The corporate social responsibility arm of BDO Unibank continues to fulfill its financial inclusion advocacy amid the novel coronavirus pandemic. In keeping with a shared advocacy to promote financial inclusion, BDO Foundation—in partnership with the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)—recently developed three financial education videos for civil servants.
The videos were launched and officially turned over to CSC, the government’s central human resource agency, in a virtual event led by BSP governor Benjamin E. Diokno, CSC chairperson Alicia Dela Rosa-Bala and BDO Unibank president and CEO Nestor V. Tan, who also serves as BDO Foundation trustee. The event was witnessed by BDO Foundation president Mario Deriquito and BDO Foundation trustees Evelyn Salagubang, Lazaro Jerome Guevarra, Ma. Corazon Mallillin and Ismael Estela Jr.
“We would like to thank the technical working group composed of officers from BSP, CSC and BDO Foundation for making the videos as well as the financial literacy modules and online training of trainers possible,” Deriquito said. “With these items completed, we are ready to implement the rollout of the program.”
The financial education program for civil servants, the partnership project of BDO Foundation, CSC and BSP, helps strengthen the capability of government agencies and local government units to provide financial literacy training to their personnel. Through the program, the partners aim to equip beneficiaries with the tools, knowledge and resources to make sound financial decisions.
The tripartite initiative, which supports BSP’s National Strategy for Financial Inclusion, will benefit an estimated 900,000 government workers nationwide. Initially, the program will be integrated in the training sessions conducted by CSC for its personnel all over the country. Afterwards, it will be rolled out in the entire government bureaucracy and embedded in the regular training and development initiatives for civil servants.
CSC will also explore the possibility of including financial education in its civil service eligibility assessments and performance evaluation systems.
The financial education videos share lessons on saving, financial planning, investments, insurance and digital literacy, among other topics. Specifically, they teach the target audience how to use debit and credit cards, budget small salaries and plan for retirement. The videos are especially useful now that training sessions are conducted online.
The videos will be included in the resources used by CSC in its training initiatives for civil servants. Aside from the videos, the existing financial education resources developed by BDO Foundation and BSP will also be mainstreamed in CSC’s training and development programs.