In Baguio City, a unique educational initiative is shaping the financial habits of young students. Maegan Allysa Motilla, a 14-year-old student at St. Joseph De Mary Learning Center, exemplifies the success of this program. Since first grade, she has been saving money in a coin bank, a practice encouraged by her school’s cooperative laboratory program. This initiative, supported by the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), aims to instill the importance of saving among children from an early age.
Motilla shared that she deposits money into her piggy bank before heading to school, ensuring she doesn’t spend it impulsively. This habit has allowed her to save enough to purchase school supplies for the following year, easing the financial burden on her parents. Her story is a testament to the effectiveness of the cooperative lab program, which is being implemented in six schools across the Cordillera region with the assistance of well-regarded cooperatives.
Dr. Felicidad Cenon, CDA-Cordillera Director, emphasized the program’s goal to promote the concept of savings among students. The cooperative lab at St. Joseph De Mary Learning Center, established by the Bavesco multipurpose cooperative, is a prime example of this effort. Susan Angaga, president of the family-owned school, highlighted their aim to not only teach children to save but also to introduce them to the broader principles of cooperativism.
The initiative has received positive feedback from parents, including Motilla’s mother, who hopes more schools will adopt similar programs to foster responsible financial behavior in children. This cooperative approach to education is proving to be a valuable tool in teaching young Filipinos the importance of saving and financial planning.