SEC’s Investor Education Roadshow a Hit among Cebuanos

Attendees of the Investor Protection Week (IPW) Education Roadshow 2022 commended the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the SEC-Cebu Extension Office (SEC-CEO) for initiating the event that allowed them to fully appreciate and understand the role of the SEC in the community, the business sector and the entire country in general.

Last November 9, SEC held a simultaneous education roadshow in all of its nine extension offices in the country with the theme “Balik Alindog for Financial Literacy: The Road to being SEC-SEE (Scam-proof, Equipped, and Empowered) Investor” with the tagline “Kapag SEC-SEE, Iwas sa Scam.”

The roadshow, which was the first face-to-face event organized by the Commission post-pandemic, gathered various private and public institutions including civil society organizations, business groups, and the academe.

SEC-CEO Director Sheara L. Lupango-Tamayo welcomed the participants for “accepting the challenge” to be part of the journey for financial fitness underscoring the importance of education in making the right financial decisions.

She hoped that through the roadshow, “we will be able to transform you to a SEC-SEE investor – an investor who is scam-proof, equipped, and empowered.”

“In order for you to truly appreciate investing and to safeguard your money from fraudulent investment schemes, you must first be equipped with sufficient knowledge on personal finance,” Lupango-Tamayo said.

The education roadshow was divided into two sessions: personal finance and learning how to spot and unmask investment scams.

The SEC-CEO official explained that the public is “vulnerable to various types of unauthorized investment schemes disguising themselves as legitimate businesses”.

In the face of the new economic challenges which can affect our financial habits, “being knowledgeable about investment scams is important,” she said.

If one is able to identify fraudulent schemes, this “can help you safeguard your money and avoid falling victim to these scams,” she said.

More roadshows

“We’re very thankful that we’re invited to this event, it was enlightening, insightful, and helpful. We hope there will be more of this in the future,” Dennis Abarientos, administrative officer of the Santo Nino de Cebu Augustinian Social Development Foundation, Inc. said.

Toledo City Community Affairs and Development Division Head Ferliza C. Contratista said they intend to re-echo the sessions to their constituents and forge future partnerships with the SEC-CEO to further strengthen their local business community.

Provincial Board Member Glenn Anthony Soco (Cebu, 6th District), who was also present at the event, received a plaque of appreciation for being one of the 2021 Investor Champions. Soco vowed to adopt legislations that will help the SEC in its campaign against fraudulent investment schemes.

New SEC CAN partner

One of the roadshow highlights included the addition of the Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM-7) Central Visayas as the 7th CEO partner of the SEC Communication, Advocacy, and Network (SEC-CAN) program.

POPCOM-7 Director Bruce N. Ragas signed the Memorandum of Agreement with CEO Director Tamayo at the sidelines of the event that was held at the Palm Grass-The Cebu Heritage Hotel, Cebu City on Nov. 9, 2022.

The IPW Education Roadshow 2022 was participated by irrigators, civil society organizations, academe, private institutions, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Field Office 7, National Irrigation Administration-Cebu-Bohol-Siquijor Division, Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Talisay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, SEED4COM/CERTAmbayan and the Philippine Information Agency-Central Visayas.