SEC teams up with BSP, PNP-ACG, Fuse to fight unsafe lending, investment scams

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) brought together the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Fuse Financing Inc., and the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) to strengthen public protection against unsafe lending and fraudulent investment schemes during the Investor Protection Week (IPW) 2025 celebration held from 12 to 14 November.

With the theme “InvestED Tayo sa Kinabukasang Sigurado,” this year’s IPW highlighted the growing urgency of financial literacy, responsible borrowing, and safe investing, especially as fraudulent schemes and unregulated borrowing products continue to affect students, employees, and daily earners who lack the financial skills to evaluate risky offers.

The three-day forum brought together employees from public and private institutions and students from various schools and universities for discussions on responsible borrowing and spotting investment scams. The sessions were headlined by resource speakers from the BSP, Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), PNP-ACG, and Fuse Financing Inc., the lending arm of GCash.

During his keynote message, SEC Chairperson Francis Lim underscored that “financial literacy is not a privilege” but a protection. He stressed that financial knowledge is the “only investment that cannot be stolen from us,” reiterating the Commission’s push to integrate financial literacy as a core subject in high schools. This comes as more scams entice Filipinos with unrealistic promises, including schemes claiming to double investments within one month.

The event also marked the launch of the SEC Academy, an accessible and user-friendly digital learning platform designed to guide Filipinos through their financial journey. A financial literacy class led by financial journalist Salve Ibañez also formed part of the foundational learning sessions.

A key highlight of IPW was the Regulatory Engagement panel on November 12 titled “InvestED Tayo sa Financial Literacy at Responsableng Pag-utang,” featuring representatives from the SEC Financing and Lending Companies Department (FinLend), the BSP Consumer Protection Office, the PNP-ACG Cyber Response Unit, and Fuse Financing Inc. Panelists emphasized safe and responsible borrowing and protecting consumers in an increasingly digital financial landscape.

BSP Consumer Protection and Market Conduct Director Rochelle Tomas pointed to the importance of critical decision-making in avoiding financial harm. “The most important skill for consumers today is critical thinking and the ability to determine the right information about investments,” she said.

Fuse Financing Inc. President and CEO Tony Isidro reminded borrowers that they have the freedom to choose financial services wisely. “You have the choice to select the best financial services you want and that fits your needs. So it's important to be critical about the information, and make your own personal decisions,” he said, describing deliberate decision-making as the key to avoiding hard-to-trace, unregulated lenders.

The BSP defined critical thinking as the “ability to determine whether an information that's being given is correct and the ability to determine where to go when there is a problem,” while SEC FinLend Director Lupango-Tamayo emphasized the need for comprehension, noting that “interest rates are good for you if you make it work for you. Interest rates are bad for you if you do not understand what it means to your debt.”

Discussions throughout the program reinforced a shared mission to build long-term defenses against fraud and financial instability by empowering Filipinos to make informed financial decisions.

On 14 November, a panel discussion on when and where to invest further emphasized financial literacy and accessibility. GCash Head of Market Education for Wealth Management John Garcia said investments must become easier to understand for everyday Filipinos. “Let’s simplify it. Investing is not as complicated as it seems but to many Filipinos, it feels intimidating. At GCash, our goal is to make investing straightforward and understandable for every Filipino,” he said.

He explained that investing in stocks can mirror business ownership for regular Filipinos. “You put your money into that company because you believe it will grow, and as a part-owner, you can earn dividends. If the business grows, you grow with it. But you also share in the risks in the business,” Garcia added.

SEC Markets and Securities Regulation Department Director Oliver Leonardo reminded participants, “Bago mag invest, mag-imbestiga,” while PSE Corporate Planning and Research Head Mica Ella Cu pointed audiences to the PSE EDGE portal for company disclosures and PSE EQUIP for access to relevant market data.