MANILA – Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian proposed that each Filipino should have their bank account to make sure they receive the financial assistance in the shortest time possible.
“Ngayon meron na tayong national ID. May isang batas akong gustong i-file na may kaugnayan sa national ID, ang tawag ko dito ay ‘One Filipino, One Bank Account.’ Dapat mandatory na bigyan ng pamahalaan ang lahat ng mga naninirahan dito ng bank account,” he said on Sunday.
Being the vice-chairperson of the Senate Committee on Banks, Financial Institutions, and Currencies, Gatchalian said owning a bank account should be considered a basic requirement among Filipinos, regardless of the individual’s socio-economic class.
“Makakatulong sa bawat Pilipino ang pagkakaroon ng bank account lalo na sa contactless at cashless payments gamit ang cellphone na maaari ring magsilbing digital wallet,” he said.
Based on the financial inclusion survey conducted by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in 2019, some 51.2 million Filipino adults remain unbanked or 71 percent of the total adult population.
The survey said that the lack of enough money is the main reason for not having a bank account, followed by the perceived lack of need for an account, and lack of documentary requirements.
Meanwhile, Philippine Statistics Authority’s record also showed that 82 percent of the 10.5 million initial registrants to the Philippine Identification System, or the national ID system, do not have bank accounts./PN
