CABANATUAN CITY, Nueva Ecija - The Alalay sa Kaunlaran Inc. (ASKI), a
non-government organization specializing in microfinance was chosen as one of
the organizations to receive a grant from US
Agency for International Development (USAID) and NetHope on the Electronic and Mobile
Payment Implementation and Evaluation Grants Program.
ASKI is the only organization in Southeast Asia to receive and implement
the said project. Other recipients were Concern
Worldwide in Malawi and Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) in
Tanzania.
The initiative from USAID and NetHope is
aimed at supporting the leading development organizations committed to testing electronic
payments, compare and document the costs, challenges and benefits of using cash
versus electronic payments.
A grant of $42,000 is awarded by USAID and
NetHope to the selected organizations to demonstrate the potential uses of
electronic payments in relief and development programs, provide insights into
procedures for making this transition and encourage the adoption of electronic
payments by other implementing partners.
ASKI will use the grant to evaluate mobile
banking platform implemented in partnership with BPI Globe BanKo, the
Philippine’s first mobile phone-based, microfinance-focused bank.
In 2012, ASKI and BanKo entered into an agreement
to introduce mobile banking platform in its micro-agri loans for rice farmers.
The provision of agricultural loans was pilot-tested with rice farmers
receiving a crop management recommendation from Rice Crop Manager to increase
their rice yield and profit.
The Rice Crop Manager is a web-based tool
developed by International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), in partnership with
the Department of Agriculture, to provide rice farmers with a fertilizer
recommendation precisely matching the nutrient needs of the crop.
ASKI will document the continued expansion
of its transition of loan disbursements from check (a cash-based platform) to
mobile, cash-less platform not only for the farmers but also to other micro-entrepreneurs.
“Since the implementation of the program,
there has been no comparative study conducted to look into the benefits of
going from cash-based to cashless transactions,” said Rolando B. Victoria, ASKI
executive director.
“We will document the key lessons learned,
challenges faced and processes applied in shifting from cash to electronic
payment in the Philippine perspective specifically in the experience of ASKI.
We hope to share with the other organizations across the globe our experiences
on this innovation,” Victoria added.
Meanwhile, Frank Schott, interim president
and executive director of NetHope, said that they received and reviewed a wide
range of proposals showing innovative uses for transitioning cash to electronic
payments across a variety of markets.
“Whether organizations are transitioning
their payment streams for internal operational expenses like staff per diems or
local suppliers, or for program clients in health, agriculture or microfinance,
it’s an important first step towards promoting financial inclusion. We are
delighted to support these organizations in their commitment towards this
goal,” Schott said.
NetHope, Inc., is a consortium of 41
leading international humanitarian organizations founded in 2001. It is a
new-generation collaboration of the international community’s leading
non-governmental organizations (NGOs), representing over USD40 billion of
emergency relief, human development and conservation programs in more than 180
countries. For more information you can visit their website at http://www.nethope.org
Meanwhile, USAID is the principal U.S.
federal government agency primarily responsible for administering civilian
foreign aid, providing economic, development and humanitarian assistance around
the world in support of the foreign policy goals of the United States. For more
information visit: www.usaid.gov.
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