Hidilyn Diaz joins BDO as its champion for financial education
BDO Unibank formally welcomes Hidilyn Diaz, the Philippines’ first-ever Olympic Gold medalist, to its family of brand ambassadors.
Three months after ending the country’s nearly 100-year quest for Gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the Zamboanga City native joins forces with the Bank to champion financial education, not only for her fellow athletes, but also for the unserved and underserved markets including overseas Filipinos.
Though unexpected, Hidilyn is thankful for having received a string of incentives and gifts for her historic feat. With this in mind, she sees the golden value of handling these incentives responsibly, which BDO has been espousing through its financial education advocacy.
“It is important to open a bank account, even if you start small. It’s like when I started lifting weights. Start small, as necessary. Then when you become successful, and your savings have grown, you can invest the money for things that you want or for your dreams that you want to fulfill so all your efforts won’t go in vain,” says Hidilyn in Filipino, who like many of her countrymen, lifted her way to success from humble beginnings.
The 30-year-old weightlifter also reminds her fellow athletes, especially those who have achieved their own feats of how they should prepare for the financial future.
“We can’t be forever an athlete (or in the same position always), right? We still have a long life to live after our sports endeavors, so whatever we receive now we need to save up in preparation for whatever circumstances that may come, as well as for our loved ones,” says Hidilyn.
“It is also important that we have a relationship with the bank where we entrust the fruits of our labor. We trust them because they are experts in helping us grow our finances. Like for example, I want to put up a business upon retirement or I will give my parents their retirement [plan], the bank knows how to guide me. It is as well important that they have remittance service where I can send money to my family in Zamboanga whenever I train abroad. I saw that all in BDO.”
BDO said it is thankful to have found a financial education advocate and champion in Hidilyn and for placing her trust in the bank and its wide array of financial products and services to cater to her needs and those like her.
“The fact that only 48 percent of Filipino adults have savings and just one in five have a savings account in a bank, based on data from the Bangko Sentral, really concerns us and the entire banking sector. While we understand most people’s concern on how they get paid, we believe it does pay to have a mindset of even starting small, like what Hidilyn mentioned,” BDO Senior Vice President and Remittance Head Genie Gloria said.
“Before becoming a champion for the nation, Hidilyn first was a champion of her own dreams. Along with keeping in mind her hardwork and determination, she valued the proper handling of finances, and we are with her in that journey.”
BDO officials and employees are proud to have Hidilyn become part of their official family.
“I would like to thank you for giving us this opportunity and this honor of counting you as the newest member of our growing BDO family. Welcome to BDO, Hidilyn!” said Jerome Guevarra, SVP and Chief-of-staff of BDO’s Office of the President.
All these form part of BDO Remit’s “Kayang-Kaya, Kabayan” campaign, an embodiment of its commitment to empower overseas Filipinos and make them feel that the Bank is ready to support and assist them wherever they may be.
For more information on BDO Remit, visit BDO Kabayan Facebook page – BDO Unibank’s dedicated page for the overseas Filipino market.