Students and young leaders from across the country gathered at the 2025 Youth Financial Inclusion (YFI) Congress in Manila to showcase ideas for accelerating financial inclusion and promoting financial health in the Philippines.
The first highlight of the event, held on April 2, 2025 at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Head Office, was the YFI Hackathon, a competition among student groups from different universities. Each group presented a proposed policy, program, or community-based solution to advance financial inclusion and financial health in the country through digitalization.
Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) Manila’s PUP PentAgila won first place with their proposal entitled, “AniKansya,” billed as a digital platform where Filipino farmers can access various financial products and services. The team is composed of Caitlin Faith Hashimoto, Marjorie Cabato, and Bart Patrick Familar.
In her opening message, BSP Deputy Governor Bernadette Romulo-Puyat urged the participants to play an important role in financial inclusion.
“Be the ones who bridge gaps. Be the ones who teach, advocate, and inspire. Help your families and communities budget, save, invest, and grow,” she said. The youth can be “powerful allies in building a more accessible and inclusive financial system," she added.
Meanwhile, National Youth Commission (NYC) Chairperson Joseph Francisco “Jeff” Ortega expressed his support for the program, saying, “We want to see more students and groups proposing their solutions to the problems that we have in the Philippines today.”
Hackathon awardees also included the following:
(2nd Place) “PURSE,” a platform providing accessible financial services, receipt organization software, and digital cards for persons with disabilities, by Cyber Archers team from the De La Salle University composed of Daphne Loo, John Ray Cardeno, Shaina Julao, and Shekinah Marquez.
(3rd Place) “SMS Fraud Checker,” an AI-powered feature that detects and warns users of potential scam texts in real-time by team Patch from the Ateneo de Manila University and the University of the Philippines composed of Azzedine Abrencillo, Gabrielle Dotado, Jan Llenzl Dagohoy, and Angelica Marie Casuela.
(4th Place) “MigoPay” a solar-powered, offline-capable fintech solution for Cebu’s fisherfolk using contactless tap-to-pay by Junquera Tech Solutions team from the University of San Carlos composed of Juliana Marie Mabugat, Kameron Zoe Cameron, Rose Ann Gesta, Katrina Bianca Tacandong, and Janica Marie Ycong.
(5th Place) “TeknOffline,” a near-field communication enabled e-wallet for digital transactions in areas with weak or no internet access by JVFC Malaya from the PUP Manila composed of Jayson Santiago, Jose Manuel Lapesora, Csean Chloe Olleta, Frederick Gabriel Ramos, and Veniz Velasquez.
The Hackathon was co-chaired by BSP Monetary Board Members Romeo Bernardo, Rosalia De Leon, and Jose Querubin with NYC Chairperson Ortega. Officials from the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Budget and Management, Department of Information and Communications Technology, National Economic and Development Authority, and the Presidential Communications Office comprised the panel.
The second highlight of the program was the launch of the first cohort of the YFI Ambassadors. They were selected for their dedication to promoting financial inclusion and improving financial health in their communities.
The YFI Ambassadors representing Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, submitted action plans for implementation that included promoting the use of digital payments within campuses, holding financial literacy seminars, and developing apps to help students in saving, budgeting, and managing their finances.
The YFI Ambassadors are:
Relvic Amiel Murillo from Cavite State University;
Juana Marie Amplayo, Khane Dulfo, Jefferson Itaok, and Jaycel Lansang from Southern Leyte State University; and
Zean Ernest Ross Sarda, Maydelyn Que Lolo, and Kenny Floyd Montelija from University of Southern Mindanao.
The 2025 YFI Congress is the culminating activity of the YFI Initiative, which was launched in January this year.
Aligned with the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion 2022-2028, the goal of the YFI initiative is to broaden inclusion and engagement with the youth sector and build a new generation of financially capable Filipinos. The YFI initiative seeks to recognize the youth's potential to drive innovation and inclusive growth. PR