Palawan Group LANDBANK DSWD Aid Payout Access

For many Filipinos who depend on government assistance, accessing the support they need can come with additional challenges. Traveling to a payout center may mean paying for transportation, taking time off work, or covering long distances—all of which can add to the burden of households already managing limited resources.

Making assistance available, therefore, also means making it easier for beneficiaries to receive.

Through its extensive physical and digital financial services network, the Palawan Group of Companies is helping make government assistance more accessible to Filipinos nationwide.

The Palawan Group is strengthening its partnership with the Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to support the distribution of financial assistance through DSWD’s Hybrid Digital Payout (HDP) System.

The partnership was formalized through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing at the LANDBANK Tanauan Branch in Batangas, bringing together representatives from the Palawan Group, LANDBANK Southwest Luzon Branches Group, and DSWD. Under the agreement, the Palawan Group will serve as an accredited Financial Service Provider (FSP) for the distribution of financial assistance under the HDP System.

The HDP System provides eligible beneficiaries with more options for receiving government assistance by combining digital transactions with over-the-counter payout channels. Beneficiaries who can transact digitally may receive their assistance electronically, while those who prefer or require in-person transactions can access funds through physical payout points.

This flexible approach recognizes that beneficiaries have different circumstances and varying levels of access to financial services. These include low-income households, senior citizens, informal workers, and other vulnerable individuals and families who depend on government support to meet their essential needs.

For the Palawan Group, the partnership builds on its BrickTech approach, which combines its physical branch network with digital financial services to give Filipinos more convenient ways to transact.

With more than 3,800 branches nationwide and 23 million PalawanPay users, the Group can leverage both channels to support the HDP System. Its branches provide a familiar, face-to-face option, while PalawanPay offers a digital alternative for beneficiaries who have access to and are comfortable using digital transactions.

Together, these channels can bring payout services closer to beneficiaries, particularly those with limited access to traditional banking facilities.

“This partnership strengthens the work we have already been doing together and allows us to support more beneficiaries through accessible and convenient payout channels. We can help bring assistance closer to communities. For us, this is what serbisyong may malasakit means—using our network to make financial services more accessible and responsive to the needs of the Filipinos we serve,” said Missy Baldemor, Head of Palawan for Business, on behalf of Chief Business Development Officer Lisa Castro-Sabado.

The collaboration combines the complementary strengths of the three organizations: DSWD’s role in implementing social protection programs, LANDBANK’s financial infrastructure for government payouts, and the Palawan Group’s additional physical and digital channels for beneficiaries.

For beneficiaries, having more ways to receive assistance can mean less time spent traveling, greater flexibility in choosing how to transact, and easier access to funds for everyday necessities.

The partnership also underscores the Palawan Group’s continuing commitment to financial inclusion and its efforts to work with government and private sector partners to expand access to financial services for more Filipinos. Through its BrickTech model, the Group continues to connect its nationwide physical presence with digital solutions, enabling it to serve customers through the channels that best suit their needs.

Through its partnership with LANDBANK and DSWD, the Palawan Group will continue to support the efficient and reliable distribution of government financial assistance, helping make the process simpler, more convenient, and more accessible for the Filipinos it serves.