I lectured at the Registered Financial Planner (RFP) Program last Saturday and the class and I had a nice discussion on the advocacy that I am into. In fact, I believe the class was more interested discussing my advocacy as against the module that was being discussed on that day. For some years now, I have carried an advocacy on personal finance education and I am so blessed to see that this advocacy is now gaining ground in the country.

During the lecture, I was telling the class that the 8 day program they are taking is a great thing because they will be equipped with the rudiments of financial planning and they will experience a great deal of improvement in their competencies. However, I also told them that before we can even apply what we learn in investment planning, time value money, financial planning process, tax planning, estate planning, insurance planning and all those we learn in RFP, we must get people to really want to achieve financial freedom. Before we can apply all the financial principles, we must espouse something first, discipline.

In reality, a person who does not know how to invest but is very disciplined financially will be in a better position than one who is very knowledgeable in the arena of investments and business but lacking in fiscal discipline.

In the last few weeks, I organized 2 events: All About Money (with Chinkee Tan, Cito Beltran and myself) and Blue Chip (Financial Literacy Program for the Youth).

All About Money was designed to reach to the broad market, those that are finding hope in the achievement of their goals. Chinkee tackled the issue on debt, Cito discussed on the issue of possibility and hope while I discussed the basic applications. There were nearly 500 people in that event and from the assessment forms we got back, they were really glad to have attended such a program like All About Money.

… to be continued.