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Manulife launches Peso Smart storybooks to teach children better money habits while young


November 24, 2020

Manila – Manulife Philippines recently launched "Manny and Liv" and "Yaman Bayan," two children's storybooks based on its award-winning Peso Smart financial literacy program, which teaches young students to save, budget, and invest money wisely. 

Celebrity mom influencer Andi Manzano-Reyes and daughter Olivia, broadcast personality Delamar Arias, and registered psychologist Dr. Raphael Inocencio shared their insights during the launch and storytelling webinar. 

"As we work to make every day better for more Filipino families, we have evolved our Peso Smart financial literacy program to include educational storybooks that introduce good money habits to children. These storybooks will bond parents and children while learning together," Melissa Henson, Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer, said. "Manulife believes that learning money management at an early age will help children make sound financial decisions as they grow up, better equipping them to achieve their goals and secure their future." 

During the program, Delamar shared why storytelling is one of the most effective ways of teaching her kids. 

"Storytelling helps our kids understand life lessons better. It helps develop their listening skills and enables them to use their imagination at an early age," Delamar shared. “One thing that I learned in my parenthood journey is how storytelling helps give children the answers to what might be some of their biggest questions, and is a meaningful way to help them develop the values we want to teach them.”

Meanwhile, Andi shared how she and her husband teach better money habits to their daughters and advised how other parents can do the same. 

"At nine years old, I already learned the concept that money is earned, because that’s the time I also started earning my own money. My parents served as my role models when it comes to being financially smart and empowered, and I'm doing my best to teach Olivia and her sister the same values and discipline so they can learn smart money habits at an early age," Andi said. 

Dr. Raphael Inocencio, founder of Better Steps Psychology mental health clinic, gave an in-depth insight into the importance of teaching children financial literacy, even to kids as young as three or four years old. 

"When teaching kids about the concept of money, I highly recommend for parents to make things age-appropriate and visual. Help them understand the value of saving money by showing them how these would look, which can be in the form of a piggy bank or coins in a jar," Dr. Inocencio said.

What started in 2017 as a series of face-to-face classes with public school students in Metro Manila, where Manulife Philippines employees volunteered to teach the basics of saving and investing, has evolved into a Peso Smart program promoting financial literacy through distance learning. Earlier this year, Manulife distributed Peso Smart at-home learning kits that include an activity book, journals, and school supplies to 100 students from Pasig City in partnership with the Corazon Sanchez Atayde Memorial Foundation. 

Webinar attendees will be receiving their digital copies of the Manny and Liv and Yaman Bayan storybooks, which will be available to the public soon. The webinar can be viewed at www.facebook.com/ManulifePH and www.manulife.com.ph. 

 

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About Manulife Philippines

The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company opened its doors for business in the Philippines in 1907. Since then, Manulife’s Philippine Branch and later The Manufacturers Life Insurance Co. (Phils.), Inc. (Manulife Philippines) has grown to become one of the leading life insurance companies in the country. Manulife Philippines is a wholly-owned domestic subsidiary of Manulife Financial Corporation, among the world’s largest life insurance companies by market capitalization. Learn more about Manulife Philippines, follow them on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ManulifePH), Twitter (@ManulifePH), and Instagram (@manulifeph).

 

About Manulife 

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services group that helps people make their decisions easier and lives better. We operate primarily as John Hancock in the United States and Manulife elsewhere. We provide financial advice, insurance, as well as wealth and asset management solutions for individuals, groups and institutions. At the end of 2017, we had about 35,000 employees, 73,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving more than 26 million customers. As of September 30, 2018, we had over $1.1 trillion (US$863 billion) in assets under management and administration, and in the previous 12 months we made $27.6 billion in payments to our customers. Our principal operations are in Asia, Canada and the United States where we have served customers for more than 100 years. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges and under '945' in Hong Kong.