Uber rolls out cash payment in PH

MANILA, Philippines – Uber Technologies, Incorporated on Tuesday, November 3, announced that it now accepts cash payment in the Philippines.

This makes the Philippines the fifth country in the world and the second in Southeast Asia where Uber is accepting cash payments.

“Having the option of paying with cash is really important for people in Metro Manila so this is an exciting experiment for us,” Laurence Cua, general manager for Uber Philippines, said in a statement.

Uber users in Metro Manila will need to simply choose the “CASH” payment option, take a ride, and pay their driver directly at the end of the trip.

According to Uber, not all riders will see the “CASH” payment option right away as it is testing different groups and user preferences. 

“It will then roll out gradually to all riders over the next few weeks,” Cua said.

Toward seamless payment

In the past few months, Uber said its team around the world has “worked tirelessly to create a seamless cash payment option.”

Uber first selected Hyderabad, India for its cash payment experiment in May, followed a few weeks later by Nairobi, Kenya. 

To date, Uber said all 22 cities in India have cash payments as an option, along with Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.

“The tests we’ve done in India, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam have been hugely successful. This cash experiment in the Philippines will give us more great insights and help us develop our technology to best meet the needs of Filipino riders,” Cua added.

Since its experiments in other markets began, Uber said it has gained significant “insights into usage patterns, consumer preferences, friction points, and extensive feedback from drivers and riders who’ve used cash to pay for Uber rides.”

“Uber is encouraging all riders to make use of the service and give feedback, as information gained from riders is what will help us improve,” it added.

“Uber riders in (Metro) Manila already have access to reliable, convenient and safe transportation and this cash test opens up the Uber platform to even more people,” Cua said. – Rappler.com