Higala

Faster, easier payments for everyone! Higala and Camalig Bank, Inc. are teaming up to revolutionize how you send and receive money. Enjoy quicker transactions and lower fees. Read now:?https://lnkd.in/gQ9UG_sJ #digitalpayments #financialinnovation

Here's to advocating for financial inclusion! Higala and Amihan Global Strategies were proud to be part of the 71st Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines? General Convention. Together, let's pave the way to uplifting rural banks through our innovative digital banking and open payment solutions.

Through our work at Higala, what an incredible experience sharing the Philippines' journey toward financial inclusion with such a passionate audience at the Mojaloop Foundation convening in Kigali, Rwanda. From the challenges to the breakthroughs, we explored how an inclusive instant payments platform can empower communities across borders. While we've made great strides, we know there's still so much more to be done. The journey is far from over, but I'm personally thrilled on how bright the future is. Winston Damarillo Vice Catudio Jamey Butcher Julie Guetta Martha Van Camp Anna P. Diane Vierck Macel Legaspi Talino Venture Studios RCBC

If you haven't been able to make it to the Singapore FinTech Festival, Julie Guetta, our technical solutions lead, provides her takeaways from Day 2. The video features a chat with Vice Catudio, CEO of Higala!

Excited to be in Singapore this week with Talino Venture Studios?and Higala?for the Singapore #Fintech Festival. ???? ? We’re here to launch SynerFi - a partnership with Talino Venture Studios, RCBC, and Chemonics International. SynerFi is a platform that will provide rural and thrift banks throughout the Philippines with the opportunity to participate in the #digital economy and include 60 million Filipinos in digital financial services. It's critical that we harness the private sector and #PrivateCapital to take the next step in #FinancialInclusion. Learn more from the Manila Bulletin below: https://lnkd.in/g6TQFP3M

Higala uses the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation- Mojaloop Foundation software solution to contribute to the digital banking infrastructure in the Philippines. Mojaloop forms the core of the open payments infrastructure Higala is developing that will allow rural banks access to more advanced payment technologies and services. The Foundation interviewed our CEO, Vice Catudio, and CTO, Francis Plaza, to learn more about our plans to expand digital payment services in the country.

Higala is the pioneer inclusive Instant Payment System in the Philippines. We are here to leverage open payments to increase security and participation by lowering on-ramp barriers and transaction costs! Talk to us about how you can help modernize and innovate the country’s payments infrastructure.?https://lnkd.in/gtF6in22

Higala signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreement with Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) to expand the participation of rural banks, microfinance institutions, cooperatives, and fintechs in payment systems, and make it more accessible to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and consumers in the countryside. Through this partnership, Higala and RCBC commit to advancing financial inclusion by helping rural banks overcome technological, regulatory, and skill barriers, enabling them to offer payment services to their customers. By leveraging open payments, microfinance institutions, cooperatives, and fintechs can also provide payment services. This collaboration will accelerate the interoperability of payment systems nationwide and reduce transaction costs levied on payment services. Higala and RCBC are set to launch an Inclusive Instant Payment System sandbox and a platform bank service to accelerate participant onramp to the payment system.

Higala met with the Batangas Federation of Rural Bankers in Lipa City, Batangas led by its President Ricky Estrada of Summit Rural Bank of Lipa City and Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines (RBAP) Director Ron Recto of the Rural Bank of San Antonio to explore collaboration in modernizing the Philippines’ instant payment infrastructure and how rural banks can participate to expand the reach of instant payments in the countryside. The Higala team led by CEO Vice Catudio and CTO Francis Plaza talked about bringing down the onramp barrier to interoperable payment rails through technology and non-technology approaches, reducing transaction costs of moving funds amongst financial institutions (FIs), and developing an ecosystem of value-added service providers to enable payment use cases needed by the market.?For instant payment rails to be inclusive, participation by FIs must be easy or seamless, transaction costs must be low, and the platform must enable FIs (and fintechs) to offer payment products beyond P2P. On the technical side, Higala shared how it will integrate with rural banks’ core banking system and addressed questions on information security and cybersecurity.?Higala will soon launch its sandbox to enable banks to test the features of its modern instant payment system.

Thank you to the Mojaloop Foundation for their continuous support of our advocacy for financial inclusion! Read up on our CEO Vice's interview with Mojaloop to learn how we will open up merchant payments and decrease transaction costs?in the Philippines.