Google Pay is finally available in the Philippines
During our Australia trip last month, I was really spoiled by the convenience of contactless payments. I never had to take out cash (in fact, I got weird looks from some shops when I did), and I rarely had to use my physical cards (except for some bigger purchases that required on-chip validation).
So when we got back home to the Philippines -- the withdrawal I experienced was too real. Cash is still king, and credit cards involve the weird practice of handing over your card for the merchant to physically manhandle and tap themselves (why -- I don’t know).
So when Google Pay finally went live in the Philippines a few days back, needless to say, I was super stoked.
Setup Experience
Google Pay released a list of supported cards, and I luckily had a few that were on the list.
I had no trouble setting up my RCBC and EastWest credit cards, plus my GoTyme debit card. I already had my business Wise card set up -- so now it’s just a matter of testing if that works too.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t get my UnionBank Visa card to work no matter what I tried (short of calling customer support, which I detest). Even though it’s a payment method on my Google account, importing it gave me an unsupported error, and neither manual entry nor a photo of the card worked. I eventually gave up, figuring my other cards were enough.
Usage Experience
I got to try out Google Pay at Rebel Bakehouse in Podium and Cafe Beam in Baliwag. The baristas were surprisingly up to date with Google Pay support -- they weren’t shocked or hesitant when I pulled out my phone to pay. Just a week ago, I bet they’d have asked questions or even declined it (I’ve heard a story of a merchant reacting as if they were being scammed!).
My RCBC and EastWest credit cards worked flawlessly, but the GoTyme debit card didn’t. I suspect it’s because merchants here still need to manually select debit or credit on their terminals -- unlike in other countries where contactless systems just accept both by default.
Processing was quick, and Google Pay instantly sent me a notification with the merchant’s name and amount. That’s super handy for keeping track of card expenses on the go!
Conclusion
In summary, the experience was great. With the underlying NFC technology becoming more accepted (like at MRT stations) -- I’m hopeful contactless payments will spread even further and eventually become the norm. QR payments are fine, but they take extra steps and never feel as seamless as just tapping my phone.
Future Thoughts
I’m a bit bummed that Apple Pay is lagging behind and won’t launch until 2026, so I’ll likely stick to Android as my main phone for now. On a brighter note, syncing my cards to my watch for Google Pay wrist payments was pretty smooth. I had to re-enter verification codes and OTPs, but the setup was quick. I can’t wait to try that out next time!