Insider Spotlight
• UnionBank removes long-standing payroll pain points for HR teams
• Zero-touch onboarding positions bank as precursor to democratized payroll
• The Portal and eDAO lay groundwork for global best practices in PH
UnionBank is zeroing in on this critical function with its zero-touch onboarding solution, designed to eliminate friction for human resource (HR) professionals while reshaping how payroll accounts are opened across the country .
The initiative is built on UnionBank’s Business Banking platform, The Portal, which serves as the central hub for corporate clients to manage payroll and disbursements digitally.
By integrating account opening directly into The Portal, the bank removes the paperwork, coordination, and follow-ups that have traditionally slowed payroll operations.
What they’re saying
“We wanted to focus on payroll. Payroll because in the Philippine economy, it makes things go round, right? People need salaries to continue their day-to-day lives,” Erika Denise Dizon-Go, UnionBank’s senior vice president and deputy head of transaction banking center, said during the press launch on Dec. 11, 2025.
She pointed to HR and operations teams as the unsung heroes behind every 15th and 30th payout. “The main pain point really was, why do we have to fill so many forms? Why do we have to always coordinate with other banks?” she said.
How the system works
Zero-touch onboarding allows employees to open accounts independently by scanning a QR code generated through The Portal. They complete the process on the UnionBank Online app, with accounts opened within 24 hours.
“All you need to do is get a QR, scan it, open your account through UnionBank Online. The account will be opened in 24 hours,” Dizon-Go said.
Once accounts are live, HR teams simply log into The Portal and release payroll.
“The great thing is, the HR professionals can just click on the platform and disperse the proceeds,” she added.
Building on eDAO
The solution builds on UnionBank’s earlier innovation, ePaycard Digital Account Opening (eDAO), launched in 2021 as the country’s first fully digital alternative for corporate payroll onboarding. Zero-touch onboarding takes eDAO further by removing HR from the approval loop entirely, with UnionBank handling verification and activation end to end.
Why it matters
UnionBank frames the launch as an early step toward a broader shift. “It’s the precursor of democratized payroll. It’s happening in the global landscape, and this is the precursor to that, because people can choose the bank account that they want for their salaries,” Dizon-Go said.
She added that employers no longer dictate banking choices, while HR teams regain capacity. “Zero-touch. It gives back the time for HR professionals to really think about our employees,” she said.
Looking ahead
“This is UnionBank’s first step into thinking about how we might do things differently. How might we change the banking landscape? And how might we think about bringing global best practices to the Philippines,” Dizon-Go said.
For UnionBank, modernizing payroll through The Portal and eDAO is not just automation, but a redefinition of how corporate banking supports people and work. —Vanessa Hidalgo | Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
