Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) has launched the country’s first all-in-one “Taglish” inclusion super app, DiskarTech. Taglish refers to the Philippine language, Tagalog, infused with American English terms that has been widely used by Filipinos locally and abroad. The app aims to provide sachet banking services to millions of unbanked and underserved Filipinos, especially those living in grassroots communities.
“Our aim has always been to scale consumer adoption by making DiskarTech simple. It talks to every ordinary consumer using Taglish, a language that is easy to understand and almost everyone uses comfortably,” said Lito Villanueva, RCBC executive vice president and chief innovation and inclusion officer.
DiskarTech users can easily and quickly create their own basic deposit accounts through one-time registration via an electronic know-your-customer (eKYC) digital process. Opening a DiskarTech digital savings account does not require an initial amount or maintaining balance.
Users can also enjoy 3.25% interest to encourage them to save more. A goal-oriented digital savings feature also allows users to set their life goals through #buhayginhawa. This feature reminds them when to top-up their savings to meet their set goals, like saving for a motorcycle down-payment, or a laptop or mobile phone purchase.
Other DiskarTech features include cardless ATM withdrawals, deposits and cash out from thousands of agent partners nationwide, including fund transfers, with just a few clicks on the app. The app’s services also include bills payments to major billers and government services, telemedicine, purchase of airtime load and gaming pins, quick response (QR) code transfers, among others. More services will be introduced soon, such as microinsurance and skills marketplace for enterprising Filipinos.
Keynote speakers during the virtual launch included Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez. Key partners from the government and non-government organizations also expressed their support during DiskarTech’s virtual launching. These included National Privacy Commission Chairman Raymund Liboro, and Insurance Commissioner Dennis Funa, along with officials of Ka-Entrep Micro and Small Entrepreneurs Organization of the Philippines, Philippine Association of Stores and Carinderia Owners, and Liga ng mga Barangays.
“For sixty years, RCBC has partnered with every Filipino to serve their financial needs. The change brought about by the new normal has challenged us to be even more relevant as we move forward in this new way of banking. DiskarTech will be our legacy to the young and tech-savvy Filipinos,” said Helen Yuchengco Dee, RCBC chairperson.
“I cannot truly say that the coronavirus derailed our plans to bring financial inclusion to the underserved members of our society. Instead, it has brought to light the essential services that is more needed by Filipinos under a new digital economy. We accelerated the addition of features as they prove to be more necessary today. More responsive and more relevant than ever. Finally, DiskarTech is here for every unbanked and underserved Filipino,” added Eugene Acevedo, RCBC president and CEO.
“DiskarTech is an app that exemplifies innovation and collaboration. Our digital finance ecosystem must be inclusive to ensure that no one is left behind. We must leverage on this momentum to drive technology-driven financial inclusion not only by promoting use of digital financial services but also increasing consumer trust and confidence. And this is what, I believe, DiskarTech, can do,” stressed Diokno in his keynote address.
Diokno said that at least half of retail payment transactions will shift to digital in three years. He also sees 70% of adult Filipinos having and using a transaction account by the end of his term in 2023. A three-year digital payments transformation roadmap has been drafted by the BSP in pursuit of this objective. “One of the priority policy initiatives lined up is open banking,” Diokno added.
The launch is part of RCBC’s commitment to support BSP’s mission to improve financial inclusion in the country. By using the DiskarTech app, people can have free access to a suite of products and services, to enable them to be part of the local banking ecosystem.
“The DTI fully supports DiskarTech as a pioneering app as it is fully aligned with President Rodrigo Duterte’s 10-point socio-economic agenda by helping more than 1.3 million sari-sari stores and market vendors in over 42,000 barangays nationwide. DiskarTech’s complete suite of digital financial services will benefit our micro, small and medium enterprises. DTI will promote DiskarTech through training programs across DTI’s more than 1,000 Negosyo Centers nationwide,” said Lopez.
DiskarTech had earlier rolled out its DiskarTech Lite disbursement platform to aid the government in distributing social amelioration cash subsidies.