GCash anti-vote buying transaction limits to last until election day
MANILA, Philippines – If you’re unable to send cash to multiple digital accounts in the coming days that is not part of your usual digital banking activity, don’t be surprised if the transactions fail.
E-wallet giant GCash continues to impose transaction limits until Monday, May 12, in an attempt to curb vote buying.
This move aligns with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Resolution 11104, targeting illegal financial activities such as vote buying and vote selling during the election period.
Until election day, GCash limits daily “Send Money” transactions, including features like “Express Send” and “Send via QR.” Users can return to their normal transactions on Tuesday, May 13.
Once users reach the daily cap, they must wait until the next day to transact again. Business users are also subject to these restrictions to promote transparency and fairness.
“Ang mga hakbang na ito ay para sa patas at ligtas na halalan. Sa pagpigil sa financial influence sa boto ng mga tao, masisigurong tunay na boses ng mamamayan ang resulta ng eleksyon,” GCash said in an advisory.
(These steps are being taken to ensure a fair and safe election. By stopping financial influence on people’s votes, we can ensure that the people’s real voices will prevail in the election results.)
Suspicious activities are then reported to regulatory bodies such as the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Anti-Money Laundering Council.
The Ayala-owned e-wallet did not specify the specific cap on the transaction amount. But GCash’s chief risk officer Ingrid Beroña told Teleradyo Serbisyo in March that the team monitors for any suspicious activity that could be related to vote buying.
“It’s based on the transaction count, not the amount. We can assure you that you have nothing to worry about if your transactions are legitimate and not tied to vote buying,” she said in Filipino.
Beroña disclosed that this is the third election cycle that GCash implemented transaction limits.
Beroña also clarified that GCash’s anti-vote buying transaction caps are different from its updated transaction limits that will take effect on Saturday, May 10.
Under these updated limits, GCash users can only send money 550 times and receive money 500 times per month. Beroña explained that this limit is under GCash’s fair use program in compliance with the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Law, which ensures users are using their app according to their profile.
The BSP earlier warned banks to adopt enhanced surveillance procedures against vote buying.
Under the Philippines’ anti-money laundering law, banks and financial institutions are required to report suspicious transactions, such as those that may be tied to vote buying or selling. – Rappler.com