FINANCIAL LITERACY FOR LEARNERS, TEACHERS

FERDINAND R. CUNANAN

To help promote financial literacy to teachers and learners, the Department of Education launched a program dubbed DiskarTech-Aralin sa Madiskarteng Pananalapi. The program, in partnership with Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC), is in support of DepEd Order No. 22, s. 2021 titled Financial Education Policy and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) National Strategy for Financial Inclusion, which is aligned with DepEd’s programs to include financial lessons in the K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum. According to the agency, financial literacy is very important not just for teachers, but to the learners as well. Crucial financial decisions can result in important consequences in our lives, so as children grow along with their responsibilities, they should possess the knowledge to make sound financial decisions. In support of RCBC’s DiskarTech program, the country’s first and only Taglish inclusion super app and ATM Go, and a neighborhood handheld ATM device, which allows withdrawals from all ATM/prepaid/debit cards. The DiskarTech program digitalizes the concepts of “alkansya” (savings), “paluwagan” (loans), “Seguro” (insurance), and “bayad” (payments). It aims to promote financial stewardship practices with the teachers and parents by allowing the learners to experience building financial education milestones through the program. Whatever it is children want to do, whatever they want to study, they must make sure that their digital skills are developed. They can become a digital lawyer, a digital doctor, they can become anything. One of the best things to prepare for that is through this mobile app so they can learn those things that can help them become a more responsible adult. Spearheaded by the External Partnership Service (EPS), the event featured the overview of RCBC’s DiskarTech: Madiskarteng Pilipino Education campaign, as well as a class demonstration of the Aralin sa Madiskarteng Pananalapi (Lessons on Smart and Resourceful Financing) Module. The material is now available and may be downloaded from DepEd’s Learning Resource Portal. Partnership programs like the DiskarTech of RCBC will provide Filipinos with relevant, responsive, and inclusive digital financial services. This would also let us experience how the technology works in securing our finances and save for the most important and unanticipated events in our lives.

-oOoTHE AUTHOR IS MASTER TEACHER I AT JUSTINO SEVILLA HIGH SCHOOL, ARAYAT, PAMPANGA