Cheyenne Suarez

E‑wallet introduces AI coach for financial guidance

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<div style="line-height:1"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177388764565420260319020324_Product Shot-Pera Coach.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Learn financial freedom from Pera Coach. Photo source: GCash"/><span class="fr-inner">Learn financial freedom from Pera Coach.<em> Photo source: GCash </em></span></span></span>The <a href="https://www.bsp.gov.ph/Sites/researchsite/Publications/BSP-Discussion-Papers/DP202413.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Philippines</a> ranks at the bottom 30 percent of the countries surveyed in terms of financial literacy. In <a href="https://inquiro.ph/financial-literacy-in-the-philippines-2024-key-statistics" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2024</a>, only 25% of Filipino adults are financially literate.</div><div style="line-height:1"> </div><p style="line-height:1">These days, safety against scams, emergency preparedness, investment knowledge, managing debt, and building savings are only some of the few of the crucial things that Filipinos need to know about.</p><div style="line-height:1"> </div><p style="line-height:1">So, to help build an inclusive and financially literate society, GCash, a finance app, introduces an artificial intelligence–powered financial coach embedded in its e-wallet. Developed with support from Microsoft and powered by enterprise-grade AI, it converses in English, Tagalog, Cebuano, and Hiligaynon to make financial services easy to understand for all Filipinos. Pera Coach responds contextually to user prompts like financial goals, budget considerations, and risk appetite, delivering guidance personalized to each user&#x27;s financial journey. </p><div style="line-height:1"><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1773890030969(Updated) Pera Coach_Photo 1.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner">Pera Coach brings always-on access to clear and tailored financial education to millions of Filipinos directly within the GCash app. <em>Photo source: GCash </em></span></span></span>Despite improvements in the country&#x27;s financial inclusion agenda in recent years, the ability to use a broad range of financial services, like insurance and investments, remains limited. Persistent gaps in financial literacy contribute to this low adoption, with many Filipinos lacking access to clear and credible guidance. According to a <a href="https://www.bsp.gov.ph/Sites/researchsite/Publications/BSP-Discussion-Papers/DP202413.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2021</a> survey by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), just 2% of Filipino adults were able to correctly answer six basic financial literacy questions.</div><div style="line-height:1"> </div><p style="line-height:1">Pera Coach aims to address these challenges by providing always-on access to clear and tailored financial education within a platform millions of Filipinos already use daily. </p><div style="line-height:1"> </div><p style="line-height:1">&quot;Financial literacy should not feel intimidating or out of reach,&quot; said Winsley Bangit, Group Head of New Business at Mynt, the parent company of GCash. &quot;With Pera Coach integrated directly into the GCash ecosystem, Filipinos can receive real-time guidance that&#x27;s practical, contextual, and easy to understand, helping them make more confident financial decisions.&quot;</p><div style="line-height:1"> </div><p style="line-height:1">&quot;Even everyday moments like deciding how much to set aside for a weekly budget, comparing different savings accounts, or choosing a potential stock, can shape long-term outcomes, and we want to support users through those moments,&quot; added Bangit.</p><div style="line-height:1"> </div><div style="line-height:1"><strong>Leveraging AI for inclusion</strong></div><div style="line-height:1"><strong><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:633px;display:block"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177388770427120260313080336_GCASH2.png" style="width:633px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="To access Pera Coach, users just need to open the GCash app, go to &quot;Save&quot; or the &quot;Invest&quot; tab, and tap the Pera Coach banner. Photo source: GCash"/><span class="fr-inner">To access Pera Coach, users just need to open the GCash app, go to &quot;Save&quot; or the &quot;Invest&quot; tab, and tap the Pera Coach banner. <em>Photo source: GCash </em></span></span></span></strong></div><p style="line-height:1">Beyond the launch itself, this signals a broad strategy aimed at leveraging emerging technology to help solve real-world financial challenges.</p><div style="line-height:1"> </div><p style="line-height:1">&quot;We firmly believe innovation should go beyond adopting the latest technology. Rather, the true value of innovation is measured by the impact it has on the lives of everyday Filipinos, especially the underserved,&quot; Bangit continued.</p><div style="line-height:1"> </div><p style="line-height:1">Likewise, Microsoft echoes the transformative potential of generative AI when applied to real, everyday use cases.</p><div style="line-height:1"> </div><p style="line-height:1">&quot;Millions of Filipinos already carry a financial platform in their pockets, but only one in four is financially literate. We have made real progress in financial access, but access without understanding is not inclusion—it is an empowerment gap. And closing that gap is nation building,&quot; said Jonathan Que, Microsoft Philippines Country General Manager. </p><div style="line-height:1"> </div><p style="line-height:1">&quot;In working with GCash, we are putting a personal AI financial coach in the hands of every user, from the sari-sari owner in Davao to the OFW family in Pampanga. Responsible AI, built into the app millions already trust, turns everyday transactions into everyday learning. When every Filipino can understand their finances, save with confidence, and invest in their dreams, we don&#x27;t just strengthen households, we strengthen the nation.&quot; he added.</p><div style="line-height:1"> </div><p style="line-height:1">To access Pera Coach and begin receiving personalized financial education content, GCash users need to open the app, go to &#x27;Save&#x27; or &#x27;Invest&#x27; and tap the Pera Coach banner. For more information, visit the Help Center.</p><div style="line-height:1"><br/></div>

<p>"Pera Coach" from GCash converses in English, Tagalog, Cebuano, and Hiligaynon to make financial services easy to understand for all Filipinos.</p>

"Pera Coach" from GCash converses in English, Tagalog, Cebuano, and Hiligaynon to make financial services easy to understand for all Filipinos.

E‑wallet introduces AI coach for financial guidance

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E‑wallet introduces AI coach for financial guidance

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Published March 19, 2026 11:40 AM PHT

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