I.
Rationale
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) involves a business identifying
its shareholders and incorporating their needs and values within the
day-to-day decision-making process. It covers the broad areas of
responsibilities corporations have to the societies within which they
operate. Moreover, the notion that profit maximization is the only
legitimate goal of the management has been recognized as one end
of continuum, while at the other hand, is the recognition that
corporations are the trustees of societal property best should be
managed for the public good (Okpara & Idowu, 2013, p.4).
Rural Bank of Digos, Inc. (RBDI) is a private rural banking institution
that caters the need of the people most especially those who are
unbanked and unserved communities. They are the partners to private
citizens who rely on the resources and dependability in times of need
and as trusteed partners for safekeeping of their savings and
investment. In a 2015 survey by the World Bank, the Bangko Sentral ng
Pilipinas (BSP) noted that Filipino adults could answer only three out of
seven financial literacy related questions correctly and only 2% of
Filipino adults could answer all correctly. Consequently, Filipinos lack
specific knowledge to make informed financial decisions; hence,
becoming financially illiterate. This kind of habit believes to get formed
in childhood stay into adulthood.
As a result, RBDI decides to partner with the Department of
Education (DepEd) to conduct a “Adopt a School: Brigada Eskwela”
and “Financial Literacy:Saving and Investing” programs whereby the
academe and students can benefit not only for the beautification of
their institution but also impart ways to be financially literate. By focusing
the education sector, this will influence thousands of students who will
soon become parents, leaders and decision makers.
II.
Objectives
The Rural Bank of Digos, Inc., will be implementing the 3P’s
(Participate, Promote and Provide) in the company’s objectives:
 To participate in the development and improvement of classroom
standards for a better teaching and learning environment, ensuring
school readiness for the opening of the school year or Brigada
Eskwela;
 To promote the products and services the bank can offer which is
design for teachers and students should they opt to start saving and
investing; and
 To provide with the learning tools and equipment to bring literacy to
students and teachers. Lectures and presentations are given to fully
inculcate the learnings which they can share as well to their friends
and relatives.
III.
Target Area/Respondents

Brigada Eskwela
 Selected Secondary schools in Davao del Sur (Digos City,
Hagonoy, Padada, Kiblawan, Sulop)

Symposium on Financial Literacy and Investment
 Teachers and students of secondary schools per Branch area
 RBDI-Head Office and Digos Branch (Digos City to
Malalag)
 RBDI-Malita Branch (Sta.Maria to Jose Abad Santos)
 RBDI-Bansalan Branch (MABAMA area)
 RBDI-Kidapawan Branch (Kidapawan area)
 RBDI-Antipas Branch (Antipas to Arakan)
IV.
How the Activity is done/Procedure
1. RBDI will forward a memorandum to the Board of Directors for the
approval of request for donation. Upon approval, the bank can
now start reaching the respective schools.
2. RBDI will tap the selected schools for Brigada Eskwela which will
commence every month of May yearly. The bank will provide
additional supplies necessary for the development and
improvement of their respective institution such as paint, paint
brush, tools for repairs, and other cleaning materials. More so, the
bank will also send a letter for approval to conduct a symposium to
their school by the start of classes regarding financial literacy.
3. Once the requests are granted, the bank can now purchase all the
materials for Brigada. Aside from that, they will also designate the
employees coming from Head Office and Digos Branch only who
will participate per School area. In the case of other branches, the
Branch Manager has the capacity to assign employees who will
administer the symposium.
4. An alternate of 1 day per school to be undertaken for Brigada
Eskwela program, namely: Digos, Hagonoy, Padada, Kiblawan and
Sulop.
5. The symposium will promulgate once classes’ begins. The bank’s
representatives will go hand in hand with the School’s Principal as
well as the teachers to gather the students into their gymnasium.
V.
Impact to the Stakeholders/Beneficiaries
RBDI Stakeholders:
 It can help enhance the way of living and thinking of the
students and teachers;
 There will be an increase of deposits thru savings thereby can
generate an additional income and strengthen its marketing
channel.
Beneficiaries:
 It can widen the knowledge of students and teachers about
proper saving and spending habits;
 It can create awareness and understanding of sharing wealth
legally;
 It can encourage the students as well as the teachers to
open an account for their future and practice this kind of
mindset.
 It can pave an avenue to share to others they know the
good benefits of having proper control and management of
their money.
VI.
Sustainability Mechanisms
1. Partnership – The bank and the schools can enter into agreement to
contribute
materials
every
Brigada
eskwela
and
help
the
beneficiaries for further assistance about the Bank’s products and
services.
2. Assistance and Monitoring – Students or teachers can opt to
monitor their savings and investment with our bank’s representatives
once a month or any time. Bank’s representatives can also respond,
take an action and give solution to all queries.
3. Documentation – Every activity shall be documented. There will be
forms given by the Bank and to be filled up by the respondents.
VII.
References
Boosting Filipinos’ Financial Literacy, One Program at a Time. (12, July
2019).
Business
World.
Retrieved
from
https://www.bworldonline.com/boosting-filipinos-financial-literacyone-at-a-time/
Carillo, L. (2019, September 24). Financial Literacy vs investment scams.
The
Mindanao
Daily
Mirror.
Retrieved
from
https://mindanaodailymirror.ph/Main/full_article/financial-literacyvs-investment-scams2977
Okpara, J., & Idowu, S. (2013). Corporate Social Responsibility:Challenges,
Opportunity and Strategies for 21st Century Leaders. Retrieved from
https://books.google.com.ph/books?id=6wu7BAAAQBAJ&printsec=
frontcover&dq=corporate+social+responsibility&f=false