Three things to remember in investment
As of now, there are no complaints yet because all are receiving their “quick and easy” return of investments. But what about in due time?
There is a saying, “You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”
This should be the guiding principle for those who want to invest in “quick and easy money” or the so-called “double your money” scheme like this controversial Kapa (Kabus Padatoon) Community Ministry International Inc. This religious organization founded by Pastor Joel Apolinario Jr., a breakaway pastor of the Seventh Day Adventist, hit the headlines recently because of a “modus” in investment which others called a scam.
Kapa, originated and founded by Apolinario in Bislig City, a third-class city in Surigao del Sur where most of the people live in poverty, spread like wildfire in some areas in Mindanao until it reached the Visayas and Luzon. Based on his claim, Apolinario, who used to broadcast in a small-time radio station in Mindanao, said that Kapa, which is registered under the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as a religious organization and not as an investment corporation, has an estimated membership of five million as of June 2019. It is even bigger than the Aman Futures scam that duped around 15,000 people in the Visayas and Mindanao of around P12 billion in 2012.
Kapa accepts donations or investments from its members with the promise that 30 percent of one’s investment will be paid every month and until forever. Some members said Kapa is not a pyramiding or networking scheme because it does not recruit “downliners” before the member/investor received his payouts. It’s really an investment like putting your money in the bank or into business.
The interest is really very enticing. Imagine 30 percent of your investment is guaranteed and it will be forever. No bank, not even the Central Bank, will give that interest to any financial institution. But the question is: how long will it last? Too good to be true, indeed.
Kapa’s scheme did not escape the interest and scrutiny of the public, its competitors and including the political leadership. Alarmed by the massive “investments” and the number of people
possibly duped by the scheme, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered authorities to immediately close its operations. The other day, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and police personnel conducted simultaneous raids in the offices of Kapa in the Visayas and Mindanao, including the one in Poblacion, Compostela, Cebu, which was earlier robbed by unidentified armed men who carted away the vault, inside of which was an estimated amount of P28 million.
The members, especially those who already benefited, cried foul over what the government did. “Why should the government intervene when there was no complaint from any member?” “It is not a scam.” “Is it a crime if the organization would help its members?” “It is our own money and it’s none of their business whatever happens to our investment.” These were the reactions of the members. I fully agree with these reactions and arguments. But will the government still wait for a disastrous situation before it will make a move. As of now, there are no complaints yet because all are receiving their “quick and easy” return of investments. But what about in due time? Everybody will be trooping to the authorities to ask for help, like what happened to Aman Futures and other investment scam victims.
In investing your hard-earned money to organizations like Kapa, be sure to put these three things in your mind. First, demand permits from government regulatory agencies, like Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) if it is pertaining to bank operations, SEC permit/clearance if it is a corporation and DTI if there are products attached on it. Then, as an investor, you have the right to know and scrutinize what kind of investment the organization would engage. And third, invest only the amount that you can afford to lose whatever happens to the organization. Meaning, don’t put all your eggs in one basket, so to speak. Aron dili tanto sakit ug bug-at kung mahanaw man. We have heard stories of retired government and private employees who committed suicide because they put all their retirement benefits in an investment scam. Lesson learned.
How many nights had that thought lulled me to sleep despite the dangers of struggle? How long did that cause prod me to follow the road less traveled and strengthened my resolve to die for it?