East West Banking Corp. (EastWest) underscored the role of employers in improving retirement readiness among Filipino workers during the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) PERA@Work: Powering Employer-led Retirement Security Forum.

Speaking at the forum, EastWest chief executive officer Jerry G. Ngo shared the bank’s experience as the first universal bank in the country to launch a voluntary Personal Equity and Retirement Account (PERA) contribution program for employees.

“Financial empowerment is not only about access to products. It is also about building the knowledge and confidence to plan ahead,” Ngo said. “By facilitating access to PERA, EastWest is helping employees take a more active role in shaping their long-term financial future.”

Launched in April 2026, EastWest’s voluntary PERA program complements the bank’s existing retirement benefits as part of its employee financial wellness strategy. The bank partnered with DragonFi Securities for the initiative, while its PERA products are also available to customers through DragonFi and Luna Securities.

Ngo said PERA can strengthen employee financial wellness and serve as a practical gateway to investing and financial literacy.

“PERA does not have to be complicated. But it can be meaningful. It can support employee financial wellness, strengthen your total rewards proposition, and help build trust by showing employees that the company is helping them prepare not only for work today, but for life later on,” he said.

He added that PERA should be viewed not only as a retirement account but also as a platform for building long-term financial resilience.

“PERA is not only a retirement account. It is a financial wellness platform. The bigger opportunity is helping employees think more broadly about saving, investing, and building long-term financial resilience. When people gain the confidence to start investing for the future, everyone benefits,” Ngo said.

The BSP forum gathered more than 300 participants from the government, banking, trust, investment and corporate sectors to discuss ways to expand PERA adoption and improve retirement security for Filipino workers.