The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), through its social development arm, the BPI Foundation (BPIF), has partnered with Mapúa Malayan Colleges Mindanao (MMCM) in Davao to launch a financial literacy program aimed at empowering students and communities.
The initiative, part of BPIF’s flagship financial education program “FinEd Unboxed,” is complemented by a financial management app called “Breakthrough.”
Carmina Marquez, BPIF executive director, said the collaboration will provide financial literacy training and capacity-building sessions to educators and 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 Friday.
On Thursday, BPIF and MMCM signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to implement the “Train the Trainers” program. Under this initiative, MMCM faculty members and representatives will be equipped to conduct financial wellness sessions for 10 adopted communities in Davao City this year.
The program is expected to directly benefit 2,700 individuals, with an additional 8,100 indirect beneficiaries.
BPI plans to extend the program to seven schools, two communities, and one government agency this year. By 2026, it aims to expand to 11 more communities, reaching an estimated 4,000 beneficiaries in the first year alone.
Engr. Alejandro Ballado Jr., MMCM executive vice president and chief operating officer, 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 described the partnership as a significant step toward building a collaborative network focused on financial empowerment in Mindanao. The program will also serve as a model for other Mapúa campuses in Laguna, Makati, and Intramuros to implement similar initiatives.
BPI PHOTO
