By Mar T. Supnad
NARVACAN, Ilocos Sur – locanos will no longer go down to the cities or town proper to deposit, withdraw their money, pay bills and send money with the new ‘Gracia Telecom Kiosk/ Automated Payment Machine.
In what appears to be a corroborated effort of Gracia Telecom CEO Charissa Singson and his father Mayor Luis “Chavit” Singson, the tandem resulted in the breakthrough concept –the first ever state-of-the-art one-stop-cash transaction facility, which Singson wanted to pass on to offer local government units in his capacity as national president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines.
Said Mayor Singson: “The Gracia Telecom provides you a new service wherein you can have your own VISA and DEBIT CARD (dispense from the machine), pay your bills without queuing a long time with banks and other bayad centers; just go to the nearest place where you can access the Gracia loading and Bills Payment kiosk. You can pay your bills, credit card, loans and other bills using this kiosk. Not only the bill payments but you can also load your Gcash, eloads and other services using this Kiosk.”
A long time governor here, Mayor Chavit vowed to set up such more Automated machines throughout the province to give more comfort to the people of Ilocos Sur.
The installation of the Robot machine was witnessed by Vice Mayor Pablito Sanidad Sr., Municipal Administrator Pablo Sanidad II, members of the council, the 34 barangay captains, the police, and the public themselves.
Mayor Singson pointed out that this robot machine will be a big help to the people here and it came at a time during the pandemic.
The robot machine, he said, has a satellite and operates 24 hours daily. “Daytoy ti agserbi a banko ti amin nga umili, dakkel a nam-ay ti kaaduan aglalo dagiti adda iti upland municipalities ta saandan a bumaba a mapan iti siudad ti Candon tapno mapan agideposito, agwithdraw ken agipatulod ti kuarta,” ( This will serve as a bank to all the people here and this is a big help to the majority of the people particularly those living in the Upland towns as they will no longer go down to the city of Candon to deposit, withdraw their money).
According to Mayor Singson, the Gracia Money Padala Card has two types-visa debit card and multi-purpose card.
The multi-purpose card, he pointed out, can be used in borrowing money by the employes, saying this will avoid them from borrowing ‘5/6’ scheme.