GCash recently convened the members of the visually impaired community through an online consultation, opening dialogue on digital accessibility, consumer welfare, and the future of mobile finance. This is part of the company’s effort to build relationships with the community and identify gaps in the app experience.
The consultation was organized in collaboration with the Digital Pinoys Advocacy Group, a network of Filipino digital advocates focused on digital infrastructure and rights. GCash was represented by teams from Corporate Communications, Customer Experience, Sustainability, Digital Experience Design, Cyber Security and Fraud Management, and App Development.
The session opened with an overview of accessibility initiatives by GCash, including biometric login, standardized font usage, color contrast adjustments, and features such as ‘tap to pay’ and ‘sound pay.’ Luis Miguel Ereneta, Head of App Governance and Modernization at GCash, discussed the challenge of balancing accessibility with security, noting that the platform continuously conducts security audits on accessibility tools to guard against exploitation while maintaining a curated list of trusted third-party tools. ‘We recognize the need to strengthen security without unnecessarily limiting the legitimate accessibility tools that visually impaired customers depend on. The feedback raised during the consultation will help inform our continuing review of this balance,’ he added.
The consultation marks the beginning of a continuing engagement and accessibility-improvement process. GCash will review the concerns and recommendations raised, identify priority areas for assessment, and continue working with members of the visually impaired community through usability testing, feedback sessions and progress updates.
Community Concerns Surface Real Barriers
A pre-meeting survey of 24 respondents from the visually impaired community, including members of Banking Without Barriers and the ATRIEV I.T. Center for the Blind, found that members of the visually impaired community regularly use GCash for essential financial activities, while also experiencing varying levels of difficulty in independently accessing certain features. Participants shared common accessibility considerations for digital finance platforms, including screen reader compatibility, identity verification methods, and interface navigation.
Specifically, participants noted that continued use of a feature does not necessarily reflect full accessibility. Some users said they rely on workarounds or assistance from others to complete certain transactions, highlighting opportunities to strengthen independent access to the app’s features.
Community representatives also offered product recommendations, including expanded support for assistive technologies, clearer transaction details for screen reader users, and continued collaboration on accessibility testing.
Building Toward Accessibility
Community recommendations centered on stronger support for assistive technologies, alternative verification methods, audio descriptions for in-app content, and regular accessibility audits aligned with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
Participants also encouraged continued engagement with accessibility experts and disability advisory groups in future development. One of the community members Ma. Bless Adriano said, ‘GCash is the first e-wallet to listen to us, and we deeply appreciate that.’
GCash affirmed its commitment to keeping communication lines open and updating the community on progress in future consultations. Both GCash and the Digital Pinoys Advocacy Group reaffirmed openness to continued engagement, including future beta testing and usability feedback.