JOSEPH ARANETA GAMBOA l SEPTEMBER 7, 2022 l Business Mirror
THE Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (Finex) will hold the 2022 Finex Week on October 3 to 7 with the theme of “Reshaping the Future with Transformational Change.” Highlighting the 5-day event is the 54th Annual Finex Conference on October 5 at the Fairmont Hotel in Makati City. This will be the first in-person annual conference of the country’s foremost finance organization since 2019.
Kicking off the sessions will be a series of virtual conferences via Zoom about “The Transformative Power of Finance in Life and Business” on October 3 and “Is Your Company Ready? Understand Global Investment Opportunities and Risks” on October 4. “Financial Inclusion as Enabler for Transformational Change” is the topic for October 6 while “Emerging Giants in Asia Pacific: The Secret to Business Success” will cap the annual convention on October 7.
At the hybrid midweek conference on October 5, there will be sessions on the following topics: ESG as a value creation tool; boosting financial inclusion digitally; and, financing the Philippine innovation ecosystem. Global leaders and resonant speakers shall lead the discussions on these relevant topics. After the three plenary sessions, the organization’s members will unwind at the Finex Night event in the same hotel.
During lunch break at this limited face-to-face conference, Finex and CityState Savings Bank (CSBank) will launch their partnership in financial literacy targeting the C, D, and E socio-economic brackets. Celebrating its silver anniversary this year, CSBank is spearheading this joint advocacy program through a weekly newspaper column to be written by Finex members in Pilipino Mirror, the business tabloid published by the ALC Group of Companies.
Next to be rolled out are broadcast programs on DWIZ-AM station and IZTV network, both of which are part of the ALC Group. Content for these two shows shall be provided by resource persons from Finex, who will be discussing basic issues on personal finance and financial inclusion for the masses.
Forum on water security
PRIOR to Finex’s annual convention, it will host a water forum on September 20 also at the Fairmont Makati. “Sustainable Path to Water Security for the Philippines” is the subject of the hybrid-format event organized by Finex in collaboration with water.org and ACCRA Law.
This whole-day affair seeks to increase the awareness and appreciation of Filipinos on the need to take immediate action regarding water security. Despite the emergence of water as a first line of defense during the current pandemic, it has not been given enough priority for the public and private sectors to work together towards sustainability.
Globally, $114 billion is needed annually until 2030 to address the water sector’s financing gap. Across the world, nations have laid out their plans towards water security. For instance, US Vice President Kamala Harris recently launched the White House Action Plan on Global Water Security, a landmark whole-of-government effort to achieve a water-secure world. In its 14th 5-Year Plan, China has likewise reiterated that water is a top priority for its next 100 years of development.
Here at home, the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) unveiled the Philippine Water Supply and Sanitation Roadmap in September 2021. The Neda plan articulates all the challenges faced in obtaining sustainable access to safe water. More significantly, it is a call to action and commitment focusing on the need for proper governance and financing.
*** Joseph Gamboa is the chairman of the Finex Media Affairs Committee and director of Noble Asia Industrial Corp. The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinion of these institutions and the BusinessMirror. #FinexPhils www.finex.org.ph