Metrobank is urging young Filipinos to become more aware of how social media shapes their spending habits, saying smarter financial decisions begin with being mindful of the content they consume online.
The bank brought this message to more than 100 students at Centro Escolar University (CEU) Manila during the second leg of its Moneygurado Campus Series, where discussions focused on budgeting, saving, scam awareness, and the growing influence of social media on financial behavior.
The initiative shows a growing challenge in the Philippines, where social media has become a primary source of information for many young people. Personalized algorithms increasingly influence what users buy, save for, and even how they think about money.
During the session, students shared how online platforms often encourage impulse buying through personalized recommendations.
“Sometimes you’re just thinking about an item and it’s already there on your feed,” one student said, reflecting a common experience among her peers in navigating today’s highly personalized online environment.
Metrobank said many financial problems begin long before people open a budgeting app.
“Money decisions are emotional before they are mathematical. They start with FOMO (fear of missing out), pakikisama, hiya, and utang na loob. Every scroll on your phone now comes with a suggestion to spend, but not every piece of content should end with a checkout button. Some should leave you financially mindful,” Metrobank shared during the session.
To help students recognize these influences, Metrobank introduced Earnest (@earnestph), its financial educator on TikTok and Instagram. Earnest creates simple and relatable content covering budgeting, saving, debt management, scam awareness, investing, and responsible spending.
The session also highlighted the importance of getting financial advice from trusted sources, especially on social media where misleading information is common.
“It’s important that banks are on social media because that’s where students like us are,” one participant shared, emphasizing the need for trusted institutions to meet young people where they already consume information.
Students also said financial education should go beyond the classroom, noting that content from credible institutions can help them avoid impulsive purchases, build better money habits, and make smarter financial decisions over time.
As part of the program, Metrobank introduced the third episode of its Moneygurado docuseries, “The Price of Hiya,” featuring historian Prof. Xiao Chua. The episode explores how Filipino values and social expectations influence how people talk about money, deal with financial challenges, and make spending decisions.
The Moneygurado Campus Series is part of Metrobank’s continuing effort to make financial education more accessible and relevant for young Filipinos by bringing discussions directly to schools and extending learning through digital platforms.