Pop-up markets and community festivals are vital launching pads for local vendors in the Philippines, but accepting digital payments often comes with a steep catch: merchant transaction fees that erode already thin profit margins. For micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), offering cashless options can feel like a financial trade-off rather than an upgrade.
Lowering the Barrier to Cashless Sales
To address this gap, PalawanPay served as the official e-wallet partner at the BIYAYA Sustainable Living Festival 2026, held from July 17 to 19 at SM Megamall. The festival brought together local entrepreneurs, eco-advocates, and social enterprises, enabling participating merchants to accept cashless payments via the national standardized QRPh network.
By offering a reduced Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) for participating vendors, the platform enabled small businesses to adopt digital payments without sacrificing their margins. Festival-goers were able to scan and pay instantly, avoiding long ATM queues while vendors captured sales seamlessly.
Bridging Payments and Working Capital
For small vendors, accepting digital payments is only one component of daily operations. Palawan Group used the event to demonstrate how its financial ecosystem connects point-of-sale transactions with access to working capital.
“At Palawan Group, we believe that meaningful progress happens when Filipinos have greater access to tools and opportunities that allow them to participate and grow,” remarked Lilian Castro-Selda, Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer of the Palawan Group. “Our partnership with BIYAYA reflects the importance of collaboration in creating more connected communities, while digital solutions like PalawanPay help individuals and businesses embrace more convenient and inclusive ways of transacting.”
Beyond QR Ph payments, the ecosystem provides micro-financing through Palawan Credit to help entrepreneurs purchase inventory ahead of events. Merchants can also handle supplier payouts via Palawan Express Pera Padala or leverage traditional pawnshop options through Palawan Pawnshop to unlock short-term liquidity using gold or jewelry assets.
A “Bricktech” Model for MSME Inclusion
The event reflects Palawan Group’s ongoing “bricktech” strategy, which is combining digital infrastructure with its physical network of over 70,000 branches, Pera Padala outlets, and Money Shops nationwide. Operating under the supervision of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), PalawanPay currently serves 22 million registered users.
This article is published on BitPinas: PalawanPay Powers QRPh Payments for Small Businesses at BIYAYA Festival 2026
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