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October 11, 2021

Explain Starpay’s inclusion in SAP distribution: Sen. Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao seeks clarification from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) why it included digital wallet service provider Starpay Corp. as one of its financial service providers (FSPs) of the Social Amelioration Program (SAP) despite its questionable track record. Pacquiao, during the virtual hearing of the Finance Subcommittee I on the proposed 2022 budget of the DSWD and its attached agencies Monday, October 11, 2021, said apart from being able to acquire a license to operate as an Electronic Money Issuer (EMI) only in 2018, Starpay also declared a P26 million negative income in 2019. Pacquiao added that even with a questionable track record, the company was able to get more than P50 billion of SAP transactions. Social Welfare Sec. Rolando Joselito Bautista noted that all actions and decisions on the selection of FSPs were made with the technical assistance of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). (Screen grab/Senate PRIB)

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