win-win Situation: FEdCenter makes financial literacy fun for Filipinos with new app ‘WAGI’
In the Philippines, financial literacy is a crucial part of national economic progress and individual empowerment, not just a personal skill. For Filipinos without access to formal financial services, grasping basic financial concepts is transformative. It empowers them to manage money wisely, avoid excessive debt, and make sound decisions about savings and investments. Additionally, financial literacy is key to building a financially inclusive society, where everyone has the knowledge and tools to actively participate in the economy. As the country navigates economic headwinds (especially with natural calamities like Carina!), fostering financial literacy can equip Filipinos to face uncertainties and build a more stable financial future.
As FEdCenter President Marc Gulle said, “Wais sa pera, WAGI sa life!“
“We’re just starting with financial education. I’m so proud and excited to introduce to you once again, Wagi. The first and only app in the country that will democratize financial to receive and accessible to everyone,” said Marc Christian Gulle, President of FEdCenter. The last day of July marked a significant milestone in the Philippines’ journey towards financial inclusion with the launch of WAGI (Wealth Advice for Growth and Inclusion), the country’s first app-based financial literacy platform. Developed by FEdCenter, a leading social enterprise committed to advancing financial education, this free and intuitive app aims to democratize financial literacy by leveraging the widespread use of mobile technology. WAGI represents a major step forward in making essential financial knowledge accessible to a wider audience, ultimately empowering individuals to make informed financial decisions and improve their financial well-being.
WAGI is designed to make financial education accessible, enjoyable, and rewarding. “We’ll start off with the basic concepts and later one in the next phases, cover advanced financial concepts like investment, loans, and others through interactive modules, presentations, videos, and bite sized reels,” Gulle explained. The app offers practical financial content relevant to Filipinos’ daily lives, from basic budgeting to stock investing, presented in engaging, bite-sized modules. It even includes quick finance tips from successful personalities and celebrities, adding a touch of star power to the learning experience. Users can take post-lesson quizzes to test their knowledge, earning reward points that can be redeemed for prizes at various partner establishments, including popular fast food chains.
“Of course, we want to make finance fun. The app incorporates gamification and rewards. Rewards making learning enjoyable and motivating with opportunities to redeem prizes,” Gulle ethused. “And foster a collaboration through a community and a peer to peer learning. It’s where you can exchange ideas, communicate, and hopefully empower each other.”
“We also want to provide bite-sized snackable videos and reels for social media sharing and influencers who have been supporting our app as well. And interactive learning modules with quizzes and scoreboards,” Gulle added. He shared how the app offers a wide range again of topics and that he and his team will be happy to support other partners and government agencies who would like to provide content for the application. Gulle said, “We can start with presenting savings, investment, strategies, and then later on, empowering so users can immerse themselves in a unified learning experience. It will be engaging and we want to make finance education enjoyable and good evening.” Lastly, he said, they want to provide real-world incentives and rewards, “Wagi goes beyond virtual rewards by offering tangible prizes that users can redeem in person creating a direct link between learning and real-life benefits.”
On celebrity endorsers
Gulle said showbiz couple Aubrey Miles and Troy Montero will be visible in the app for the celebrity component. When asked if the team is looking for other celebrity endorsers to be the face of the app, he smilingly replied, “We are very much open to that!”
President and CEO of WeFund Francisco “Coco” Mauricio
Francisco “Coco” Mauricio, President and CEO of WeFund, the operator of the JuanHand app, added, “We are honored to be a major sponsor of WAGI. Financial literacy paves the way for inclusion, which ultimately leads to financial empowerment. And financial empowerment is a cornerstone of national development. We hope more organizations will join us in supporting WAGI and ensure its sustainability and success.”
The importance of financial literacy in the Philippines cannot be overstated. For many Filipinos, understanding basic financial principles can be the key to breaking the cycle of poverty and achieving financial stability. With a significant portion of the population still lacking access to formal financial services, initiatives like WAGI are crucial. As Gulle thanked and encouraged the guests at the launch, he said, “This might be a side reality for now, but with the help of you guys here, of course, the government industry, the academe, the influencers, and the media, we can all contribute to furthering our financial literacy advocacy and achieving financial freedom for all.” The initiatives provide the knowledge and tools needed to make informed financial decisions, manage debt, and invest wisely.
Asterisk artists Kyosu and Jaja, better known as KyoJa, graced the event.
The WAGI launch featured distinguished speakers from the government, including representatives from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Credit Information Corporation (CIC), National Privacy Commission (NPC), and the National Development Company (NDC). Their insights emphasized the importance of financial literacy for the Philippines and the pivotal role WAGI can play in advancing this mission. As the brand would winningly say, “Wais sa pera, wagi sa life!”
WAGI will soon be available on Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
