Public market in Lucena City recognized as “Palengke Digital Breakthrough Growth Award” winner

By Jay B. Laurino Mayor Mark Alcala accepts the Palengke Digital Breakthrough Growth Award, highlighting the city’s push for digital paymen...

By Jay B. Laurino

Mayor Mark Alcala accepts the Palengke Digital Breakthrough Growth Award, highlighting the city’s push for digital payments and improved transparency in public market operations. (We are GCASH Fb Page)

LUCENA CITY, Quezon – A traditional public marketplace has earned national recognition for promoting cashless payments and digital transactions, marking an important step in its continuing modernization efforts. The Lucena City Public Market has been named a recipient of the “Palengke Digital Breakthrough Growth Award” at the 5th GCash Digital Excellence Awards (GDEA) 2025.

The GCash Digital Excellence Awards, organized by GCash, recognizes local government units and partner institutions that promote digital payment solutions in their communities. The recognition places Lucena City among areas that are actively embracing financial technology to improve public service delivery.



Lucena City Mayor Mark Alcala attended the ceremony with his team and personally received the plaque of recognition alongside Mall Market Administrator Marianne Yap-Gallardo. He shared that they traveled from Lucena City to take part in the event and expressed appreciation for the opportunity to represent the city at a national gathering.

According to the mayor, the award serves as strong motivation not only for the city government but also for the vendors operating inside the public market. He said the recognition proves that even cities outside major urban centers can adapt and move forward in the digital age.

“Sa henerasyon po natin ngayon, nasa digital age na tayo kaya malaking motivation ito hindi lang para sa aming team kundi para rin sa lahat ng vendors na bahagi ng ating public market. Ipinapakita nito na kahit galing tayo sa probinsya, kaya nating mag-adapt at sumabay sa daloy ng makabagong teknolohiya.”

The public market’s digital program includes mobile wallet payments and organized monitoring of collections and fees to ensure proper recording of transactions. This setup allows both vendors and administrators to track payments in a more orderly and organized manner, and it also makes it easier to review transaction records whenever needed.

Through these improvements, moving to digital payments has helped make daily transactions faster, reduced the need to handle cash, and improved tracking of collections. It has also made payment processing more convenient for vendors and customers inside the public market.

Mayor Mark Alcala said the shift toward digital transactions enhances transparency and improves monitoring of market operations. He noted that the system also strengthens accountability and ensures more accurate tracking of collections and remittances.

“Malaking hakbang ito para sa ating mga manininda at mamimili dahil mas nagiging mabilis, malinaw at maayos ang bawat transaksyon sa ating pamilihan. Patunay ito na kaya ng tradisyunal na palengke na makisabay sa makabagong teknolohiya para sa mas episyente at mas inklusibong serbisyo publiko.”

He emphasized that digital payment adoption also supports faster remittance of fees, more accurate reporting, and improved accountability within the public market system. He said these improvements help ensure better handling of funds and more reliable financial management in the market.

“Kapag digital ang sistema, mas mabilis ang pagproseso at mas malinaw ang bawat galaw ng pondo. Mas nagiging maayos ang pamamahala at mas napapalakas ang tiwala ng publiko sa ating pamahalaan.”

The mayor also stressed that digital transformation is already inevitable as the country continues to move toward a technology-driven future. He said proper adaptation to digital systems can help build a better future grounded in transparency and accountability.

“I think this digital age is already inevitable kasi dito na po talaga tayo papunta. Kung ito na ang kinabukasan at dito na rin papunta ang ating pamahalaan, mas nakikita ko ang mas malinaw at mas maayos na future para sa lahat dahil mas may transparency at accountability, at recorded na ang lahat sa pamamagitan ng mga makabagong teknolohiyang ito.”

The initiative supports the city’s goal of becoming a smart and sustainable urban center by improving public services through innovation. The recognition shows that traditional public markets can adapt to modern technology while continuing to serve as important centers of local trade and community life.

With this award, the public market joins other institutions recognized for promoting inclusive and technology-based public services. The recognition further strengthens Lucena City’s position as a local government that embraces digital solutions to improve everyday services for its people.