The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), through its social development arm, the BPI Foundation (BPIF), has teamed up with Mapúa Malayan Colleges Mindanao (MMCM) to launch a financial literacy initiative aimed at equipping students and local communities with essential financial skills.
The project is part of BPIF’s flagship financial education program, “FinEd Unboxed,” and includes a financial management application called “Breakthrough.”
Carmina Marquez, BPIF’s executive director, highlighted the partnership’s potential to provide comprehensive financial education and build capacity among educators and local communities.
“Through this partnership, we are making financial literacy more accessible to communities in Davao. We empower educators with the knowledge and skills to foster financial wellness and uplift families and communities,” Marquez said in a statement on Friday.
BPIF and MMCM formalized their collaboration with the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on Thursday, launching the “Train the Trainers” program. This initiative will equip MMCM faculty and representatives to lead financial wellness workshops in 10 adopted communities across Davao City within the year.
The program is expected to benefit 2,700 individuals directly, with an additional 8,100 indirect beneficiaries.
BPI plans to expand the program to reach seven more schools, two additional communities, and one government agency this year. By 2026, the initiative aims to extend to 11 additional communities, impacting an estimated 4,000 beneficiaries in its first year alone.
Engr. Alejandro Ballado Jr., executive vice president and COO of MMCM, expressed pride in being BPIF’s first academic partner in Mindanao.
“We are honored to be the first academic partner for BPIF’s financial education programs in Mindanao. This initiative will boost financial literacy in adopted schools, paving the way for a more financially resilient society,” Ballado said.
He emphasized that the partnership is a crucial step toward building a network focused on financial empowerment in Mindanao, with the program serving as a model for other Mapúa campuses in Laguna, Makati, and Intramuros.