There is no fool’s gold beneath the surface of Piolo’s beliefs and values. Behind the disarmingly handsome face is a man who knows how to protect his dreams and priorities. In between the hectic schedule are charity works, sports, and his undying love for family.

The same can be said on how he handles his finances – smart, delicate, and purposeful. And as the latest addition to Sun Life Financial’s “It’s Time!” financial literacy advocacy, he is ready to impart the message of a bright and stable future.

On Money

My mother showed me the best attitude towards money, which is humility. She also taught me to use money to do good things. My faith also gave me a great foothold on my finances. Much has been given to me, and it is only right that I give something in return.

On Financial Planning

You have to know what is important to you, and starting early is the way to go. In fact, the life insurance I got for my son Iñigo has already matured. Now his future is secure, and I’m so happy to know that he could do anything he wants. So it really pays to put your money on the best financial baskets around.

On Spending Habits

I am very practical with the things I buy. I never spend beyond my means. After a long and tiring day, I splurge on food. But that’s it. My happiness does not rely on the things that I have. Also, I do save for rainy days. We never know the lemons that life may throw our way.

On Retirement

Even before I entered the entertainment industry, I saw myself retiring at a young age. It may be a change of career, or doing other things that I have always wanted to pursue. For instance, I want to have my own business someday. It is so exciting to think about the future if you’re protected and secured.

On Success

Never let it get to your head. I consider myself very blessed for the opportunities given to me. So I never let it go to waste. I work hard, fulfill my responsibilities, and always try to pay it forward. I know it sounds too heroic, but I want to be able to help when I can, whenever I can.

On Future Plans

In five years, I see myself being married. I want to see my kids grow up, and I want to be beside my wife through thick and thin. We are not going to be young forever, so I am now saving and investing for that chapter in my life. I want to protect their dreams, so I have to be ready for anything.

On Achieving Financial Freedom

Can I say that I am financially free? YES, yes I can. But I still invest on things that will matter in the future. I keep on saving up, so I can continue to be confident about my and my family’s future. It’s time to create the life we always want to live. No time like today, no place like the present to start. Again, it’s time!

On Being an It’s Time advocate

Sun Life has been securing the future of Filipinos for 115 years now. Even during the global financial crisis, they proved that they are very stable. They continue to fulfill their commitment to their policyholders. The It’s Time advocacy is such a noble initiative, one that can help millions of Filipinos fulfill their dreams. This makes me proud to be part of the Sun Life family.

It may not be such a far-fetched tale to say that this advocate’s affair with insurance and investment is written in the stars.

“I can say that it was really destined,” is how Geoff Cruz begins his inspiring tale. Married for seven years with two beautiful daughters, it took quite some time for this Medical Sales Representative to appreciate the value of a future well planned.

Long-haul travels

Geoff has been traversing the towns and cities of Northern Mindanao for more than a decade. Almost 70% of his time is spent on the road, resulting to a couple of car accidents especially during his first years of moving from Manila to his present home base of Cagayan de Oro.

Then the game changer arrived. Knowing that the perils of his erratic job requirements is not a good fit to his marriage, Geoff decided to secure a stable tomorrow for his young family: “This is what really made me decide to get insurance for the benefits that will protect my wife and my children’s future.”

At home under the sun

It was back in 2005 when Geoff had the chance to meet several agents and employees of Sun Life Financial Philippines (SLFP). However, it was only during a visit in Manila a few months ago when, out of the blue, he expressed his interest in being part of the SLFP agency force.

Upon returning to Cagayan de Oro, he immediately shared to his wife his resolve. He told her before hearing mass in the Lim Ket Kai Mall: “I will do my best to join Sun Life and become an agent.”

And here destiny played its fateful hand. It was the same day when the It’s Time! mall tour was making its round in the city. He and his wife visited the booth after mass, and were enlightened about their monetary situation through the Ask Lucy financial needs analysis.

After the discussion, Geoff broached his interest to join Sun Life, and it did not take too long before he was attending seminars and taking exams to start his journey with SLFP. So far, his serendipitous opportunity bears the sign of promising expectations: “I took that exam a week ago and Sun Life Cagayan de Oro told me that I passed it with flying colors!”

He attended his first seminars on investing when he was barely of legal age. He plans to be financially independent after college to let his mother build a retirement fund. And still, he gets to go on gimmicks like any normal college student.

Meet AB Management Economics student Jethro Vasquez from Ateneo de Manila University. The bespectacled officer of the Management Economics Organization knows a thing or two about saving and investing – after all, he started way earlier than young people his age.

“I want to take responsibility for my needs in the future so that I can learn how to manage my earnings at a very early age. I think that action would help me be more financially responsible and wise in the future”

Vasquez shared. His Economics and Finance classes gave him his first taste of wealth management, and he got hooked. In fact, he would have started as a college freshman, but age constraint prevented him from signing any legal documents.

However, Jethro is the first to admit the hardships that this particular financial path entails. The bottom line is that his choices required a lifestyle change, where value for one’s money and independence are highlighted. An example would be of him putting up a set amount for gimmicks, where he and his friends learned to be “creative” with their activities.

“Why not start now so that 10 years down the road you can be a person who is wiser than his peers in terms of handling his/her finances? It can be really tough right now primarily because of the opportunity costs that you are incurring while waiting for future incentives. However, I really do believe that the rewards are greater in the end, it’s just a matter of discipline and patience,” said Vasquez.

Heed the words of the wise, no matter what age he may be.

CHECK OUT OUR INTERVIEW WITH JETHRO HERE!

Her Saving Grace in Times of Distraught

It may took a while for Jean to share her story, but her faith never wavered in the face of adversities that could crumble even the strongest of foundations. Such hope found an expression in both prayers and, surprisingly, a newfound confidence in the wisdom of insurance.

She describes her challenges as a “journey through a woman’s victory,” which includes losing her husband to a heart attack, suffering financial drought, and battling breast cancer. Left with four children to take care of, Jean moved heaven and earth to ensure that they will not be left wanting. And their first manna from heaven came from an unexpected source.

“While it was true that we were left with wealth, it was also a fact that all assets were frozen, and funds were getting scarce.  But with God’s promise to give hope and a future, the speedy action of Sun Life, the first insurance company to give the proceeds, was a saving grace,” shared Jean.

They received a substantial amount, enough to give them hope and a good future.  It is for this reason that Jean realized the value and importance of insurance, giving hope and a future to families.

Soon she committed herself to be a part in this mission, and joined Sun Life Financial Philippines in 1992.  Hers is a testament that insurance is intended for the living, and not just a fitting legacy of a loved one.

Candidly, she reminisced about the small beauty parlor that served as their family’s main source of income after her father died. Together with her mother, she struggled to survive and vowed to study hard in order to land a job.

Another pivotal moment sounded the next wake-up call for Marie Rose. “I seriously started planning for my financial future when I got married because when I was still single, I really didn’t mind spending all my salary to shopping, travel, and other unnecessary stuff. My husband didn’t have a permanent job so I really have to keep a portion of what we earn from our buy and sell business,” she shared.

However, it was an accident back in 2001 that Marie Rose considered her loudest and most urgent financial planning wake-up call. Soon after recovering, she bought life insurance for herself. Also, she took investing seriously while convincing her friends and colleagues about the wisdom of being financially sound and protected.

“It’s really a big help if only people will look at it as a wake-up call. Most people don’t realize they need financial planning until they reach a certain age, at which point it’s no longer as easy and as doable,” she cautioned. So, while it’s never too late to start financial planning, it’s always better to start early.

To read her full interview, click here.

A cool mom and a supportive wife. This pretty much summed up what Pia Arroyo-Magalona was to the public. But this was before her husband, rap icon Francis Magalona passed away early this year. All throughout the entire ordeal, from the time Francis was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia in August last year until he succumbed to the illness in March 2009, people discovered more about Pia. She was a picture of calm and quiet grief. A pillar of strength for her eight kids and the hundreds of friends and supporters who came to grieve with them.

Six months and in between her motherly duties to Unna, Nicolo, Maxene, Frank, Saab, Elmo, Clara and Arkin, Pia is carrying on Francis’ mission of inspiring Filipinos and making them proud and hopeful about being Pinoy. Her latest blog talks about the release of the single “Higante,” Francis’ collaboration with another great musician Ely Buendia.

At the recent launch of Sun Life Financial’s “It’s Time!” advocacy campaign, which aims to educate people about an improved sense of financial responsibility, Pia shared how getting an insurance plan helped her and her family survive after her husband passed away.

Although holding back tears at every mention of the Master Rapper’s name, Pia was her bubbly and animated self, chatting like a preppy colegiala about how she’s moving on and living life after Francis M.

You were so bubbly a while ago but how are you really doing right now?

You know its really about choices. I choose to live this way kasi I don’t like self-pity. It will not bring anything good to you or to other people. So, parang nakita ko na …kasi madami kasing sumusulat sa akin; “Na-I-inspire kami sa yo,” which I’ve never really realized Syempre pakipot pa ako like: “Ows, talaga? That’s nice.” Pero hindi, sabi ko nga I really have to take the credit. Oo nga sinuman, Maganda naman ‘yung relationship ko with the kids, pero hindi naman perfect and inaaway ko din naman sila, and all the years na magkasama kami ni Francis together I served as his inspiration para maabot nya ýung success nya. So, if people see it that way, why can’t I see it that way and accept it na. Kaya sinasagot ko ýung mga sulat nila sa akin like:
“Thank you for acknowledging” na ganun nga. We should really find ways to do things right, Plus the fact na syempre you’re supposed to be mature kasi dati I’m sira ulo. Syempre tama lang na may pinagtandaan ako di ba? That’s the only thing you can have behind as legacy to your children, to your family.

How about the kids, how are they coping?

Ganun pa rin, okey pa rin naman. I don’t really see any difference except masyado na silang nag-ko-computer. Palagi silang online, Ngayon lang kasi sila na-expose, ngayon lang nakakareach out, Ang daming mga bata na you know, crush-crush nila yung mga boys ko.

So fans connect to your family online?

Yes, There’s this Plurk and they (fans) ask questions there and we answer. We also make replies in Twitter, at even once ka lang mag answer talagang nata-touch talaga sila. So, malaki talaga yung influence namin. Actually, kung gusto naming gamitin sa kasamaaan pwede di ba?  (Laughs)

What do fans usually ask or tell you?

‘Yung sa akin naman they’d go like “Oh Ms. Pia you’re so nice, I wish you’re my mom.” I really take that seriously. Parang naawa ako dun sa bata.

Are you ready to become both mom and dad to your kids now?

Actually, to tell you frankly, in the family before, with Francis doing all these things, creating music, ako talaga yung gumagawa sa bahay, like hatid sa school. Ang ano ko kay Francis na syempre sya yung father dapat ano sya yung bahala sa boys, you know. So ’yun yung dilemma ko ngayon. Hindi ko kayang maging sobrang detailed to the boys like kung mag tanong sila sa akin na parang ano di ba. More of a general lang ang mabibigay ko sa kanila di ba? They need talaga a father figure but I have naman two brothers so they have uncles.

Aside from taking care of the kids, what other things are keeping you busy?

I was a guest in QTV’s “Sweet Life” and I met this group that reaches people skills in determining what kind of job you should be doing, discover what you’re good at and bring out the best in you. So they asked to me handle to talk about relationships. Ako anything for the good, to encourage people to think like us na logical and encourage them to be individuals, okey ako. Eh ganun ako sa kids ko eh. I tell them to follow the rules but bring out your individuality. So we will be putting up One Core and hold classes for individuals age 15 to 22 or even earlier age and help them decide what course to take. It’s sort of an evaluation. Tapos sa relationship we’ll tackle like bagay ba kayo and is it right to get married now, yung mga ganun. Take out the fairy tale thinking. Discuss financial truth to them as well as responsibilities, Nung kami ni Francis, ako ýung more on the kids kasi when we got together hindi din clear sa amin like, “O kailangan share tayo sa parenting.” Syempre pag nandiyan ko na syempre sasabihan ko na lang na: “A, hindi ikaw dapat,” Lalo na’t yun yung nakalakihan nya na mother talaga ang in-charge.

Speaking of love life, how did you meet Francis?

Yung sister nya who is two batches ahead of me was my schoolmate sa St. Paul. I met Francis through Richard Gomez. When I met him akala ko sosyal din siya kasi ngat same school kami ng sister nya. Si Francis kasi madaming jologs na friends. Actually,sa kanya lang talaga ako natutong mag tagalong, So ‘yun na kasi nga pag nanliligaw ka, parang you show your best. So, parang na –excite ako nung na meet ko sya kasi he gave me a new dimension. Like, he’s the bad boy and I’m the school-home type of girl.

Is it true that you eloped with him?

No, We just got married in private, in Hong Kong. We can’t invite the whole world naman di ba? Tapos invite yung mga tipo ni FPJ. Ayoko naman nung ganun. We just invited people really close to us.

Are you open to marrying again?

Oh, my God! Actually, marami akong boys pero ayokong mag-marry, I mean, bakit pa? Ayoko magsalita nang patapos pero as of now, hindi.

Do you mean to say that you are you dating now?

Secret! (Laugh). Secret lang kasi ang strict ni Max, (laughs)

Edwin T. Fabregar Jr.

Edwin Fabregar learned the virtue of saving from his parents. And yet, like most of us, his early tendencies were to spend first and save what’s left. Edwin’s pivot to investments was driven by his maturity and the responsibility he felt for his daughter, his wife and their retirement. This need made him scout for ways to make his money work for him.

“I started with life insurance because I knew that we needed to prepare for our future. But I also wanted to learn how to invest, preferably something simple and something that won’t eat up my time for work and family. When I heard of mutual funds, I turned to personal finance books and the wisdom of friends to understand how it works. With the help of my agent, I learned more and finally gave it a try. Now I can proudly say that we have something we can count on in times of need. “

Edwin displays a quiet confidence about his family’s future and their financial welfare by saying this of his mutual funds, “It will accumulate over time. It will be there when we need it.” And where investments are concerned, that’s what matters most.

Join Edwin and the many others who have used time to their advantage and consistently invested for their future. Be an advocate. Take action. It’s Time!

CHECK OUT OUR INTERVIEW WITH EDWIN HERE!

Author: Patricia Galvez

“His simple secret to make that happen? The courage to take the first step and the discipline to keep on going.”

This formula is just as effective in the pursuit of dreams, of hobbies and of business objectives. Unfortunately, not many Filipinos realize that it is equally potent in the area of personal financial stability achieved through regular savings and investments.

That’s why in the coming days, we can expect Bam to share with us an important financial lesson – that of starting the habit of saving and investing today. It’s time.

Bam will appear in Billboards nationwide:

• Along C5 Road, going to Eastwood City
• After the Old Mactan Bridge, going to Mandaue and Cebu City
• After the Bankerohan Bridge, going to the downtown Davao area
• Along the 5^th Avenue at the Fort Bonifacio Global City

“Many people are beginning to see Pia now for whom she truly is—a strong-willed woman, ready and able to stand by her own principles.”

She has waged a personal battle against cancer, not as proxy to Francis against leukemia, but because she has a genuine desire to educate people and protect them from cervical cancer, an otherwise preventable disease. She’s also involved in CORE (Committed Organization for Real Life Education).

Now, Pia has joined in the effort to raise the Filipino consciousness for the family’s future financial stability. For starters, she will be calling attention to and instilling a sense urgency in the value of life insurance protection beginning with billboards seen from:

• SLEX, going to Makati before the Sucat Interchange
• Bacolod, along Lacson Street
• Manila crossing over to Binondo via Jones Bridge
• Fuente Osmena Circle in Cebu City
• Along the 5^th Avenue at the Fort Bonifacio Global City

Pia and Francis

Browse through the multiply sites of Francis and Pia Magalona and you will find one thing in common – where they are shown together, Francis’s arms will most likely be around Pia.

Those photos are candid and consistent. They give a glimpse of the love and friendship the couple shared. Yet, they will never convey enough of the story…they will never tell how Francis, even after he’s gone, is able to make his presence felt by the people he most cared about.

You see, Francis understood and believed in life insurance. He knew that if something happened to him, the benefits of his policy would help support his wife and his family. And he was right – life insurance after all is for the living, with benefits that will help people cope with financial needs in the absence or disability of their breadwinner.

So now you know why even today, Pia feels his arms around her, supporting her always. With life insurance, Francis M. has immortalized his love for his family. In their hearts and in many of ours, he will live forever.

You, too can immortalize your love for your family. It’s time!