UNAWA COO Atty. Gino Jacinto Talks Secure Digital Transactions at SPEED Event

Quezon City, June 21, 2024—Startup Village organized and hosted an insightful session at the University Hotel in UP Diliman as part of the USAID-funded Strengthening Private Enterprises for the Digital Economy (SPEED) initiative. The event, which featured UNAWA COO Atty. Gino Jacinto, attracted an audience primarily consisting of members from the Philippine Ecommerce Association (PECA). Entrepreneurs were eager to enhance their businesses through the latest technological innovations.

Atty. Jacinto's talk, "SME Guide to Secure Digital Transactions and Anti-Money Laundering," focused on the critical challenges small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face as they transition to digital document systems. He highlighted the necessity of upfront investments in technology and training, which can be daunting for SMEs with limited resources. Additionally, he discussed the complexity of navigating regulatory requirements without dedicated legal or compliance teams.

Fresh from the success of UNAWA's Freedom campaign, Atty. Jacinto introduced two groundbreaking tools: SignSecure and UCheck.

SignSecure, which uniquely integrates facial recognition into its e-signature platform, was a key highlight of the presentation. This innovative feature ensures that the person signing the document is verified at every step, a security measure unmatched by any other e-signature platform. "SignSecure enables businesses to close deals securely and efficiently, eliminating doubts," said Atty. Jacinto emphasizing the platform's enhanced security, legal enforceability, and seamless transaction process.

Additionally, Atty. Jacinto unveiled UCheck, a comprehensive solution that empowers businesses to make informed decisions and protect against financial crimes. "UCheck offers robust protection against financial crimes and ensures constant compliance with all regulations," he noted. By leveraging global sanctions lists, Politically Exposed Person (PEP) checks, Adverse Media checks, and more, UCheck delivers the transparency necessary for building trust and ensuring business security.

The event is part of a series under the USAID-funded SPEED initiative, which aims to conduct 42 sessions nationwide involving at least 1,260 SMEs. The SPEED Activity collaborates with the government and private sector to mobilize the digital economy for enterprise-led development. The project's key objectives include improving SME capacity and access to e-commerce platforms, expanding e-payment systems and FinTech innovations, integrating e-commerce platforms with logistical supply chains, and increasing consumer awareness and protection.

By encouraging more SMEs to adopt digital technologies, the SPEED initiative seeks to accelerate their competitiveness, drive innovation, create jobs, and enhance market reach, thereby promoting inclusion in the digital economy.