MVP Group of Companies accelerates paperless transactions and contactless journeys in its various businesses in an effort to keep people safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
These companies include PLDT and its wireless subsidiary Smart Communications, Inc., as well as Manila Electric Co., and Metro Pacific Tollways Corp.
Digital payments for PLDT, Smart
PLDT and Smart are encouraging subscribers to embrace paperless transactions and utilize expanded digital payment channels and online billing services, and subscribe to electronic billing whenever possible.
To date, customer payments via PLDT-Smart’s digital channels have jumped three-fold as compared to last year, particularly after parts of the country were placed under quarantine back in March.
Smart Postpaid customers can pay their bills via the unique Smart Pay Express Link in their monthly billing SMS or by logging in to my.smart.com.ph with their My Smart account. For PLDT customers, they can go to https://pldthome.com/paymentcenters.
Customers can also enroll their postpaid account in their credit card’s auto-debit feature or use the bills payment services of their respective banks. They may also go to the nearest accredited partner establishments, like 7-Eleven, The SM Store, Robinsons, Bayad Center, Cebuana Lhuillier, ECPay, and others, to pay their bills.
They can also download the PayMaya app to pay for their Smart Postpaid bill or buy load for their devices. PayMaya is currently offering a PhP50 rebate for PLDT, Smart, and Sun postpaid accounts until December 31.
Customers can also purchase call, text, and data credits online via the Smart Online Store, and official platforms such as Lazada, Shopee, Grab, and others.
Meralco paperless billing, Bayad Center
Meralco customers can opt to receive their monthly electric bills electronically via email and through their Meralco Online account.
To pay their bills, Meralco customers can pay via Meralco Online, an online facility launched to allow customers to conveniently and digitally transact with Meralco. Customers can also pay via the Meralco Mobile App, which is available for both Android and iOS users.
Meralco Online accepts credit, debit and prepaid cards (PayMaya, Smart Money) powered by Mastercard, VISA, or JCB to pay their bills.
Meralco Online handles Service Applications, Concerns/Inquiries, and Outage reporting. It also has an outage map where customers can see forced and pre-arranged outages and which areas are affected plus the estimated time of restoration. The portal also provides a number of Energy Efficiency Tips.
Bayad Center’s digitalization is “on full swing” with innovations and partnerships to support a seamless onsite and online payment experience. Bayad Center is bringing in more billers into the network and empower fintech companies’ access to bills payment.
The facility is also making #TatakSigurado payments accessible to every Filipino home with a network of branches and authorized partners, and powering the bills payment feature of leading digital payment apps.
RFID for MTPC
MPTC, on the other hand, is transitioning to electronic toll collection system in compliance with the Department of Transportation’s directives, with its expressways in North Luzon, Central Luzon, and South Luzon undergoing progressive conversion to make them RFID-enabled by November 2020.
Minimizing physical contact and going cashless in toll roads has become an urgent priority amid COVID-19, making the use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) as a payment option, which allows for contactless passage through the toll plazas, all the more relevant.
According to Roberto V. Bontia, President and General Manager of MPT South Corporation and MPTC’s RFID 100 Task Force Head, some segments fo MPTC expressways gradually implemented the progressive conversion drive, and that around 75% of these lanes are already RFID-enabled.
Recently, the Philippine Arena toll plaza, Lawang Bato Northbound Entry, and expansion lanes in Balintawak and Bocaue toll plazas in NLEX have been converted into exclusive RFID lanes. CALAX also opened 100% RFID interchanges in Laguna Boulevard and Laguna Technopark in Biñan City, Laguna.
Maynilad My Water Bill
Maynilad customers who prefer to view their e-SOA (electronic Statement of Account) can enroll in Maynilad’s “My Water Bill” Online Portal.
The company is also rolling out internal process enhancements to improve overall customer experience, including the automation of its Zone Accounts Management System (ZAMS), which can analyze sudden increases in customers’ water consumption patterns, and prompt Maynilad to proactively investigate, and the Automated Customer Communication (ACC) Project, for automatic dissemination of near real-time water service interruption advisories to affected customers.
Maynilad is also equipping its Zone Specialists with tablets integrated with the Workflow Management System (WMS). This allows them to process applications, create tickets for requests, and address complaints and inquiries onsite.
Emman has been writing technical and feature articles since 2010. Prior to this, he became one of the instructors at Asia Pacific College in 2008, and eventually landed a job as Business Analyst and Technical Writer at Integrated Open Source Solutions for almost 3 years.
