SMART WOMEN INVEST with FAMI

I seldom attend events to cover for this blog because I choose topics that will benefit me and my children. Last week, though quite busy, I made sure to join First Metro Management, Inc. (FAMI), celebration on Women’s Month with the “Smart Women Invest” Workshop.

This event is a literacy workshop specifically catered to help Filipinas transform from savers into investors. I'm glad I joined this workshop as I got to learn more about investments that yields more profit and easier payment.

Leading the workshop is FAMI’s first-ever female president Karen Roa, a 25-year expert in the field of finance. With a career that spans both domestic and international banking operations, she has a wealth of experience that fuels her financial skills. She has worked with some of the most renowned global companies in banking and asset management, such as Chase Manhattan Bank, SunGard Asia Pacific, trust banking groups of Philam Bank, and Citibank NA. She also served as President and CEO of Philam Asset Management, Inc. (PAMI). Roa was also a lecturer at the country’s top universities, Ateneo de Manila and UP, teaching business courses on strategy, investment management, and financial services.

Ms. Rose Fres Fausto on the other hand, is known as FQ Mom. She was an investment banker turned full-time homemaker and now a writer, speaker, and resource person on money and family. Her career draws its roots in banking as an analyst at Far East Bank and later on as assistant vice president for Corporate Finance at one of the country’s leading investment houses. She also had a consultancy stint for a USAID renewable energy project. Today she discusses money, parenting, women issues, and the use of Behavioral Economics principles in different aspects of life in her books, columns, online shows, talks, and workshops.

One of the highlights of the workshop was the online FQ Test, which determines the participants’ standing in terms of Financial Intelligence Quotient (FQ). Fausto said: “In order to have a high FQ, women must first understand their relationship with money. She also added that those who didn’t fare well in the test need not worry because their FQ scores are not cast in stone. They can be improved by tweaking some of their money habits and unleashing the female characteristics that are actually good for investing, allowing them to go beyond saving.”

The best part about a healthy FQ is that its concepts can be learned and, in turn, shared with the family. Fausto said, “Women are large influencers in their community so a woman with high FQ can be a driver in raising children with smarter money sense, build a career and investment life that is fruitful and lucrative, and even lead a household and home that is sufficient and stable. Again, with fortified FQ—women have proven once again that they’re on top of their game.”

Ms. Rose Fres Fausto and FAMI’s President, Karen Roa

Securing a Financial Future

As a member of the Metrobank Group, FAMI holds a veritable reputation in asset management. FAMI’s mutual fund business is adept at promoting savings mobilization and advocates investment literacy, making it the perfect partner for women to learn, live and start loving finance.  Besides the women-centric learning in finance and investment, the attendees also received a free investment in First Metro Consumer Fund. Roa said, “This is our way of thanking the women who attended our workshop. The First Metro Consumer Fund is invested in industries that benefit from the Philippine family consumption and expenditure pattern. These are industries supported by women and mothers in our country. This is a great way to start their investment journey.

About First Metro Asset Management, Inc.

A partnership between First Metro Investment Corporation, the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines, and the Marist Brothers Foundation, First Metro Asset Management, Inc. (FAMI) engages in the mutual fund business, promotes savings mobilization, and advocates investment literacy among Filipinos. Today, FAMI manages six mutual funds, with more products in the pipeline. Various securities houses with online platforms have asked to make FAMI funds available on their platforms.  For more information, visit www.fami.com.ph.

About First Metro Investment Corporation

First Metro Investment Corporation is the investment banking arm of the Metrobank Group, one of the largest financial conglomerates in the country. First Metro is the biggest investment bank in the Philippines with assets of P53.6 billion and stockholders’ equity of P14.1 billion as of end-2017. Backed by over 50 years of experience in developing the country’s capital markets, our key strengths lie in origination, structuring, and execution. They offer a wide range of services – from debt and equity underwriting, loan syndication, project finance, and financial advisory, to investment advisory, government securities and corporate debt trading, equity brokering, online trading, asset management, and research. In 2017, First Metro participated in 68% of the total publicly listed capital transactions in the domestic market, raising P493.33 billion for the public and private sectors. We accounted for 86% of total bond issues for the year, proof of our solid leadership, innovation, and service excellence. A concrete testament to our industry dominance are the string of awards and recognitions we received from international publications. For the third consecutive year, we were named the Philippines’ Best Investment Bank - by Euromoney in 2015, by Global Finance in 2016 and in 2017 by Alpha Southeast Asia as Best Investment Bank and M&A House. In a survey of The Asset Benchmark Research, First Metro ranked second in the Top Investment Houses in Asian Local Currency Bonds, and third in Local Currency Bonds, and third in Top Bank in Government Bonds categories. First Metro was also recognized as the Best Advisory House by the Investment House Association of the Philippines. For more information, visit www.firstmetro.com.ph