Aguinaldo in cash or e-wallets? Ninongs, ninangs, inaanaks weigh in

With e-wallets now a normal fixture in Filipinos’ lives, some inaanaks (godchildren) and even ninongs and ninangs (godparents) are now turning to digital wallets as a means to send or receive their aguinaldo this Christmas.

According to Oscar Oida’s report on “24 Oras” on Thursday, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said sending Christmas cash gifts via digital wallets are now more convenient for many Filipinos.

Not only it is easier to send aguinaldo with just a tap on one’s phone – but the BSP said using e-wallets also help strengthen and establish a more digital and inclusive economy for the country, especially that e-wallets are a popular choice for payments in offline and online stores.

Sending cash through digital wallets also reduce the need for envelops and smaller bills, as well as the chance that a ninong might quip, “Next year na lang (I’ll give it next year)!” to an inaanak.

Ninongs and ninangs – as well as their inaanaks – have their own preferences about how they want to send or receive their aguinaldo this Christmas.

Larry Castillo chose to prepare ahead of Christmas by readying crisp peso bills for his inaanaks who would visit him during the holidays.

“Ako siyempre pinaghahandaan ko yun. Mag-effort din sila pupunta sa akin para mabigay ko sa kanila yung aguinaldo,” he said.

(I prepare for that, after all they would also exert effort to visit me so that I can give my aguinaldo to them.)

Ninang Sean Sanggalang also preferred giving her gifts to her inaanaks in person.

“Para sa akin, mas maganda yung makikita mo yung tao. Siyempre may personal touch. Kung dadaanin natin lahat sa electronic, parang nawawala na yung Christmas spirit,” she said.

(For me, it’s better if I see the person, for a personal touch. If we do things through electronic means all the time, it’s like the Christmas spirit would be lost.)

Some techie inaanaks admitted that they preferred getting their gifts from their godparents through e-wallets because they could easily use it to shop in online stores and sales.

“Mas maganda po pag e-wallet kasi pwede mo po siyang gamitin sa mga online store, ganun. Diretso na po agad. At wala nang kawala si Ninong,” said inaanak Marc Aldabe.

(It’s better to receive it through an e-wallet because you can use it for online stores directly. And Ninong cannot make excuses.

Another inaanak, Rachelle, agreed: “Pag may babayaran po, pwede ko po siya ma-direct pag mababayaran.”

(If I need to pay for something, I can use it to pay for it directly.)

Other inaanaks still prefer receiving their gifts from their ninongs and ninangs in person, as this means paying them a visit during Christmas and bonding with them.

“Kasi nakikita mo po sila at nakakamusta mo po sila. Mas ramdam po kasi nanamamasko ka po sa Ninong at Ninang mo po,” said Michelle Gariel.

(Because you get to see them, ask them how they are doing. I feel the Christmas spirit more when I visit my Ninong and Ninang in person.)

But for all of them, what matters is the Christmas spirit of giving and love – one that cannot be transferred via digital apps. — JMA, GMA Integrated News