The upgraded SEC Academy—accessible via academy.sec.gov.ph—was formally relaunched on Nov. 12 at the SEC Headquarters in Makati City.
The platform offers free online courses on personal finance, investing, entrepreneurship, and scam prevention, with lessons delivered by policymakers, regulators, and industry experts.
The relaunch also marked the opening of Investor Protection Week (IPW) 2025, which the SEC is spearheading under the theme “InvestED Tayo sa Kinabukasang Sigurado.”
Empowering Filipinos through education
In his keynote address, SEC Chair Francis Lim said the new SEC Academy aims to make financial education “available to all”—from students to retirees.
“True security is built over time, with awareness, discipline, and integrity,” Lim said. “Now, we must also invest in knowledge—because that’s the one investment that can never be taken away.”
The platform, he said, is designed to help Filipinos learn about saving, budgeting, investing responsibly, and identifying fraudulent schemes. “Financial education should not be for the few, but for everyone who dreams of a better life,” he said.
Interactive sessions highlight financial responsibility
The launch event featured talks and discussions led by financial journalist Salve Ibañez, content creator Jax Reyes, and several public and private sector experts.
They discussed topics ranging from responsible borrowing and saving to recognizing illegal lending practices and digital scams.
Panelists included SEC Financing and Lending Companies Department Director Sheara Lupang-Tamayo, BSP Consumer Protection Director Rochelle Tomas, PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group Major Sonny Galicia, and FUSE Financing Inc. CEO Tony Isidro.
Throughout IPW 2025, the SEC and its regional offices will host educational activities across the country to raise awareness of the state of the economy, guide investors, and combat scams.
Financial literacy in schools
Beyond public campaigns, the SEC is also working with Congress to make financial literacy a core subject in the high school curriculum, building on House Bill No. 686 under the Enhanced Basic Education Act.
“We see too many lives destroyed by scams promising easy money,” Lim said. “A financially literate Filipino is a protected investor.”
The SEC sees this reform as a long-term safeguard against fraud and a foundation for a stronger economy.
According to the 2023 BSP Financial Inclusion Survey, only 2 percent of Filipinos can correctly answer six basic financial literacy questions, underscoring the need for continued education.
Meanwhile, digital fraud remains a threat, with the Philippines recording a 13.4 percent suspected digital fraud rate in 2024, one of the highest globally. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
