I NEVER grew up in a family of entrepreneurs or in a wealthy family who have a systematic way of organizing finances but one basic thing my parents instilled in us is to learn how to save for the rainy days.

For someone who considers herself a conservative investor, a passive investment that grows on its own through time and has guaranteed interest and returns is the best form of investment for me at the moment. When my mother introduced me to Pagibig Fund MP 2 (Modified Pagibig) Savings Program, I was convinced.

Pag-ibig Fund MP 2 is a savings program by the agency for the members or former members who wish to increase their savings through earned dividends higher than the regular Pagibig Savings Program. With only a minimum savings of P500 and no maximum amount, anyone, even young professionals up to retirees can save. Those who save under this program can choose a one-time accumulated savings or monthly.

The saving program's 3-year average dividend rate is at 6.96 percent.

"In 2017, we had a dividend rate of 8.11 percent. Last year was 7.9 percent, this year we assure the public that the dividend rate will not be lower than 6 percent," said Fermin Sta. Teresa Jr, Pagibig Fund Senior Vice President for Home Lending Operations in an earlier interview with SunStar Davao. This is in comparison to the 2 percent interest rates that most banks offer for time deposit.

The savings program has a maturity rate of 5 years. Savers can opt to get their matured savings after five years or claim the annual dividend through Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP), Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), or any other Pagibig-accredited banks.

Employees who have existing regular Pagibig savings through salary deduction can ask their Human Resources to also regularly deduct savings for their Pagibig MP2 accounts. However, not all employers may have that option. In my case, I personally go to the nearest Pagibig office to deposit my MP 2 savings. I started saving in 2017 and I am excited for the amount I will be getting after a few years. The best part is that I let it grow on its own with little to no effort on my part while I also busy myself with other sources of income.

As a millennial who is always on the go and has yet to fully acquire a good financial risk appetite, the Pagibig MP 2 is a good choice. This is especially so that I still consider myself a conservative investor. Of course, in the long run, this is supposed to change as well. But let's save that for another story.

The official website of Pagibig Fund also shares that about 70 percent of the funds taken from all the pooled Pagibig MP 2 savings are used for investible funds in housing finance, Short Term Loan (STL) Programs, as well as government securities, time deposits, and corporate bond investments.

To know more about Pagibig Fund MP 2, check their official website www.pagibigfund.gov.ph.