BSP Deputy Governor Bernadette Romulo-Puyat (second from right) with (from left) DICT Undersecretary Faye Condez-De Sagon, DICT Secretary Henry Rhoel Aguda, and BSP Managing Director Charina De Vera-Yap during the BSP-DICT memorandum of agreement ceremonial signing ceremony on 18 November 2025 at the BSP Head office in Manila.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) celebrated the country’s top financial education advocates and formalized a major digitalization partnership with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) during the Financial Education Stakeholders’ Congress held on November 17–18, 2025 at the BSP Head Office in Manila.
Deputy Governor Bernadette Romulo-Puyat led the conferment of the Financial Education Awards, recognizing institutions whose programs and innovations have strengthened financial literacy nationwide. Honorees included the Department of Agriculture–Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and BDO Foundation as Exemplary Partners; the DA–Agricultural Credit Policy Council, DepEd, ADB, PDIC, SEC, Insurance Commission as Innovative Partners; DSWD, DMW, OWWA, CSC, AFP, PNP, BFP, and BPI Foundation as Emerging Partners; and more than a dozen government units, private organizations, and NGOs as Promising Partners.
A key highlight of the congress was the signing of a memorandum of agreement between Romulo-Puyat and DICT Secretary Henry Rhoel Aguda. Under the partnership, the DICT will boost the digital infrastructure of two BSP flagship initiatives: Paleng-QR Ph Plus, which promotes QR Ph-enabled digital payments in markets, transport, and small businesses; and the BSP E-Learning Academy (BELA), an online hub offering accessible economic and financial education content.
Held under the theme “The Journey to Financial Success: Financial Learning that Connects, Transforms, and Sustains,” the event gathered more than 3,500 participants from government agencies, educational institutions, and the private sector, including MSMEs. Romulo-Puyat emphasized that stronger Fin-Ed programs help empower citizens, noting improved loan repayment trends as financial literacy expands.
The congress also became a launchpad for new Fin-Ed tools, including the Credit Card Association of the Philippines’ e-learning module “Credit Card Essentials,” the enhanced BSP “Protect Your Money” campaign, and fresh partnerships with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, Boy Scouts of the Philippines, and TransUnion.
Across two days, participants engaged in learning sessions designed to strengthen digital readiness, promote sustainable financial habits, and build financial confidence in a rapidly evolving digital economy. Featured speakers included business mentor Francis Kong, finance expert Fitz Villafuerte, economist Benjamin Radoc Jr., strategist Jax Reyes, and resource persons from the BSP, SEC, TESDA, FinTech Alliance, insurance and lending groups—plus special appearances from Alden Richards, Isabelle Daza, and Iza Calzado.
The BSP hosts the annual congress as part of the nationwide observance of Economic and Financial Literacy Week every November, in line with Republic Act No. 10922, which affirms financial literacy as vital to national progress.
