Analysis of the PalengQR PH Plus Program and Willingness to Participate of Wet Market Vendors in Calamba City, Laguna, 2025

Date

6-2025

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics

College

College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Geny F. Lapiña

Committee Member

Maria Angeles O. Catelo

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Abstract

In order to push for inclusive finance in the Philippines, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, along with the Department of Interior and Local Government, developed the PalengQR Ph Plus Program to advocate for the widespread use of digital payments all over the country. This program targeted important economic players, particularly public market vendors and local transportation operators. This study aimed to provide an analysis of the PalengQR Plus Program, its effects, and the willingness of wet market vendors to participate in the program.

This study used data collected from selected active wet market vendors operating in Mercado de Calamba. Chi-square test of independence was utilized to determine the association of socioeconomic profile and facilitating conditions with the respondent’s willingness to participate in the PalengQRPh Plus Program. Spearman’s rank correlation was used to analyze the association of perception of QR payments with willingness to participate, and partial budget analysis was used to measure the effect of the program on the financial performance of participants.

The findings indicated that there was a low level of participation in the program among wet market vendors in the selected market. Among 56 respondents, 7 (13%) were willing to participate and currently using QRPh, 24 (43%) are willing but not currently using QR Ph, and 35 (45%) were not willing to participate at all. The results further revealed that among the socioeconomic characteristics, only age had a significant association with willingness to participate. Meanwhile, all facilitating conditions had a significant association with willingness to participate. In terms of perception, perceived ease of use (0.3672) was found to have a moderate positive association while perceived usefulness (0.4121) and perceived risk (-0.5196) had strong positive and negative associations with the willingness to participate, respectively. For non-participants of the program, the top barrier to participation was the perception that QRPh payments were a hassle to their transactions, while the main motivator for potential participation was customer preference. For participants of the PalengQR Ph Plus Program, participation generally showed a positive net change implying that using QRPh payments was profitable. The benefit-cost ratio analysis showed that fruit stalls gained the most at PhP 3.13 per peso spent, but fish stall vendors who participated in the program experienced a loss.

The PalengQR Ph Plus Program can benefit wet market vendors by providing convenience and improved profitability. However, there must be serious interventions on the implementation of the program in order to improve the level of participation such as the development of a comprehensive education and training program to address knowledge gaps for both market vendors and consumers, the improvement of technological infrastructure to enable a widespread utilization of QRPh payments, and proper monitoring and evaluation of the PalengQR Ph Plus Program to make timely adjustments to implementation approaches.

Language

English

LC Subject

Market surveys, Electronic funds transfers

Location

UPLB College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Call Number

LG 993.5 2025 A14 R49

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Document Type

Thesis

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