SEC teams up with BSP, PNP-ACG, Fuse to fight unsafe lending, investment scams
Tony Isidro, President and CEO of Fuse Financing Inc., discusses safe and responsible borrowing at the Regulatory Engagement panel discussion during the “InvestED Tayo sa Financial Literacy at Responsableng Pag-utang” forum. From left: PNP-ACG General Cybercrime Section Chief, PMAJ Sonny Galicia; Fuse Financing Inc. President & CEO Tony Isidro; BSP Consumer Protection and Market Conduct Director Rochelle Tomas; and SEC- FinLend Director Sheara Lupango-Tamayo
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.
SEC Chairperson Francis Lim talks about every Filipino’s financial knowledge and the power it may bring, during his keynote message at the Investor Protection Week 2025, with the theme “InvestED Tayo sa Kinabukasang Sigurado.”
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.
