FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C)
March 11, 2008
Philippines: Citi & FINEX Honor Top Finance Educators
Manila – Some of the country's top financial education experts were honored at the first FINEX-Citi Rafael B. Buenaventura Outstanding Finance Educators (OFE) Awards program on February 27 at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (Central Bank) Complex.
Dr. Darwin D. Yu from Ateneo De Manila University was named the National Winner and Most Outstanding Finance Educator. The other inaugural OFE winners were Dr. Angelo R. Unite (De La Salle University of Manila); Don S. Malabanan (De La Salle University Dasmarinas); Dr. Rhodelio Efipanio L. Campilan (University of San Carlos-Cebu) and Rowena A. Cuevas-Cinco (University of Mindanao).
The awards event marked the end of a nationwide search (funded by the Citi Foundation) launched in July 2007, to identify and recognize educators who have made a significant contribution to the development of financial education in the Philippines.
"Citi recognizes that when it comes to managing financial resources, knowledge is the greatest asset, and in today's complex world, financial literacy has become a critical life skill. This is where the role of finance educators becomes important.
"Finance professors and educators have the critical role of developing and shaping the minds of the youth. Through this awards program, we aim to recognize not only the wisdom and knowledge they impart to their students, but also the dedication, unselfishness and commitment they have exhibited in such a noble profession," said Citi Philippines Country Officer, Mr. Sanjiv Vohra in his welcome remarks.
The candidates were evaluated on the following: personal qualities and character, finance knowledge, teaching effectiveness, published articles related to finance, and professional and community involvement. The judging board comprised Cesar A. Buenaventura (Managing Partner-BEP Financial Services), Sanjiv Vohra (Country Officer-Citi Philippines), Nicasio I. Alcantara (Chairman & CEO, Petron Corp.), Eduardo V. Francisco (Pres.-FINEX) and Abelardo V. Cortez (Chairman-FINEX Foundation).
The awards ceremony was hosted by incumbent Central Bank Governor Amando Tetangco, Jr. who was also a keynote speaker.
"Both finance educators and market practitioners need to continue to keep abreast of developments in the financial industry. Truly, a serious consideration of the endeavor of constantly upgrading our knowledge is demanding, in terms of both time and resources. However, it is possible to mitigate this if we are able to institutionalize a mechanism for a regular exchange between our school educators and students on one hand and finance practitioners on the other," said Governor Tetangco.
"We feel more confident about the future. Knowing that there are movers and educators who proactively harness the minds of the students of finance, to keep them attuned to the needs of the times and well-positioned to meet the demands of the future."
The top five winners were chosen from National Capital Region (two winners), and one each from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The awards program was named after the late and former Central Bank Gov. Rafael Buenaventura in recognition of his exceptional contribution to the finance and banking industry in the Philippines and Asia Pacific. He was a former Country Officer for Citi Philippines and a top graduate of Citibank's prestigious Executive Development Program.
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Citi
Citi, the leading global financial services company, has some 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 100 countries, providing consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, and wealth management. Citi's major brand names include Citibank, CitiFinancial, Primerica, Smith Barney, Banamex, and Nikko. Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com or www.citi.com.
Citi Foundation
The Citi Foundation is committed to enhancing economic opportunities for underserved individuals and families in the communities where we work throughout the world. Globally, the Citi Foundation is focusing its giving on Microfinance and Microentrepreneurship, which helps individuals become economically self-sufficient; Small and Growing Businesses leading to economic expansion and job creation; Education, which prepares young people for personal and professional success; Financial Education, which helps individuals make informed financial decisions; and the Environment with a focus on sustainable enterprises that generate jobs and stimulate economic growth while preserving the environment. In the U.S. and Canada, the Citi Foundation supports Community Development programs that help build and revitalize neighborhoods and Education programs that prepare students for college and careers. Additional information can be found at http://www.citigroupfoundation.org/.