SIARGAO, Philippines, November 9, 2026 — Visa, USSC Money Services, Inc. (UMSI), and the Department of Tourism (DOT), together with provincial and local government partners, are expanding digital payment acceptance among tourism businesses in Siargao through a mobile-based payment solution.
The initiative uses U Accept, powered by Visa Accept and integrated into UMSI’s uGrow app. It allows eligible merchants to accept contactless card payments using a compatible smartphone, without requiring a traditional point-of-sale terminal.
The rollout comes ahead of Siargao’s hosting of the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour, which brings 40 professional surfers to compete at the island’s Cloud 9 reef break.
100 Tourism Merchants Onboarded in Siargao
Visa and UMSI have onboarded 100 tourism merchants across several business categories, including homestays and accommodations, restaurants and cafes, surfing instructors, and souvenir shops.
The expansion gives local businesses another way to accept payments from domestic and international visitors as tourism activity increases around the island.
The project also supports the broader collaboration between Visa and the DOT to expand digital payment acceptance and strengthen the digital capabilities of tourism micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
uGrow App Enables Smartphone-Based Payments
Through U Accept, merchants can use eligible smartphones to accept contactless card payments. The solution is integrated into UMSI’s uGrow app, which also provides business management features.
Merchants can send digital receipts to customers through email, review transaction histories, and access sales monitoring and inventory management tools. The platform also supports near-real-time settlement to merchants’ U Visa Prepaid Cards.
Visa and UMSI have also participated in capacity-building roadshows through the DOT’s regional offices, conducting workshops to introduce merchants to the platform.v
According to the companies, UMSI has onboarded more than 1,500 merchants nationwide since the platform’s launch. Of these merchants, 40% are in Luzon, 31% in Mindanao, and 29% in the Visayas.
Tourism and Digital Payment Adoption
Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay said the collaboration supports efforts to equip MSMEs and tourism businesses with digital payment capabilities as visitor preferences evolve.
Visa Philippines Country Manager Jeffrey Navarro said digital payment acceptance can help local businesses participate in tourism growth and serve both Filipino consumers and international visitors.
UMSI President and CEO Jose Xavier Gonzales added that the initiative aims to make digital payment solutions more accessible to businesses of different sizes.
Visa also cited findings from its 2023 Philippines SMB Digital Payments Insights Study, which surveyed 503 micro and small businesses. According to the study, 83% of Filipino SME owners who accepted card payments reported an increase in turnover, while 41% said customers spent more when paying by card.
The Siargao rollout is part of broader efforts by Visa, UMSI, and the DOT to expand digital payment acceptance among tourism businesses and support the country’s transition toward a more digitally enabled tourism sector.
