Five Reasons Why DepEd Teachers Must Start Investing in the Philippine Stock Market

The recent DepEd Order number 55 of 2017 was issued by the department’s secretary, Leonor Briones to clarify the first issued orders. The DO 55, section 47, states that “in no case shall the deductions reduce the employee’s monthly net take home pay to an amount lower than Four Thousand Pesos (P4,000).” This means, teachers must not be able to get a loan when take home pay is lower than four thousand pesos. The teacher must have more to receive monthly to compensate the family’s need. And in case of emergency, where should the teacher get the money from? With that, financial literacy is necessary for the teachers. As a teacher, I find saving, trading and investing in the Philippine stock market as one of the ways to prepare one’s self for retirement.

Here are at least five reasons why a DepEd teacher must start investing in the Philippine Stock Market:

1. The present retirement benefits from the government is not enough for your retirement needs and stop being employed.
2. Financial literacy begins today. It’s also a good practice to encourage our learners to save and start investing for their future needs.
3. Freedom from bad-debt cycle allows the teacher to avoid going to private lending institutions even they over the lowest interests. Having a lot of loans will just drag your finances down.
4. Stock market investments will surely let your money grow when properly invested to growing and developing companies. Basic knowledge about trading and investing is a must.
5. Teachers who stay for 8 hours a day in the school may just want a fulfilling day but taking care of a family matters also. Investing is leaving something for the family. Money is not the most valuable stuff in life but it is essential that even we work full time, there’s something left for our family.

I have just started investing with a minimum amount of five thousand pesos thru COL Financial. After a month, I put another amount to buy stocks. I started with Cebu Air, Inc., Filinvest Land and Metro Pacific Investment Corporation, hoping that these will be my long term investments in preparation for retirement.

Next time, I will be talking about how I am gradually learning from the different traders who generously shared their knowledge on trading. I’ll be citing several books and Youtube tutorials that one may learn from later on.