CAPAS, Tarlac (April 23, 2026) — The local government of Capas officially launched the Paleng-QR Ph Plus program on Wednesday, April 22 at the Capas Event Center, bringing digital payments to public markets, tricycle drivers, and small businesses.
The program aims to make daily transactions faster, safer, and more convenient for vendors and customers alike.
Governor Christian Yap and Mayor Roseller “Boots” Rodriguez led the pilot testing of the system. Right after the launch, they went straight to the Capas Public Market to try cashless payments themselves.
Using only their smartphones and digital wallets, the officials bought fresh meat, medicine, pizza, and even cooked meals from a carinderia — all paid via QR code.
“No wallet, no problem! I-cashless na yan,” the local government said in a statement.
Mayor Rodriguez urged residents to embrace the new system. “Sa panahon ngayon, may mga simpleng bagay na kailangang magbago. Kailangan tayong mag-adapt sa sumusulong na teknolohiya sa ating bayan. Ang mga modernong teknolohiya ay hindi lamang para sa mga lungsod. Ito ay pwede ring gawin ng mga bayan katulad ng bayan ng Capas,” he said.
The mayor also highlighted how the program can help in the distribution of government aid or ayuda. He explained that instead of people lining up to receive cash assistance, the municipality can send it directly to their GCash accounts. “Nung migpamye keng ayuda, kesa king magpila-pila kayu keni, nung atyu ing GCash account yu, lulub ya [diretso] king account yu (If you have a GCash account, the ayuda goes straight to your account. No more long lines),” he said.
Governor Yap shared that many modern countries have already gone cashless. “Yun na rin yata yung direksyon ng ating Bangko Sentral. Napakaganda rin nito para sa ating mga vendors, sa inyo [tricycle drivers], diba na hindi na kayo maraming dinadalang barya [para] panukli,” he said.
Before the launch, tricycle drivers and market vendors attended lectures and watched educational videos from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). The program was made possible with support from the BSP, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
“Ang digital transformation sa Capas ay para sa lahat—mula sa manibela ng tricycle hanggang sa bawat stall sa palengke,” the LGU said.
A similar program was launched in the town of Camiling back in 2023, which served as a model for other municipalities in Tarlac looking to modernize their local payment systems.
With Paleng-QR Ph Plus now in Capas, the local government is calling on everyone to join and make daily transactions easier for all.
