The Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. (Metrobank) is encouraging students to be mindful not just of their money, but also of the online content that guides their choices.
The bank recently visited Centro Escolar University (CEU) Manila for the second leg of its Moneygurado Campus Series, drawing over 100 students to discuss money management, good financial habits, scam prevention, and the growing role of social media in spending decisions.
Students openly shared how online content often leads them to buy things, noting how recommendations seem to match exactly what they are already thinking about. “Sometimes you’re just thinking about an item and it’s already there on your feed,” one student said, describing a common experience in today’s personalized digital world.
Metrobank explained that money challenges in today’s connected lifestyle often come first from feelings and social pressure, not from poor budgeting. “Money decisions are emotional before they are mathematical. They start with FOMO, pakikisama, hiya, and utang na loob. Every scroll on your phone now comes with a suggestion to spend, but not every piece of content should end with a checkout button. Some should leave you financially mindful,” the bank told the audience.
To help students tell good advice from bad, Metrobank introduced Earnest (@earnestph), a trusted financial educator on TikTok and Instagram. Earnest delivers practical, easy-to-understand lessons on budgeting, saving, debt management, spotting scams, investing, and responsible spending — all made for the way young people use social media.
The session also highlighted the need for reliable financial voices online, where advice is everywhere but not always trustworthy. “It’s important that banks are on social media because that’s where students like us are,” one participant said, noting that trusted institutions should meet young people where they already get information.
Students agreed that financial learning goes beyond the classroom. Guidance from credible sources, they said, helps them avoid impulse buys, build better habits, and plan more wisely for the future.
As part of the event, Metrobank also showed the third episode of its Moneygurado docuseries, titled The Price of Hiya. Joined by historian Prof. Xiao Chua, the episode explores how Filipino values and social norms shape how people view money, face financial struggles, and make financial choices. The series aims to get Filipinos talking more openly about money and building strength through informed choices, good habits, and reliable advice.
The Moneygurado Campus Series reflects Metrobank’s ongoing effort to make financial education easy to reach, relevant, and useful for the next generation. By bringing these conversations directly to schools and pairing them with digital tools, the bank seeks to give young Filipinos the confidence and clear thinking to make smart decisions and secure their financial future.
