PH Consulate General in Barcelona Launches Payment Options Credit/Debit Card, ApplePay, Etc. in Ibiza
The Philippine Consulate General in Barcelona receiving Ms. Mycah Melissa Katigbak (left photo) and Mr. and Mrs. Giovanni and Jenny Sagun (right photo) as among the first clients to pay via card payments during the consular outreach in Ibiza on 10 March 2024. (Barcelona PCG photo).
BARCELONA 13 March 2024 – The Philippine Consulate General in Barcelona unveiled a range of cashless payment alternatives for its consular services during its outreach in Ibiza, Spain, on 10 March 2024.
Through an agreement with Banco Sabadell, one of Spain’s largest banks, the Philippine Consulate General is now able to accept credit and debit card payments via Mastercard, Visa, JCB, and UnionPay, as well as Diners Club and Discover cards.
Additionally, the Consulate's payment system accommodates Near Field Communications (NFC) Technology through e-wallets and mobile payments made with a phone or other smart devices. This includes the option to pay through ApplePay and SamsungPay, the fastest-growing payment methods in Spain.
"It has long been coming, and we are extremely proud that we finally come to this day where we get to offer a menu of payment options to our kababayan and locals alike. It is important that we understand which payment methods are convenient for our clients, and offering them their preferred payment method is one crucial way to enhance their customer experience,” expressed Philippine Consul General in Barcelona Maria Theresa S.M. Lazaro before the Filipino community members in Ibiza.
According to the Bank of Spain, cards remained the most frequent means of payment, followed by mobile payment apps. The latter have grown in popularity to the detriment of cards. “Reports provide that mobile payments used in Spain doubled last year. Hence, it is crucial for us that we also make such payment options available in our consular services,” added Consul General Lazaro.
The Consulate is likewise actively preparing to launch its virtual Point-of-Sale (POS), with a focus on integrating Bizum as an additional payment alternative. The widely-used Bizum app is exclusive to Spain and compatible with all top Spanish banks. A separate announcement is anticipated to be issued by the Consulate before the conclusion of the first quarter of 2023, detailing the launch of this additional payment option.
Cashless payments at the Consulate shall bear no extra charges to the client. END.
Ms. Erliza Rivera (right) paying for her consular fees via Near Field Communications (NFC) Technology embedded on her phone. (Barcelona PCG photo).
For more information,visit https://barcelonapcg.dfa.gov.ph/ or https://www.facebook.com/PHinBarcelona/.