As part of its ongoing push for sustainable tourism and environmental protection, the Municipality of San Juan, La Union, has partnered with GCash, the country’s leading finance app, to launch a cashless system for collecting eco-tourism fees.
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San Juan, known for its surf culture and scenic beaches, faces challenges in collecting environmental fees due to its open layout and multiple beach access points. This has often led to missed payments and limited funds for keeping the town clean and well-maintained.
Using GCash’s Scan-to-Pay (STP) feature, tourists can conveniently pay the ₱50 environmental fee by scanning QR codes available in over 200 local establishments, such as hotels, cafés, and resorts, as well as in six designated Environmental Fee Hubs across the town.
Soon, QR codes will also be placed directly at key tourist spots and entry points to encourage on-the-spot payments and improve accessibility. This seamless, cashless system is designed to integrate smoothly into the visitor experience.
“This partnership reflects our shared goal of keeping San Juan clean and sustainable,”
said Mayor Arturo Valdriz.
“It gives both locals and tourists a simple way to help protect our environment,”
San Juan Mayor Arturo Valdriz said.
The digital system makes payments more convenient for visitors. It helps the local government track collections in real time, improving transparency and ensuring the funds go directly to environmental programs like waste management and beach cleanups. With the partnership now in place and early results positive, the municipality plans to expand the program to more locations, further supporting the town's environmental efforts.
“With GCash, every eco-fee helps preserve the beauty of San Juan’s beaches and landscapes for future generations,”
San Juan Tourism Head Ezikiel Lanuzo said.
By streamlining digital payment solutions, GCash, together with its partners in local government, champions communities and promotes sustainability — one scan at a time. Building on the success of this initiative, the Public Sector team of GCash is looking to scale the program by partnering with more local government units across the country, supporting their efforts to adopt easy, convenient, safe, and secure e-payment solutions.
For more information, please visit www.new.gcash.com.
