The Making of a Pinoy Batang Pera-Henyo
4:50 PM
What would it take to develop a Pinoy Batang Pera-Henyo or a Filipino child finance whiz? Can children develop sound financial habits and ideas on their own? It is possible for a child to have his or her own investment portfolio in such a tender age?
Savings Statistics in the Philippines
Available statistics with regards to the savings behavior of Filipino families are quite worrisome. The gathered numbers indicate that there exists a disproportionate rate of savings in relation to income. What is more disturbing is that the amount of savings becomes lesser as the income goes higher.
This would therefore make the common notion that the reason why Filipinos are unable to save due to lack of income quite irrelevant. It would appear that the main problem lies in giving lesser importance to the value of savings. Another critical data in relation to this is that which presents a picture of Filipino families cutting back on important items such as education rather than on other expenses which can be seen as "luxuries".
Teaching Children About Money
Adults who do not have the necessary financial discipline often find themselves in a financial bind. Studies reveal that it is difficult to instill behavioral changes among adults specifically in the financial aspect although it can be done. That is why there is a greater need for training children to start early on savings. Young people are generally more malleable and are able to absorb ideas and practices more readily than adults who have already established ways.
The problem with this scenario specifically in the home environment is that it will be adults who will be doing most of the teaching to the children. If the adults in a household have no idea about financial soundness, how can they can be expected to teach their children? Parents are in an ideal situation where they can lead or influence their children towards good ways. Before they can effectively lead or influence however, they must know in which direction they are taking these young minds.
The Batang Pera-Henyo Conference 2012
With these concerns in mind, School Talk has organized a conference called the "Batang Pera-Henyo Conference 2012" which is slated to happen on November 17, 2012 from 9 am to 6 pm at the Vista Center in Worldwide Corporate Center. School Talk has been focusing on the education of the children and the youth primarily through learning events such as this and their interactive website. The events also seeks to involve the active participation of parents and educators in the common goal of creating the best learning experience for a child.
This event enlisted the participation of 200 people composed of parents, educators, and children aged from 13 to 21. They are expected to participate in this one-day event which will tackle concerns in personal finance and money management. This event hopes to start what could be a continuous means of parents helping their children in money matters without actually having to bear the burden of giving money the rest of their lives. Home schoolers and youth organizations are encouraged to attend this event as well. Several speakers will be handling the topics scheduled for the day that includes Good Money Management and Financial Planning for Parents and Kids, among others.
My Say
It is impossible to produce financial wizards overnight whether they be adults or children. It would need constant practice to really inculcate the values and behavior required for financial success. However, the starting point is always the most critical.
That said, people who are willing to make a change towards financial success are not always equipped with the right mindset and knowledge of effective processes that can help them achieve their goals. I intend to start my own journey towards this path hopefully with my family by attending the Batang Pera-Henyo Conference. We all can benefit from a push towards positive results.
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