Payment methods in the Philippines

You could write a book on this in the RP.

From small to large businesses to bills and internet businesses, there are a wide variety of options. Most of which differ little from other countries.

Cash, Credit cards, cash cards from numerous suppliers, smart phone apps for online payments and purchases and rewards cards from big box stores like Robinsons and SM where you accumulate credit based on purchases at their stores or affiliates, that can then be used to purchase items from their stores.

Banks also allow for a long list of direct payments online through their websites for members. Anything from utilities payments to rent and home loans as well as transferring funds to family members or to whom you designate as a recipient.

Bayad centers (bill payment centers) are everywhere in the Philippines and are found in small and large businesses across the RP including places like LBC and Western Union where not only can you pay your bills, you can also ship items and transfer money to others.

Resorts. Many require a reservation fee as in other countries. The larger ones will take your credit card where others may give you an account number to a local bank where you must make a deposit reservation to secure you accommodation. The account is specifically for that purpose.

I have no doubt that others here can add to the long list of things I have overlooked.

TeeJay4103 wrote:

I have no doubt that others here can add to the long list of things I have overlooked.

I would like to add CliQQ.  I've used it twice. Often you can find them at 7 Eleven Stores.

At one time, I used CliQQ to pay for a credit card bill. I usually go to my bank to pay the bill, but the bank was already closed and it was already due that day. CliQQ accepts payments for many credit cards and vendors. If you need to pay for an amount more than 10k pesos, you can pay in increments. Payments can be made in maximum increments of 10,000 pesos.  Each increment has a processing fee. I think it's 7 pesos, but still, it's a lot less than what I would have paid for penalties and interest if I had not paid on time.

Only my take on an archaic system. Simply such, we have internet, Globe at home, we have to purchase scratch cards, 7 11 etc. Swap the sim card in the phone from smart to globe, load the credit then transfer the credit to the internet account, stupid. why can't you simply debit our credit or debit card monthly? Sorry sir we can't do that,,,,,,,, groan. Cignal tv, once a month Ben goes into store (stands inline, hey what's new with this scenario?) waits to be served and pays the monthly bill and yes ditto will not accept credit cards nor even a debit card. Our electricity account is the same, rock up every month and yes the day after the bill to pay so there are no queues. They too have no auto debit systems in place.

Most others once you have made a purchase in cash or with credit/debit card whether, groceries, hardware etc the checkout person or packer scribbles the number of bags/boxes packed  on the receipt and then you get checked on your way out and that person is only 20 feet from the registers. Perplexing yes, waste of employment/wages definitely but hey it does create jobs as well as overheads for an unthinking system.

I remember going to El Nido 8 years ago, no ATM's and everything was cash, just as well I had 80 US dollars from a previous trip to the US in my wallet to swap with a money changer.
Seriously it beggars belief that simply trying to be a loyal customer and honour your commitments in a time saving efficient and economical way is constantly met with inefficiencies, delays and ignorant glances, (perhaps staff don't participate in feedback?) time to move into 2019 guys, we have been conducting business exchanges as above mentioned for over 20 years in Oz and nary a problem.

The checkout chick/guy can load the bags/boxes after scanning (same as modern countries do) and do away with the second employee, doh that ain't gonna happen.

Cheers, Steve.

I am assuming Manila is more modern and accepts credit/debit cards most everywhere.

Marky32 wrote:

I am assuming Manila is more modern and accepts credit/debit cards most everywhere.

It depends where you go and what you are buying.   Cash is king.

It's definitely a different animal here then what I'm used to. I try to minimize using my credit cards here as having to replace them would most likely be a nightmare.
I only use them at Landers, S&R, Grab and paying my Sky Cable bill.
I pay my rent via TransferWise and get cash for most everything else either via Xoom or trekking down to HSBC to the ATM.
Lazada and Shopee I only use COD. My biggest aggravation is my PLDT Fibre bill. Their online system barely even works for printing an invoice much less trying to pay it online. They apparently only take cards issued in PH so the option of even using one of my cards to pay it, is moot. Having said that, we can't use my GF's local bank card either since their system never freaking works. So, one of us has to make a trip to a payment center each month to take care of that bill. It really amazes me that the largest telco in PH is run in such an amateur fashion. If a company can't even keep their web site operating properly, it's little wonder that the rest of their service is a crap show.
If you want to see just how crappy an operation they're running, subscribe to @PLDT_Cares on Twitter and read the hundreds of threads a day of people raising hell. What a fiasco. Lol. And Sky Cable isn't much better @ customer service but, at least their web site works. Life in the Philippines I guess. Deal with it or move on are your only options.

Marky32 wrote:

I am assuming Manila is more modern and accepts credit/debit cards most everywhere.

Hi Marky and welcome to the forum, contribute and enjoy. Yes all the big cities accept credit and also some debit cards from a local bank, most provinces also but for running accounts, as for "more modern?" One learns and it really depends on where you go and  what you expect,,,,,,, many provinces and backwater establishments accept and many don't, many places don't have ATM's nor know what a credit card is, pick your mark wisely and if going there take cash for your sojourn, expect little as many things are not what they seem, Question, have you been here before and if so may have some idea and if not? Well I'm sure others will chime in and rub your nose in the dirt or offer alternatives, we can't pay our internet or sat TV nor even a power bill with a credit card and direct debit monthly is most times greeted with a perplexed look and the wiser simply say sorry sir we can't do that, no different to asking for a left handed spanner in a hardware store. Don't get me wrong as I do love this country and my better half, 5,000 relatives included and here is my chosen destination for retirement and though at times bleat and overlook the foibles that come with a third world/developing nation am happy here, as others say, cash is king.

Get your hands dirty Mark and see if it's your cup of tea.

Oops

My wife goes to SM every month pays all the bills there globe PLDT smart cignal and than goes shopping

En zit daar dan een uur op de wachtstoel, terwijl tientallen medewerkers heen en weer lopen.

In de stores, Malls zijn meer medewerkers dan klanten. Als je wat moet weten komen er4 of 5 verkopers omheen staan en niemand kan het goede antwoord geven. Wat voor opleiding krijgen die mensen? S,morgens eerst bidden en dan de regels van het bedrijf aanhoren en aan het werk.

Auf English bitta

No translater on you,r P.C.?

You,r German talk is very bad. But I wrote in Dutch.

Nope. No translator.

I'm so used to using my bank debit card in the US it's horrific here in the Philippines when it comes to purchasing almost anything.  Every time I use my debit card in the Philippines I get taxed 2x, here and the US bank. Can't win for losing pay double every time...

Wilhelm van der Kolk wrote:

No translater on you,r P.C.?

I did do you the courtesy of translating your posts and agree with what you say in essence but also see employment created though at times wonder the fruits of such thinking by these companies.

I have to add though that this is an english speaking forum and only a suggestion that perhaps you employ a translator readily available for free on google as a courtesy to a majority of english speaking readers within this forum, as said only my opinion.

Cheers, Steve.

Thanks Steve. But I have a translater on my laptop. So I thought, when I,m writing in Dutch, the t
ranslator made it in English.Sorry.
Greetings Wilhelm.

Hello all
I have my payments made into my bank account in Australia then do internet banking international transfer to my account here, each transaction costs A$10 irrespective of the amount (bigger is better).  BPI allow P20,000 cash withdrawals a day . The only downside is the exchange rate at the bank is about 1.5 pesos less a dollar. Be VERY wary of the bank exchange rate here, especially for foreign cheques.  I hope this helps someone.
regards  Bruce

I was really surprised the other day. I made a 4,000+ peso purchase on my no-foreign-transaction-fee Visa, and checked the exchange rate on XE vs what the bank gave. It was a pleasant surprise, there was only one or two tenths of a peso or so difference. SO I may use my credit card more, I get frequent flyer miles too.

I have a Schwab bank account, which reimburses me for ATM charges, so I just get cash when I need it.

But thanks, Steve, for the tip about going to "remote" places that might not even have an ATM. I'll be going such places as I explore this wonderful country.

George