Empowering individuals through investments

Most Filipinos dream of living a comfortable life; some aspire to buy a house and a few hope they can get their hands on a brand-new car. However, to truly be empowered financially, it takes a lot of hard work, wise decisions, and smart investments that can help secure long-term stability and freedom.

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For Cocolife, financial empowerment comes when people are successfully enjoying life without worrying about what will come next. This involves prioritizing finances and needs, and preparing for unexpected situations, while still being able to indulge in simple delights and occasional luxuries.

"Financial empowerment entails having the ability to make decisions that allow you to enjoy your money now while preserving your current financial prosperity and even improving your future financial stability. Having such financial security does not happen overnight. It is the result of years of sound financial decisions," Cocolife Chief Actuary and Head of Actuarial Division Maria Katarina Bernardino explained in an email interview.

Since people have different financial goals, the road to financial empowerment is not one-size-fits-all. For Cocolife Head of Investments Division Andy Tan, it requires a personalized strategy that considers several factors such as an individual's unique financial goals, realistic time horizon, lifestyle, and risk tolerance.

"In Cocolife," he continued, "we always value these factors to tailor and design a specific financial product that would allow an individual to reach his or her goals. Again, the priority in crafting the right investment must be based on the preferred time horizon and risk tolerance. On our end, we are continuously reviewing our portfolio and strategies, maintaining checks and balances, and rebalancing accordingly."

GUIDING THROUGH RISKS

However, achieving financial empowerment goes beyond just setting goals and choosing the right investments it also requires a strong foundation in financial literacy.

In the Philippines, many still view investing as a risk rather than a tool for empowerment. This mindset is often driven by a lack of awareness and understanding.