Sending “aguinaldo” or Christmas cash gifts to family and godchildren is now easier than ever as pioneering digital financial services company PayMaya today announced the launch of a “digital aguinaldo” service in Messenger, in partnership with Facebook.
“Ninongs” and “Ninangs” can no longer hide from their godchildren during this gifting season, as the usual Christmas joke goes, because all it takes to send money gifts to their “inaanak” is a simple tap on their smartphones.
“Today, just like many facets of our modern lives, sending ‘aguinaldo’ to godchildren during Christmas has now become digital,” said Paolo Azzola, Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director at PayMaya Philippines. “This is yet another way we are helping our account holders #ShareTheLove this Christmas, at the same time helping build a ‘cashless’ society in the Philippines through services that are relevant to Filipino culture.”
Adapting Filipino tradition for the modern times
A time-honored tradition, giving “aguinaldo” to young family members and godchildren is one of the unique ways Filipinos are celebrating Christmas, but the usual way of doing it is by handing out paper bills—usually freshly-printed ones withdrawn from the bank that still emit a distinct smell.
But times are changing, and sending “aguinaldo” via digital means, anytime, anywhere, is now possible. To be able to do this via PayMaya in Messenger, anyone can follow these simple steps:
1. If the sender already has a PayMaya account, they only have to link their account to Messenger by chatting with @PayMayaOfficial. If not, they can sign up for an account using any mobile number from all networks using Messenger.
2. Once the account is linked to Messenger, they can upgrade their accounts to use the ‘Send Aguinaldo’ feature and load up their accounts via the more than 15,000 top-up partners that PayMaya has nationwide.
3. To send an ‘aguinaldo’, simply chat with @PayMayaOfficial in Messenger, click the “Promos & Gifts” tab, and click the “Send Aguinaldo” option.
4. Choose which Facebook friend to send the ‘aguinaldo’ to, enter the amount of money to be sent, and swipe right or left to choose the perfect design to go along with the money gift.
5. After tapping the “Pay” button, the user will be asked to enter their Facebook password, after which the money will be sent to the recipient.
The feature is currently available to Android users and those with upgraded PayMaya accounts, which means they would have to undergo the standard know-your-customer (KYC) process that requires additional information from the account holder.
Once the person receives the money via Messenger, it automatically goes to their PayMaya account if they have already registered, or they will be given the option to create one if they don’t already have a PayMaya account set up.
Expanding digital payments services
This is a new feature that has been made available for account holders of PayMaya in Messenger released in time for Christmas. Aside from sending “aguinaldo,” they can also buy prepaid load for themselves, send prepaid load as a gift to others, or pay their bills using the Messenger app.
PayMaya has also led the charge in enabling Filipinos with new ways to pay and do financial transactions via digital means through PayMaya QR, which allows them to do in-store payments by simply scanning a QR code displayed within the merchant’s premises. And as a Christmas treat for all account holders, PayMaya is giving a 50% rebate to all PayMaya QR transactions in merchants where it is available until December 24, and a 10% rebate from December 25 to 31.
Aside from this, account holders can pay for items they buy online or subscribe to digital services by using their virtual VISA card, which is available when they download the app in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.
Account holders can load their PayMaya wallets in more than 15,000 top-up facilities already available nationwide such as Robinsons Department Store Business Centers, SM Business Services, TouchPay kiosks, 7-Eleven, Cebuana Lhuillier, ExpressPay branches, Palawan Pawnshops, Shopwise, Wellcome, 2Go outlets, Petron stations along NLEX, and Smart Padala centers down to sari-sari stores in grassroots communities, and Unionbank ATMs.
PayMaya Philippines, the country’s pioneer and leader in cashless payments, is the digital financial services arm of PLDT’s Voyager Innovations. To know more about its products and services, visit www.paymaya.com. (Press Release)
