• CHERYL G. CRUZ
Manulife Philippines’ award-winning financial literacy program Peso Smart will have a graduation ceremony and fair today, Jan. 28, at Catabla Baybay Elementary School in Talisay City, Negros Occidental.
The program, launched in the school in July 2025, targets to equip elementary students with money management skills through age-appropriate lessons on saving, budgeting, and responsible decision-making, a Manulife briefer said.
“The initiative also provides early exposure to career pathways, helping young learners connect financial concepts with future aspirations… (and) is delivered in collaboration with community investment partner Corazon Sanchez Atayde Memorial Foundation (CSAMF), a nonprofit organization that seeks to eradicate illiteracy and create learning opportunities for underserved communities,” it added.
CSAMF has worked with public schools to develop literacy programs and materials that support the work of educators in addressing the most urgent needs of learners. Since 2020, it has partnered with Manulife in empowering the youth through financial literacy.
The Peso Smart graduation and fair is a financial literacy initiative that brings together students, educators, and private-sector partners to promote responsible money management and career awareness among young learners.
“Through our award-winning program Peso Smart, we help equip young Filipinos with essential financial skills, such as saving, budgeting, and investing,” Manulife posted last month, adding that, in collaboration with CSAMF, more than 4,900 learners have completed the Peso Smart program, including 1,958 new learners across 18 public elementary schools nationwide, in 2025.
Today’s activities include a graduation ceremony and distribution of certificates to Peso Smart scholars in Catabla Baybay ES, interactive financial literacy booths, testimonials from students and partners, and volunteer-led activities aimed at encouraging early financial education and career exploration.
Expected at the event are representatives from Manulife, the Department of Education, the city government of Talisay, and CSAMF, among others. | CGC
