The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is ramping up its commitment to financial health, education, and digital empowerment as it prepares to lead the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2026.
The central bank’s multi-pronged push was underscored through international engagements and national partnerships this November.
During a fireside chat at the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) headquarters in Basel, Switzerland on November 11, BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr. announced that financial health will be a key priority for the Philippines as ASEAN Chair in 2026.
BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr. (second from left) and Her Majesty, Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, discuss financial health in Basel on November 11 with International Organization of Securities Commissions and Financial Services and Markets Authority of Belgium Chairman Jean-Paul Servais (leftmost) and Bank for International Settlements General Manager Pablo Hernández de Cos.
Governor Remolona joined Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Financial Health (UNSGSA); BIS General Manager Pablo Hernández de Cos; and Belgian regulator Jean-Paul Servais in a discussion organized by BIS’ Financial Stability Institute and the UNSGSA.
Financial health — defined as the ability of individuals and families to manage financial obligations, withstand shocks, pursue goals, and feel confident about their financial lives — is shaped by country-specific circumstances.
Governor Remolona stressed the need for ASEAN to boost citizens’ financial health by expanding access to stocks, bonds, insurance, and other financial markets. He also met bilaterally with Queen Máxima to explore regional initiatives the Philippines can champion when it takes the ASEAN chairmanship.
BSP drives regional financial health and empowerment
BSP Deputy Governor Bernadette Romulo-Puyat (second from right) with DICT Undersecretary Faye Condez-De Sagon, DICT Secretary Henry Rhoel Aguda, and BSP Managing Director Charina De Vera-Yap during the BSP-DICT MOA ceremonial signing ceremony at the BSP Head office in Manila.
Back home, the BSP reinforced this regional vision by strengthening national financial education and digitalization efforts.
From November 17 to 18, the central bank gathered over 3,500 participants for the “Financial Education Stakeholders’ Congress” at its Manila headquarters — an annual event aimed at empowering Filipinos through financial learning, digital tools, and behavioral transformation.
BSP Deputy Governor Bernadette Romulo-Puyat led the conferment of the Financial Education Awards, recognizing government agencies, private institutions, development partners, and local governments whose innovations have advanced financial literacy and inclusion nationwide.
Awardees ranged from long-standing partners such as the Department of Agriculture–Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and BDO Foundation to emerging collaborators like the Department of Migrant Workers, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and several local governments.
A major highlight of the congress was the signing of a memorandum of agreement between the BSP and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
DICT Secretary Henry Rhoel R. Aguda committed digital infrastructure support for two BSP flagship programs: Paleng-QR Ph Plus, which promotes digital payments using QR Ph in local markets and transport systems, and the BSP E-Learning Academy (BELA), an online platform hosting accessible economic and financial education materials.
New initiatives were also launched to expand financial education nationwide. These include the Credit Card Association of the Philippines’ “Credit Card Essentials E-Learning Module,” the BSP’s enhanced “Protect Your Money” campaign, and new partnerships with the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, Boy Scouts of the Philippines, and TransUnion.
Throughout the two-day event, speakers — from economists and financial strategists to personal finance advocates and celebrity ambassadors—shared insights on digital learning, responsible financial behavior, and building financial confidence in a rapidly evolving economy.
Deputy Governor Romulo-Puyat noted that as financial education deepens, household loan defaults have declined, reflecting how informed financial behavior contributes to economic stability.
The congress forms part of the BSP’s activities for Economic and Financial Literacy Week, celebrated every November under Republic Act No. 10922, which underscores financial literacy as essential to national progress.
As the Philippines prepares to lead ASEAN in 2026, the BSP’s efforts — from promoting financial health on a regional stage to strengthening digital and financial learning programs at home — signal a unified push toward a more financially resilient, digitally empowered, and economically inclusive nation.
