JUSTINE Nycole Abad, Metrobank Brand Development officer, speaks to students at Centro Escolar University Manila during the Moneygurado Campus Series, discussing financial mindfulness, scam awareness and the influence of social media on money decisions while introducing Earnest, Metrobank's online financial education platform.
PHOTOGRAPH courtesy of Metrobank
Metrobank is stepping up efforts to improve financial literacy among young Filipinos, urging students to be more mindful of the content they consume online as social media increasingly shapes spending habits and financial decisions.
The bank recently brought its Moneygurado Campus Series to Centro Escolar University (CEU) Manila, where more than 100 students participated in discussions on money management, financial habits, scam awareness, and the influence of social media on consumer behavior.
According to Metrobank, many financial challenges faced by young Filipinos begin long before budgeting concerns emerge, as emotional and social influences often drive spending decisions.
"Money decisions are emotional before they are mathematical. They start with FOMO (fear of missing out), pakikisama, hiya, and utang na loob. Every scroll on your phone now comes with a suggestion to spend, but not every piece of content should end with a checkout button. Some should leave you financially mindful," Metrobank said during the session.
To help students navigate these digital influences, Metrobank introduced Earnest (@earnestph), its financial education platform on TikTok and Instagram that provides content on budgeting, saving, debt management, scam awareness, investing, and responsible spending. The platform aims to simplify financial concepts and encourage informed money decisions among young Filipinos.
The discussion also highlighted the importance of credible financial information on social media, where financial advice is readily available but not always reliable. Participants noted that trusted institutions should maintain a stronger online presence to help young people distinguish sound financial guidance from misleading content.
As part of the program, Metrobank also introduced students to the third episode of its Moneygurado docuseries, "The Price of Hiya," featuring historian Prof. Xiao Chua. The episode explores how Filipino cultural values and social expectations shape conversations about money and influence financial decision-making.
Metrobank said the Moneygurado Campus Series forms part of its broader financial education campaign aimed at making financial learning more accessible and relevant to the next generation through campus engagements and digital platforms.
