Two-way learning street. After the roll-out of its first community-level out-of-home public awareness
campaign in Brgy. Holy Spirit, Quezon City, the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC)
reached out to sari-sari store owners and tricycle drivers for their insights on the campaign materials,
highlighting that financial literacy is a two-way street where the PDIC and the community learn from
each other.
What defines a successful campaign? A well-executed public awareness campaign cannot
be measured solely by targets and metrics. Equal weight must also be given to how it
resonates with its intended audience.
Following the out-of-home (OOH) implementation of the Philippine Deposit Insurance
Corporation’s (PDIC) Multimedia Public Awareness Campaign in Brgy. Holy Spirit in Quezon
City, the Corporation engaged with sari-sari store owners and tricycle drivers through
interviews and an on-ground financial literacy learning session to ensure awareness turns
into understanding.
The session gathered participants who encountered the concept of deposit insurance for
the first time. Through easy-to-follow discussions and practical examples, the financial
literacy session translated the campaign messages into real-life application.
For sari-sari store owner Sheila, talking about the message displayed on her store signage:
Malaki man o maliit ang kita, protektado ka! (Whether your income is big or small, you are
protected!), sparked a shift in perspective from keeping money in the house to saving it in
banks.
She reflected, “Sabi ko, ‘Magdedeposit kaya ako?’ Kahit mismo ako po gusto ko rin
magdeposit kaysa yung hawak ko. Ang ginagawa ko po kasi may daily savings po ako.
Tuwing gabi po, nagtatabi po ako kahit P300. So monthly, pwede ko ibagsak sa one month
na deposit. Yun po yung plano ko (I asked myself, ‘Should I start depositing?’ Even for me,
I’d rather deposit my money in the bank than just keep it on hand. What I do is, I have my
daily savings. Every night, I set aside even if it’s just P300. Then by the end of the month,
I can put it all as one deposit. That’s my plan).”
Smiling with pure joy, Sheila shared, “Maswerte po ako nabigyan ng store signage ng PDIC
(I feel fortunate to have been given a store signage by the PDIC).” She added, “Hinahandle
po nila yung pinaghirapan ng isang negosyante. Sa maliit man na kita o malaking kita,
prinoprotect [ng PDIC] ang pera ng isang negosyante (They safeguard what a business
owner has worked hard for. Whether the earnings are small or big, the PDIC protects their
money),” after understanding the vital role of the PDIC in the Philippine banking system.
Meanwhile, for tricycle driver Marlon, who already has two bank accounts, the session gave
him peace of mind and reinforced his trust in the banking system. Around the barangay,
his tricycle ferried the message: Ngayon barya lang po sa umaga. Bukas, malaking ipon na
(Today, it may be just coins. Tomorrow, it’s already big savings)!
He recalled, “May time nga nawalan kami ng pagkain nun, kaya dun ko nasubukan magipon
na lang. Ayon hanggang ngayon, tuloy-tuloy na ang pag-iipon ko. Napapaaral ko na
yung mga anak ko (There was even a time when we had nothing to eat, that’s when I really
tried saving. Since then, I’ve kept it up. Now, I’m now able to send my children to school).”
After learning how the PDIC protects depositors through its deposit insurance, Marlon
expressed his relief, “Mas lalo na ako ngayong ginaganahan magdagdag pa ng ipon, wala
na akong pangamba. ‘Di katulad dati na iniisip ko, ‘Paano kaya kung bumagsak ang
bangko? Paano na yung pera ko? Paano ko kaya makukuha yun?’ Ngayon pinaliwanag na
babayaran pala kung sakaling magsara yung bangko, mas lalo ko pang itutuloy yung pagiipon
ko (I’m now even more motivated to save because I no longer feel anxious. Unlike
before, I used to worry, ‘What if the bank fails? What would happen to my money? How
would I get it back?’ But now that it’s been explained that deposits are paid back if a bank
closes, I’m even more determined to continue saving).”
These reflections underscore the campaign’s impact beyond words and images on a layout.
As extensions of the PDIC in spreading awareness within the community, it is important
that these small-scale entrepreneurs and tricycle drivers recognize the value of the
campaign materials placed on their sari-sari stores or tricycle units. It is the point where an
awareness campaign becomes a tool to carry out its mandate and bring public service
closer to the depositing public.
With sustained and strategic public awareness efforts, the PDIC underscores its
commitment to nation-building by promoting confidence in the Philippine banking system
through the deposit insurance it provides to everyday Filipinos.
