VILLAFUERTE URGES CONGRESS TO PASS LAW BOOSTING DIGITAL PAYMENTS AND E-COMMERCE

Camarines Sur Rep. Migz Villafuerte urged Congress to pass the “Promotion of Digital Payments Act” to mandate online payments for most government transactions, citing the rapid growth of electronic fund transfers in the Philippines.

He said such a law would boost e-commerce, accelerate digital transformation, and help the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas achieve its goal of 60–70% of retail payments done digitally by 2028.

The proposed House Bill No. 3646 requires local government units to ensure merchants adopt digital payment systems as a condition for business permit approval or renewal.

Villafuerte emphasized that the bill also provides support and incentives for small and micro-merchants to adopt digital payment platforms.

He noted that mandatory digital payments could strengthen public trust in fintech while overcoming barriers such as slow internet, costly fees, and limited acceptance of digital payments.

Source: PhilNews24 | January 12, 2026