowering the technical barrier for local entrepreneurs.
