CAN Program advocates digital financial services
INTERNATIONAL NGO Grameen Foundation, supported by J. P. Morgan, launched the Community Agent Network (CAN) Program in 2015. A knowledge sharing event was held at The Bayleaf Hotel in Intramuros last April 12 which served as an avenue to present lessons learned, challenges and successes from the CAN experience.
Gigi Gatti, Grameen Foundation’s regional director, Asia, reported highlights from the program to an audience comprising of non-governmental organizations, civic society groups, fintech organizations, banking and finance representatives and government agencies.
CAN laid out an infrastructure powered by the use of digital and mobile platforms carried out by agents, usually a member of the community that runs sari-sari stores in villages that are far-flung or have no direct access to commercial areas. The agents, through their stores, serve as a payment center for utilities, money remittance and top-up for mobile phone loads.
“Through our partnership with technology service providers Action Able, Inc. and FSG Technology Ventures, Inc., delivery of a wide variety of financial transactions are made available and easy through these agents. It may sound simple. But in the Philippines, it takes long to do anything. From queueing in banks and payment points, to moving from one place to the other. By having these payment points closer to their neighborhoods, end clients cut their time to do their transactions and get down to their other businesses faster,” Ms. Gatti said.
Some of the communities that implemented CAN shared their good experiences with the program, from Pasong Tamo in Quezon City, San Mateo in Rizal and Estancia, Iloilo. In San Mateo, Sheryl shared the benefits of using the POS!BLE platform by Action Able Inc.
In a video shared during the event, Sheryl, a client is seen saying: “The agent is our neighbor and friend. Initially, I only transacted for cellphone load but she told me she has more service offerings. Right now, I regularly pay my electric bills through POS!BLE,” she said on a taped interview presented during the event. “Whenever I have concerns, I have a proof of payment as a reference. I can also go back and inquire about any issues.”
Reactors to the broader financial inclusion enabling market graced the event, among them from government agencies such as Ellen Joyce L. Suficiencia, acting deputy director for Inclusive Advocacy Office of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and Pedro T. Defensor Jr., chief of Institutional Development, Cooperative Development Authority. Also on hand to share their insights were James Indino Jr., VP for the Information Technology Group, Philcare; Liza Kienzle, head of International Growth,
Coins.PH; Martin Camahort, president and CEO of OK Remit; and Lawrence Ferrer, VP and country director of Paymaya Philippines. Supplementing the CAN report by Grameen Foundation was a presentation by John Joseph Gabriel Puzon of Action Able Inc.