Pesos and Sense is a company that aims to promote financial literacy by empowering Filipinos through seminar series that teach them simple and practical knowledge on personal finance and investments. It aims to guide Filipinos in making independent and wise choices in handling their money.
Contents
The TV Show
Pesos and Sense started as a TV Show on GMA News TV on September 2011. It is a weekly Sunday morning show that tackled personal finance and investments, simplifying it to a more approachable and doable sense. Utilizing the host’s expertise, the show presented an array of topics that would help Filipinos achieve financial independence. Different investment vehicles such as stocks, mutual funds, variable unit link (VUL’s) and others were discussed in a way that proved to be relevant and important to its Filipino viewers. There was also a segment in the TV show which discussed the technical factor of the stock market —the main advocacy of Pesos and Sense. This segment was done in collaboration with COL Financial Group (formerly called CitisecOnLine)]), the leading online stock brokerage in the Philippines. The show also featured several guests that gave expert advice and firsthand experience in the different financial industries and problems in the Philippines.
Host
Aya Laraya is a Certified Securities Representative, a Certified Investment Company Representative, a Realtor, a writer and a writer with an MBA from University of Western Australia.
Guests
Pesos and Sense had numerous guests in its first season. The show featured people such as Bo Sanchez and other financial experts to give their advice on certain matters. Other guests shared their experiences with different kinds of investments and its rewards and consequences. There were also guests who shared their experiences with unfortunate situations such as debt and scams.
Audience Reception
The viewers of Pesos and Sense send questions to the TV show through email and Facebook. At the end of the show, the host answers them in order to share more knowledge and practical applications of investments in real life.
Social Media Participation
The effect and impact of Pesos and Sense lead to a very interactive online community through their Facebook fan page . There, people can ask questions and give advice to questions of other viewers of Pesos and Sense. Aya Laraya also answers the questions of his viewers.
Seminar Series
After a successful first season with GMA News TV, Pesos and Sense started a seminar series about personal finance and investments. To reach a wider audience and have greater interaction with fellow Filipinos, Pesos and Sense started "Make Your Money Grow", the first installment of its seminar series. It aims to educate and guide Filipinos on why we should invest and what kind of investment we should get into.
Pesos and Sense conducts monthly seminars that are updated through their website and Facebook fan page. The seminars include theory and application of investment practices and the social theory of Filipino investors.