Editor’s note: More than a year into the pandemic, we’ve all developed new routines. This month, GoodRap is putting the spotlight on brands that have made quarantine easier for everyone. In this story, the author shares some of the features of the Globe GCash app that have been helping her accomplish important errands.

With the pandemic still a major concern, stepping out of the house is still something that I am hesitant about. But there are errands so important I can’t put them off. One of these is paying our utilities and bills. 

Before the pandemic, my parents and I shared the tasks of going to the bank, traveling to the office of the water district, or lining up at the office of our phone operator. This meant at least an hour of waiting – if we were lucky – or sometimes even half a day spent finishing all these errands.

It’s no surprise that this became a significant concern when the pandemic began. Quarantine regulations required us to limit not only the time spent in public places but also the number of people we come into contact with. These errands then went from “tedious” to “potentially a huge health risk.”

My dad then asked me to look for a safer way to pay our bills. And that was when I realized that we could use one application to accomplish most of these tasks.

Sending money and buying load

I first heard of GCash way back in 2019, when Monique Obligacion of Druid Things posted about it in the Buhay Zero Waste group. I was immediately intrigued. 

Through this app, users can send money to any phone number that’s registered with GCash. You can also send money to most Philippine banks. It was easy to do. I just signed up for an account and linked my bank account to the app. In no time, I was using GCash to pay for online transactions or to send money to other users. These were the first features I used. 

I eventually learned that we can also buy load directly from the app itself. Since my parents and I are Globe users, this became helpful – I no longer had to purchase load cards from convenience stores or supermarkets.

Paying bills

I must admit that at first, I did not fully explore the features of the GCash app. I limited myself to money transfers and load purchases because I was familiar with these. 

But the app actually has more services. One of the most useful is the pay bills option. This feature allows users to directly pay their bills directly from the app itself. 

Since the pandemic began, GCash has expanded its partnerships with Philippine billers – including water, electricity, cable, and the like. To give you an idea, we now pay our electricity, water, insurance, and RFID bills through the app. (No more lining up and waiting in public places for us!) 

Planting virtual trees

More than paperless banking and bills payment, I believe that GCash’s defining feature is its GForest. This is actually why Monique Obligacion’s post caught my attention. Who knew that users can support reforestation efforts just by using the app? 

By buying prepaid load, doing paperless bank transfers, walking, and conducting other green activities within the app, users can collect green energy points. After accumulating a certain amount of points, your virtual tree matures. Every tree grown within the app eventually gets planted as a native tree at the Ipo Watershed. [READ: Go cashless, help plant trees at Ipo watershed]

Are you currently a GCash user? Or are you interested in becoming one? Learn more about the app here. Here’s some advice from someone who’s been using it for some time now: take the time to explore the app’s features! You never know how else it can help make your life easier. – Rappler.com