Recognizing the importance of financial literacy education for farmers, 𝑳𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑩𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝑪𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒚𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑭𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝑰𝒏𝒄. has partnered with 𝑯𝒐𝒍𝒚 𝑪𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅 𝑪𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒈𝒆𝒔, 𝑰𝒏𝒄., and the 𝑳𝒐𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝑮𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑼𝒏𝒊𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑴𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒑𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑳𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝑺𝒆𝒃𝒖 to provide a Financial Literacy Training to the municipality's farmers, fishers, and other related individuals.
Last July 13, the 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 was successfully launched at the Barangay Gymnasium in Poblacion, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. This program aims to provide financial literacy training to individual farmers of the Municipality of Lake Sebu to uplift their socio-economic condition by making them productive and bankable. During the launch, Mayor Floro S. Gandam delivered his message in support of this program. The support and assistance of the LGUs, Municipal Agriculture Office, and Municipal Tourism Office, made the activity possible.
One of the highlights of this program is the conduct of monitoring in the unbanked municipality. With this, the LCDFI Chairwoman herself, Director Consuelo N. Padilla, and the FLP Coordinator, Phebelyn Andres, conducted their monitoring of the said program last August 10-12, 2022.
Padilla joined the HCCCI FLP team in conducting the training at Barangay Ned last August 10, wherein she was pleased to see the large number of participants. Along the way to Brgy. Ned, the chairwoman experienced being barred by a landslide, but it did not stop her and the rest of the team from going to the farthest barangay of the Municipality of Lake Sebu. She was requested to give her message and she highlighted that LCDFI began implementing this program several years ago with the intention of providing innovative capacity-building services to strengthen cooperatives and assist farmers and fishermen in their development.
On the next day of their monitoring, August 11, the LCDFI monitoring team attended a townhall meeting with the farmers who have undergone Financial Literacy Training. Present during the said meeting were Mayor Gandam; HCCCI President, Marivet Caballero; HCCCI Executive Vice President, Vanessa Marie L. Antiquin; Municipal Tourism Officer, Dr. Jennifer B. Tupas; Bonifacio Pales; and staff.
The said townhall meeting served as an avenue for the farmers to express their concerns, such as the need of financing for their farm needs, like fertilizers. In addition, the fisherfolks also said that their association does not have any financial capacity for their existing fish cages.
On August 12, which is the last day of the monitoring, the FLP team was warmly welcomed in Brgy. Halilan. FLP Coordinator Phebelyn Andres expressed her gratitude as she delivered her message to the participants because she had seen the interest that they have for the training.
This partnership, with LCDFI and LGU of Lake Sebu, is a very great way for HCCCI to continue to expand its offerings to meet the needs of the community, and through its partnership with LCDFI, the school will be able to spread the importance of financial literacy. The more people understand financial management, the more they are able to overcome various financial problems in their daily life and can improve their welfare.