Hassle-free’ cash card launched in Subic Free Port

SUBIC BAY FREE PORT—Vacations and leisure trips to popular tourism attractions in this free port have just gotten more efficient with the recent introduction of a cashless-transaction system for paying the bills.

This, after Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) and Pilipinas Micro-Matrix Technology Inc. (PMTI), an information and communications technology firm based in this free port, launched the RCBC MyWallet-WOW Mangga Card that integrated features of an ATM card and a credit card.

Prior to the cobranding venture, MyWallet is known as a prepaid stored-value ATM/cash card designed to give holders easy access to the bank’s deposit and withdrawal facilities, as well as faster transactions with business establishments.

The WOW Mangga Card, on the other hand, was recently introduced in the Subic Bay Free Port for cashless payment with accredited business theme parks, hotels, restaurants and other tourism establishments.

The resulting fusion of features “introduces the convenience of cashless transactions with fast and accurate payments that also eliminate the problem of short-changing due to the unavailability of coins,” the firms said in a statement.  

The RCBC-WOW Mangga card can also be used for the unique “hop-on, hop-off” transportation system recently introduced by WOW Card to efficiently bring visitors to various tourism attractions in the Subic Bay Free Port.  

The card, which is now available in RCBC branches nationwide, also allows family vacationers to plan ahead for their trips to Subic with the “Pack Your Own Package” scheme that also provides discounts.

The introduction of the cashless- transaction system, said Raul Marcelo, deputy administrator for business development of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), “will definitely boost the tourism program in the Subic Bay Free Port Zone.”

“At the same time, this will bring Subic to the next level, as far as adapting technology to bolster tourism is concerned,” he added.

The SBMA had earlier endorsed the introduction of PMTI’s WOW Mangga Card to draw more foreign tourists who are more at home with cashless transactions.

“With WOW Card’s joint venture with RCBC, Subic’s bid to be at the cutting edge of technology is further strengthened,” Marcelo said. Written by Henry Empeño / Business Mirror Correspondent