TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol – The city of Tagbilaran added another feather to its cap as it was honored as one of the Manila Bulletin Newsmakers of the Year 2024 in a ceremony held at The Tent City in Manila Hotel on February 15, 2024.
Tagbilaran City Mayor Jane Yap personally received the award from Manila Bulletin President and Editor-in-Chief Dr. Cris J. Icban Jr. and Executive Vice President Sonny Coloma.
The award was given in recognition of the city’s innovative and pioneering initiative of launching the Paleng-QR Ph program, which enables digital payment or cashless QR payments in the market and in local transportation.
The Paleng-QR Ph program, which stands for Palengke (market) and QR (quick response) code, was launched in January last year in partnership with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and GCash.
The program aims to promote financial inclusion, convenience, and safety among the city’s residents and visitors.
Mayor Yap expressed her gratitude to the Manila Bulletin for the recognition and said that the award is a testament to the city’s commitment to innovation and digital transformation.
“This award is not only for me, but for the whole city of Tagbilaran. This is a result of our collective efforts to embrace technology and make our city more progressive and resilient. We thank the Manila Bulletin for acknowledging our initiative and we hope to inspire other local governments to follow suit,” Yap said.
Tagbilaran City was among the ten personalities or organizations that were chosen as the Manila Bulletin Newsmakers of the Year 2024, based on their achievements that captured the attention and admiration of the country.
The other awardees were Sarisuki, a social enterprise that empowers women weavers in Mindanao; Magdalena Gamayo, a National Living Treasure awardee for her mastery of the inabel weaving tradition; Gilas Pilipinas, the national men’s basketball team that qualified for the FIBA World Cup 2024; Kathryn Bernardo, a popular actress and philanthropist; Jeremy de Leon, a young inventor who created a device that converts plastic waste into fuel; Aboitiz Equity Ventures, a leading conglomerate that supports various social and environmental causes; Expedock, a Filipino-led startup that automates data entry for logistics companies; Quezon City Mayor Josefina “Joy” Belmonte, who implemented various programs and policies to improve the quality of life in the city; and the Kindred, a group of Filipino artists who collaborated to produce a musical album that celebrates the country’s culture and heritage.
The Manila Bulletin Newsmakers of the Year Awards is an annual event that coincides with the anniversary of the Manila Bulletin, the Philippines’ leading national newspaper. This year marks the 124th year of the Manila Bulletin’s existence and service to the Filipino people.