Davao City Government Honored with Prestigious Digital Award for Market Modernization
The City Government of Davao has achieved significant recognition for its forward-thinking digital initiatives, securing the Palengke Digital Breakthrough Growth Award specifically for the Bankerohan Public Market. This prestigious honor was presented during the GCash Digital Excellence Awards ceremony, held on February 19, 2026, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.
Championing Digital Financial Solutions for Public Service
Maximo Macalipes Jr., Officer-in-Charge of the City Economic Enterprises (CEE), emphasized during the I-Speak Media Forum on Thursday that this award celebrates public sector partners who actively promote digital financial solutions. These efforts are crucial for modernizing public services and driving nationwide financial inclusion. Macalipes attributed this success directly to the city mayor's 12-point priority agenda, which prioritizes digitalization to enhance convenience for consumers purchasing products in public markets.
"Because of our city mayor's 12-point priority agenda, the adaptation of digitalization makes it easier for our consumers to pay for the products they buy from our public market," Macalipes stated. He further explained that Davao City's pioneering role in modernizing public markets through cashless transactions and digital financial solutions ensures that both vendors and consumers benefit from increased convenience, transparency, and inclusion.
Expanding Payment Options and Building on Past Achievements
Macalipes highlighted that in Davao's public markets, consumers now have the option to pay using GCash or other digital payment platforms, not limited to GCash alone. This breakthrough innovation has been widely adopted by many customers at Bankerohan Public Market, a development that GCash, as a partner, has observed and celebrated. "We have many customers at Bankerohan Public Market who use GCash as one of the payment methods and as a result of this innovation, which our partner GCash has already observed, we received this award and we are also very proud of this achievement," he added.
This latest milestone builds upon Davao City's earlier recognition in 2023 as one of the Outstanding Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Stakeholders. The city was the first local government unit in Mindanao and the second nationwide to formally adopt and implement the BSP PalengQR Plus Program, demonstrating a consistent commitment to digital advancement.
Ongoing Digital Transformation and Future Innovations
Beyond market digitalization, Macalipes also underscored the ongoing collaboration with the City Information Technology Center (CITC) to advance the city's comprehensive digital transformation agenda. Several innovative systems are currently being implemented to improve efficiency and service delivery across city enterprises, including:
- The Electronic Stall Management System (eSMS) and its Version 2
- The Night Market Stall Registration System (NMSRS)
- The Public Cemetery Monitoring Information System Version 2 (PCMIS v2)
- The Centralized Livestock and Slaughterhouse System (CLASS)
The City Government of Davao continues to strengthen its commitment to integrating digital solutions into public markets, aiming to enhance both revenue collection and convenience for Dabawenyo vendors and consumers alike. This award serves as a testament to the city's proactive approach in leveraging technology to transform public services and foster economic growth.
