Summary

Program goals

Enables informal welfare workers to make social welfare payments in accordance to “Kasambahay Law,” which gives informal workers the same benefits as those in the formal sector. 

Key program components

BayadLoad allows mobile phone subscribers to buy load from their airtime retailer and use this to make their mandatory social payments. By allowing airtime to be used for mobile payment, it provides low income people the opportunity to pay into government programs which provide health, pension, maternity leave, workman’s compensation, and housing support services. Targeting low-income informal workers, this mobile money platform is structured to meet the needs of 1.8 million employers, 2.5 million domestic service workers, in addition to 15 million self-employed who make voluntary contributions for social protection. This program uses all airtime agents (1 million) as opposed to only certified mobile money agents (10,000) expanding the scope of mobile money.

Users register their Social Security, PhilHealth, and Pag IBIG (Home Development Mutual Fund) accounts with their mobile subscriber, and can use their load to make micro and low value government payments after paying for a 12% convenience fee. Money is directed to a specific “wallet” that is used solely for government payments, not SMS, voice, or data.