Duterte orders gov’t to utilize digital payment methods

President Rodrigo Duterte has signed an executive order requiring government agencies to use digital payment methods to release funds and collect dues.

“All departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the government, including state universities and colleges, government-owned or -controlled corporations, are hereby directed, and local government units are hereby joined, to adopt digital payments for their respective disbursements and collections,” Executive Order 170 reads.

While the order mandates covered government agencies to offer a digital way of collecting taxes, fees, tolls, and other charges, it “does not foreclose the acceptance of cash and other traditional modes of payment.”

According to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno, EO 170 will expedite transactions, generate savings for the government and the public, and reduce the risk of graft and corruption.

“EO 170 provides robust support to BSP’s efforts in promoting payments digitalization and financial inclusion under the Digital Payments Transformation Roadmap (DPTR) and the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion (NSFI),” Diokno said.

The Department of Finance, Department of Budget and Management, Bureau of Treasury, Bureau of Internal and Revenue and Government Procurement Policy Board Technical Support Office will be the lead agencies in the implementation of the order.