From left: Mitty Torres, Philippine Airlines Officer-in-Charge, LAX Operations; Gerry Panga, Philippine Tourism Director, Los Angeles Office; Joanne “Joey” Rivera, Business Development, GCash North America; Adelio Cruz, Consul General, Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles; and Ricky Panes, Account Manager, LAX Operations. (Photo by Joe Cobilla)
By Donnabelle Gatdula-Arevalo
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – The Philippines’ No. 1 finance super app, GCash, has joined hands with the country’s flag carrier, Philippine Airlines (PAL), to launch a holiday raffle promo giving GCash users in the United States a chance to win free flights and reunite with their loved ones.
At a Kababayan Get-Together event held at PAL’s Los Angeles headquarters on October 31, 2025, Joanne Rivera, GCash North America Business Development Head, said the promo—combining the accessibility of GCash and the service of PAL as the country’s flagship carrier—aims to make homecomings easier and more meaningful.
Rivera explained that all active GCash users in the United States who use the app between October 1 and November 30, 2025 will earn one raffle entry. Five winners will be drawn on December 10, 2025, each receiving two free round-trip tickets to the Philippines, redeemable within one year. GCash and PAL will notify winners within one to two days after the draw.
“We’re happy to share our mission of uplifting the spirits of Pinoys all around the world by transforming homesickness into a homecoming. With GCash and PAL, our kababayans are a step closer to coming home,” said Paul Albano, GCash International General Manager. “That’s really our goal—to gift Filipinos this festive joy and bridge the distance.”
To join, users simply need to download, register, and verify their GCash account using a +1 U.S. mobile number, open and engage with the app during the promo period, and use available GCash features. Eligible transactions include Send Money, Bank Transfer, Pay Bills, Gifting, GSave, Buy Load, and Pinoy Channel.
Through the GCash app, users can easily purchase prepaid airtime, pay bills to partner billers nationwide, send and receive money anywhere in the Philippines (even to other bank accounts), shop from over six million merchants and social sellers, and access savings, credit, insurance, and investment products—all from their smartphones. Its mobile wallet operations are managed by G-Xchange, Inc. (GXI), a wholly owned subsidiary of Mynt, the Philippines’ first and only $5-billion unicorn.
During the event, Rivera also shared a video message from actor Joshua Garcia, who serenades Filipinos in the U.S. and invites them to come home. “It’s a heartfelt and swoon-worthy clip that personifies the longing for reunion, inspiring our kababayans to turn their everyday GCash transactions into a chance to win their way home,” Rivera said.
Jomito “Mitty” Torres, Officer-in-Charge and Area Manager for PAL’s Los Angeles Sales District, described the promo as a deeply meaningful extension of PAL’s mission.
“We believe that every tap, every send, every payment tells a story of love, care, and connection. It’s our honor to give back in the same way they send their love miles away,” Torres said.
Beyond the raffle, the GCash–PAL partnership aims to simplify the travel experience for Filipinos abroad. QR codes at PAL check-in counters now link to the eTravel platform and GCash app to help passengers complete pre-departure requirements more efficiently. For transactions under this promo, participants can use the PAL promo code “PRGCash.”
“It’s a quick, practical touchpoint that removes last-minute hassles and sets our kababayans up for a smoother trip home,” Torres added.
At the same event, Consul General Adelio Cruz of the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles and Tourism Attaché Gerry Panga of the Philippine Department of Tourism (PDOT) expressed interest in exploring a similar GCash–PAL collaboration for the upcoming 2026 Very Important Pinoy (VIP) Tour.
“We could encourage those joining the 2026 VIP Tour to download GCash and make payments for their PAL bookings through the app,” Cruz said.
For more details on the raffle promo, visit https://gcash.com/
