(PIA6) – – Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Director for Financial Consumer Protection Department lawyer Prudence Angelita A. Kasala said financial awareness, like the concept and value of money, should be instilled during the formative years as this becomes the basis of lifelong habits.
This interactive exhibit which will run until September 25 at the Grand Ballroom of Circle Inn Hotel and Suites in Bacolod City will teach children the concept and value of money, determine fake from authentic money and the different currencies in the world, this aside from the concept of a bank and an Automated Teller Machine by having a mock bank and ATM.
They will also role play as bank manager, teller, security and client where they will try to use the mock ATM and learn how important a Personal Identification Number is, what a deposit account is and the services that could be rendered by an ATM.
Kids will be given a budget and they will be asked to shop in the “pretend” grocery to learn the difference between needs and wants.
Bacolod City Mayor Monico O. Puentevella in his message during the opening of the exhibit said that Bacolod needs this program because aside from being the City of Smiles, Bacolod is also a “City of Spenders”.
The Bacolod exhibit is the 7th run of the BSP and the second in the Visayas next to Cebu.
“We believe that the conduct of MMK in Bacolod City is very timely considering that based on the last census in 2010, children below 14 years old comprised 29.1 percent of Bacolod’s household population which shows quite a young population and signals a burgeoning economy in the future,” Kasala said.
To date, the exhibit was able to reach a total of 21,600 students from 17 schools excluding the 7,000 targeted students for Bacolod City.
“We must remind ourselves that childhood money memories will be their foundation as to how they will relate with money in their adult life. We also urge parents and teachers as well to be our advocates by acquiring a better understanding of financial concepts and by putting them into practice” Kasala added. (JCM/EAD-PIA6 Negros Occidental)
