i got published...anonymously

my first step towards becoming a writer. and a non-philipppine territory at that. doesn't seem very promising, does it? journalistic writing at least. maybe that's why they didn't bother to write my name.

this is super rushed. i needed to squeeze this in after my lunch break and had to submit 4 hours later.

this is official. I AM AN ADVISOR FOR ENRICH HK! it's a non-government org that gives domestic helpers seminars on money management and confidence building. great, yeah? this is life, plenty of things to do. i am a slave to my company, i am a member of the up alumni hk, i am the secretary of the photography club, an advisor for enrich, and a gf to my b. i am actually surprised how i can juggle them! and i am still thinking of applying as a volunteer for the consulate general.

enough of the brouhaha, here's my piece as seen on the feb 01-feb 15 issue of The Sun.





Free seminar on money mgm't

A dozen Filipino domestic helpers participated in a two-day financial workshop on Jan. 6 and 13 at the David Kwok Room in St John's Cathedral, Central.

The Good Habits with Money is the first trademark workshop organized by enrich, a newly established charity that aims to provide practical training on financial literacy and confidence building to empower ethnic minorities, especially newly arrived domestic workers.

At the start of the workshop, trainers Raul Puentespina and Anne Bautista-Inlong asked the participants to assess their financial situations by calculating how much they have spent or saved, and how much money they owe, if any. Most of the participants admitted that they had lost track of their spending.

They were also asked to calculate their net worth by comparing their assets, such as their cash and properties, against their liabilities like loans and mortgages. Those with negative net worth were warned to set their finances straight.

Getting out of debt was discussed at length because some of the participants appeared to have made unwise financial decisions.

These include borrowing more money to repay debts, encashing pension plans, and paying back the biggest amount owed ahead of the others..

The participants were told to restructure their debts and prioritize the payment of those with higher interest rate. Apart from that, they were also advised to make a realistic budget, and to change their spending habits.

Participants were then asked to determine their short to long term goals and calculate how much they need to save up monthly to achieve those. There should also be savings set aside for emergency, retirement, children's studies and debt payments, according to the facilitators.

Day two focused more on applying what had been learned on day one. Budget was largely discussed. Most of the participants admitted to finding it difficult to implement a budget either because they lack time or are not motivated enough.

During one activity, participants were asked to draw up a budget. They later said that finding time to allocate money according to priorities means a lot, especially as it helps one to find ways to get around financial difficulties.

Another part of the workshop dealt with handling financial pressures from family members.

The training sessions by enrich are conducted in English, Filipino and Indonesian. Each session lasts for two hours and fees are either free or subsidized with a fee of $40 with snacks.

The next session of Good Habits with Money will be held in Central on Sunday, Feb. 17. To reserve a place, visit enrich's website at www.enrichhk.org or email info@enrichhk.org or call 22724597 and leave a message.