“Marami akong natutunan. Yung pagbibigay pala ng sobra-sobra sa Pilipinas mali pala,” says Ms. Analou Gamutan. (I learned a lot. I learned that giving too much remittances in the Philippines is wrong.) Analou is one of the 96 students of the Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship (LSE) Program for Overseas Filipino Workers. The training she attended on “Financial Literacy” is part of the 12 training courses she will have to attend to complete the program.
One of the immediate results of the LSE program is strongly felt in the financial literacy classes that SEDPI delivers. The financial literacy trainings were delivered in two batches – Turin, Italy (LSE-10) and in Milan, Italy (LSE-11). The training emphasizes the need to take care of ones personal finances first before helping others. Analou adds, “Magsisimula na akong mag-budget. Sa pinapadala ko, dapat ang covered na lang ang nanay ko, tatay ko at ang anak ko. Tapos yung sa kapatid ko… dapat mag-trabaho na siya.” (I will start to make a budget. The remittance I will send should only cover for my parents and child. My sibling should look for a job.)
The financial literacy training provides practical suggestions on how to manage remittances. Through this, the program hopes to break the cycle of dependency on remittances. The training covers topics such as the stages of the migration process; importance of personal finance; setting financial goals; managing expenditure; creating a savings plan; and debt management.
Mr. Leo and Raquel Ramos, LSE graduates, explain that they started to consolidate their debt after attending the financial literacy class. They charted a clear path to paying their debt and started accumulating savings. “Gumastos kasi kami nang malaki sa aming kasal at bakasyon kaya lumaki an gaming utang,” he explains. (We spent a lot on our wedding and vacation that’s why our debt grew.) “Mali pala ang gagastusin mo na ang kikitain mo pa lang,” he adds. (It is wrong to spend now what you will earn tomorrow.) According to the couple, the things they learned in LSE are not new but reinforced their commitment to face the challenge and change their lifestyle for the better. They are now half way into paying their debt in full, earlier as planned.
The Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship Program is implemented by a consortium of organizations – Ateneo School of Government, OFSPES, SEDPI and various government agencies. Almost 400 Filipino migrants from Italy finished the program. It is currently implementing the 10th and 11th batch in Turin and Milan, Italy. Last week, the 12th batch was launched in Hong Kong.
SEDPI has conducted over 45 financial literacy trainings to Overseas Filipino Workers in 14 countries worldwide. It has trained close to 1,800 participants. It also runs an online platform on financial literacy for migrants.