by: Art Ladaga
Mr. Colayco continues to write for various publications. Here is one of his articles found in Wedding Belle magazine, published in May 2009. It might have been published four years before, but the message remains TIMELESS!
*First appeared in Wedding Belle Magazine, May 2009, Issue 3, pp. 230-231
Art Ladaga is the current Programs Development Officer of the Colayco Foundation for Education
The Philippines recently got its second investment grade, this time from Standard and Poor. What’s the big deal about the investment grade anyway? Why are many people so concerned about it? What does it mean for the ordinary investor like you?
Here’s an infographic to help you learn more about the investment grade!
by Francisco J. Colayco
Do you recognize any of these people?
These people are only a few of the RICHEST PEOPLE in the world!
Here’s a brief glance about them:
Now, did this particular situation ever crossed your mind?
Do you want to be a part of them?
Want to know the secrets to be part of the Rich List?
Click the picture to find out!
by: Art Ladaga
The Philippines continues its economic surge. Sadly, there are still Filipinos who rely on “pure luck” in to be wealthy (ex. playing the lotto). Thus, they fail to take advantage of the opportunity that lies before them.
Here’s an infographic we shared with our partner, Lenddo, about the realities of playing a Lotto Game and the ACTUAL COST SOME FILIPINOS THROWING AWAY if they still continue to do it.
Want to learn more? Do you want a hassle-free borrowing experience? Visit Lenddo now by clicking here!
Art Ladaga is the current Programs Officer of the Colayco Foundation for Education
by: Francisco J. Colayco
I would like to share this video of Pisobilities featured at GNN Network. Armand Q. Bengco, the Colayco Foundation’s Executive Director, hosted the program while I was the special guest for this episode. Did you know that this was our first ever episode in GNN? The show started at August 13, 2010. It’s almost 3 years old and it’s still going strong!
Make sure to catch Pisobilities at the Business Portal at GNN, every Tuesday from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. Replays are available every Wednesday at 1:00 am and Saturday at 10:00 am.
by: Art Ladaga
Twenty-seven years ago, the Filipino people triumphed in overthrowing two decades of oppressive dictatorship. Democracy was restored not through guns, tanks, or any military arsenal, but through flowers, rosaries, and one unified desire. People Power I was proof that when people band together- known as the Power of One– they can create miracles and liberate a country from tyranny.
Twenty-seven years after People Power I, many of our countrymen remain within the shackles of financial tyrants. This is the new battle being waged: the battle for financial freedom! According to Francisco Colayco, financial freedom is when you can maintain your desired lifestyle without the need to work. Only in eradicating these three tyrants will financial freedom be realized.
POVERTY: Poverty is a lack of basic necessities, but it is also more than that. According to Nobel Prize laureate Amartya Sen, poverty is also capability deprivation (i.e. not being able to do anything and be productive). One reason why there’s capability deprivation is due to lack of education. Education enables us to recognize opportunities for active and passive income. Sadly, our present educational system grooms us to be hardworking employees. There will come a time that you can no longer work. You might be earning six or seven digit salaries now, but when you retire, you will not be able to maintain your lifestyle without passive income. Thus many people remain poor because they do not know how to utilize earning income actively AND passively!
FINANCIAL IGNORANCE: Having a lot of money does not guarantee financial freedom. Knowing how you use and grow it makes a significant difference in your financial life. In a recent study, Citibank reported that the country’s financial score was 53 out of 100. This means that more Filipinos are now becoming savvy in handling their finances. This is definitely good news, but we cannot be complacent.
The massive financial scam in Pagadian City (2012) was a major eye-opener to the dangers of financial ignorance. In the website of Philippine Daily Inquirer, I read about a man in Pagadian City who committed suicide three months ago. He invested all of his retirement money in an opportunity he did not fully understand. When the culprits had gotten away with his money, he experienced depression to the point he decided to end his life! If spending on seminars about money and investing is expensive, financial ignorance is 1000 times more!
GREED: If your only goal in life is having lots of money, you have a major problem! Seeking money for itself poses a real internal dilemma. The Buddha once remarked, “Greed is any imperfection that defiles the mind.” Indeed, how many lives and relationships were ruined because of financial greed? Greed entraps you in a vicious cycle of acquiring. You cannot stop gorging on money because it’s never enough. That is the delusion of it! Eventually you will reach a point that you will internally “blow up,” wrecking your life and the lives of others in the process. In the effort to obtain everything, you lose everything!
The battle for financial freedom is an ongoing-battle. Financial freedom for our countrymen will only be attained through eradicating the three tyrants. Defeating all three is not easy, but it’s not a hopeless cause. Learning from People Power I, only through the Power of One will these three tyrants fall. And it will be possible if all Filipinos will fight as one, under the banner of FINANCIAL LITERACY!
Financial literacy opens the doors to various earning opportunities, thus helping eradicate poverty. You also become more competent and knowledgeable in handling money, thus helping eradicate financial ignorance. And you become goal-oriented in earning money, thus helping eradicate greed. Only through learning proper financial management grounded on proper values can we expect the rise of a ONE WEALTHY NATION!
Thus, THE BATTLE WAGES ON!
Sources:
Alipala, J., & Umel, R. (2012). Teacher kills self after losing all his money in scam. Inquirer Global Nation. Retrieved from http://globalnation.inquirer.net/56146/teacher-kills-self-after-losing-all-his-money- in-scam?ModPagespeed=noscript
Dumlao, D. C. (2013). Filipinos more savvy about finances, study shows. Inquirer Business. Retrievedfrom http://business.inquirer.net/105779/filipinos-financial-quotient-at- record-high-online-poll-shows
*Continue the legacy of EDSA! Achieve financial freedom NOW. Colayco Foundation for Education Inc. is offering two financial seminars this March 23: INVESTability: Stock Market and INVESTability: Mutual Funds. Just click the links for more details about the two seminars.
* Art Ladaga is the current Programs Officer of the Colayco Foundation for Education, Inc.
Reminiscing events from 1 year ago and the product of a moment.
I was initially unbelieving that it was me she was calling when Suze Orman invited ”the Filipino author who is present here” to the stage during her February 25 talk (2012).
I do not know Suze Orman personally although I enjoy watching her shows. I did not know that her friend Doris Ho, whom I also just met that morning gave her my set of books when she arrived in Manila. After the short conversation on stage, I sent a text to our Executive Director Armand Bengco, who was at that precise time in Hong Kong talking to our KsK Multipurpose Cooperative members. I texted him that an amazing thing just happened! Suze Orman, Top USA Financial guru invited me to join her on stage this morning as she was giving a talk sponsored by BPI at The Fort. Suze gave a terrific talk and it was almost unbelievable how much she cares for Filipinos and has the same line of thinking in personal financial education as I do. Suze committed to help us educate more Filipinos and I look forward to an active collaboration with her!
Of course our excitement was and still is pitch high and this article that just reached me is a perfect way to share with you what kind of a person Suze Orman is. I am definitely proud to have been singled out by her during that talk and I look forward to a collaboration with her on our common mission.
_________
FEBRUARY 25, 2013
Meeting Suze gave the push needed for a new book to come about – Easy Money Para sa Kababaihan, ang natatanging libro tungkol sa pag-hawak at pagpapalago ng pera na para sa babae!
SRP Php95 – Available very soon in all leading bookstores
SUZE ORMAN GAVE FILIPINOS A MONEY TALK
Published in ENews of Asia Society
March 1, 2012
Suze Orman, America’s most trusted financial advisor, was in town last February 25 to give a talk on taking control over one’s personal financial power. Approximately 700 guests filled the NBC tent Saturday morning to attend the Bank of the Philippine Islands event and listen to the “one-woman financial advice powerhouse” as described by US Today. A two-time Emmy-Award winning television host, she was in Manila to keep a promise made to her friend Doris Magsaysay-Ho, chairwoman of Asia Society Philippines, to help and inspire Filipinos in their need for financial literacy.
“Hope is not a financial plan,” stated Orman who highlighted the jackpot-mentality that some Filipinos have when it comes to their money. One shouldn’t rely on the lottery and simply hope for the best or simply keep the money in your house safe and sound; you need to take control of the opportunities available when it comes to your finances.
Having been raised in an unruly neighborhood on the south side of Chicago, Orman was no stranger to poverty. She used to live in her car and waited on tables earning $400 a month for seven years until she dreamed of owning a restaurant of her own at the age of 30. Having heard her dream, one of her regular customers collected the contributions of other customers tantamount to $50,000 to lend to her for 10 years without interest. She took her money to Merrill Lynch to put in a money market account but the broker made her sign papers to make it seem like she was a sophisticated investor who was qualified to invest in stock options. Within three months, she lost the money.
Realizing she couldn’t pay back the $50,000 with her job as a waitress, she applied as a broker at Merrill Lynch and was hired due to the affirmative action that the company had to hire women. However, her boss informed her she would be fired in 6 months.
Studying as a broker, she learned that it was part of law as a broker not to invest someone’s money in a way that he/she could not afford to invest it. She proceeded to sue Merrill Lynch for the bad handling of her $50,000 and because of the ongoing case, Merill Lynch could not fire her.
“Always do what is right than what is easy,” she said. The broker who lost her money was let go, her boss moved on and in 2 years she became one of Merill Lynch’s top producers and earned her $50,000 back with 18% interest.
For young people and their finances, Orman expressed the importance of saving a portion of their earnings regularly as early as possible. “The quickest way to get rich is to get rich slow.” stated Francisco Colayco, a well-known author who was brought to the stage by Orman herself. There isn’t a get-rich-quick formula to achieving one’s wealth, but wealth can be gained by saving and investing continously slowly but surely.
On the Philippines, Orman stated we shouldn’t go the way of the US where they allowed their economy to grow on credit, lending to people who could not afford to pay it back. “Build this country on cash so that it could never collapse, then you can change lives,” she said.
Orman’s talk and very first appearance in the country that day to the 700 guests and employees of BPI indeed proved to be a success. Her message has provided inspiration to those who seek to gain financial freedom.
ni: Art Ladaga
Pebrero na naman. Para sa mga may in a relationship status sa Facebook, panahon ito ng paggunita ng pag-ibig. Tataas na naman ang presyo ng mga chocolates, flowers, at anu-ano pang binibigay kapag Valentines day. Hindi rin nawawala ang mga radio requests ng mga cheesy love songs moderno man o hindi. At bumabalik muli sa uso ang paggamit ng mga gasgas na pick-up lines!
Sa kasamaang palad, hindi ito ang realidad sa karamihan ng mga single. Ibang holiday pa nga ang ipinagdiriwang nila kapag February 14. Ito ang S.A.D. o Single Awareness Day! Marami silang iniisip kung paano gunitain ito: may naglalasing, bumibili ng mga bulaklak para lang ibigay sa sarili, at nagsusuot ng anumang bagay as an expression of singlehood. Noong nag-aaral pa ako, may suot nga akong dalawang pin buttons na nagpapahayag ng pagiging miyembro ko sa Samahan ng mga Atenistang Walang Iniibig (S.A.W.I.) at sa Samahan ng mga Atenistang Palaging Umaasa Lamang (S.A.P.U.L)!
Mahirap ang buhay single. Madalas, gusto mong magwala kapag napapadaan ka sa dalawang magkasintahang nagpi-PDA o Public Display of Affection. Nagseselos ka rin kapag nakikita mong naka-post sa Facebook ang pictures ng iyong kabarkada kasama ang kanyang minamahal. At siyempre, masakit din ang hindi gumastos ng pera dahil wala kang ka-date sa February 14!
Mahirap talagang maging single, pero talaga bang kasuklam-suklam ito? Kung iisipin mong mabuti, may benefits din kapag wala kang minamahal!
Una, hindi mo kailangang gumastos kapag February 14. Wala kang dahilan para magluwas ng pera. Sa totoo lang, puwede namang gunitain ang Valentines Day nang hindi gumagastos. Nakasanayan lang na dapat gumastos ang dalawang magkasintahan para maging “special” ang holiday. Tingnan mo nalang ito kung anu-ano ang ginagastos nila para sa isang date:
Kung single ka, hindi ka na mag-aabala sa mga gastusing iyan!
Mas madali ring mag-ipon. Mas maraming pera sa bulsa mo dahil wala kang pinaggagastusan. Mas marami ka pa ngang options kung paano gamitin ang pera mo. Halimbawa, puwede mong gawin ang emergency fund mo para may pagkukuhanan ka kung sakaling may masamang mangyari sa iyo.
At ang huli, mas madaling lalago ang pera mo. Hindi ka mahihirapang mag-invest dahil wala kang pinagkaka-abalahan. Puwede kang mag-invest sa mutual funds kung nakapag-ipon ka na ng P5,000! Maganda ang naging performance ng mutual funds kahit hindi garantisado ang kita. Umaabot ang kita mula 10%-30% kada taon! Kung nag-iinvest ka ng P1,000 kada buwan sa loob ng 40 taon, puwedeng lumago ang pera mo ng P97,000,000!
Kita mo na? May perks sa pagiging single. Makakamit mo ang yamang nais mo kung alam mo paano palaguin ang pera mo. Sabi nga ni Francisco Colayco, “Huwag magpapahuli,” dahil maganda ang takbo ng ekonomiya ngayon. Sa halip na magmukmok ka sa tabi, sumakay ka na sa tren ng paglago! At mangyayari lang iyan kung alam mo paano palalaguin ang perang hindi mo ginastos!
*Huwag nang magpahuli sa tren ng paglago! Sumali na sa Pisobilities at INVESTability: Mutual Funds seminar sa Pebrero 16, 2013! I-click lang ang mga links para sa karagdagang mga detalye. Tumawag na sa 637-3731, 637-3741, o 09178088857 para mareserba ang inyong slot o para sa mga karagdagang katanungan!
*Si Art Ladaga ang kasalukuyang Programs Officer ng Colayco Foundation for Education, Inc.
It’s the first day of February! Forget the chocolates, roses, and candle-lighted dinners this Valentines Day. Here are 3 simple, effective, and cost-friendly ways to show your love to your special someone. SHARE AND SPREAD THE LOVE!
Experience LOVE AND WEALTH at the same time! Join the upcoming Pisobilities and INVESTability: Mutual Funds seminars on February 16, 2013! Click the links for more details on both seminars. For inquiries and reservations, please call 637-3731 or 637-3741!
* Art Ladaga is the current Programs Officer of Colayco Foundation.