SHE wants freedom.
For Anne Baylon-Jara, Land Corp. marketing manager and a millennial, it’s financial freedom.
“Learning how to manage one’s finances is the first step toward achieving financial freedom,” Baylon-Jara told the BusinessMirror. “Nowadays there are many venues where you can invest and grow your hard-earned money; there are lost opportunities if you mishandle your finances. Millennials have more time to grow their investments so they have to take advantage of that.”
Baylon-Jara has been advocating for fellow Filipino millennials to improve their financial habits and encourage them to practice better management of their money. She says these could be accomplished through “Homepossible” series of the wholly-owned subsidiary of publicly-listed real-estate company Ayala Land Inc.
Began in 2013, Homepossible is a series of grand home fair events, which encouraged prospective homeowners to take the steps towards financial independence and better wealth management. During the event, so-called “thought leaders” give talks on financial management, Baylon-Jara explained. Prospective homeowners are also treated to special payment discounts and deals, bank tie-ups for special offers and freebies from event partners, she added.
The recent “Homepossible: Jumpstart Conference” in February was highlighted by the launch of a free financial journal written by five financial advisers to serve as a handy, user-friendly guide to investing and thoughtfully planning financials. This financial freedom road map, entitled My Path to Financial Freedom, is authored by the industry’s thought leaders. One is seasoned investment adviser Efren Cruz, another is registered financial planners Fitz Villafuerte and Rienzie Biolena. The other authors were senior country economist of the World Bank for the Philippines Kendrick Chua and business journalist Salve Duplito.
According to Baylon-Jara, the road map was published to help millennials strive for, and eventually, achieve their life goals.
She noted it is best for any investor to diversify his portfolio based on his life goals. One key investment area, she stressed, is real estate.
Duplito agreed: “Invest in property. Diversify your portfolio and earn more in the long run.” To invest wisely, Duplito advised young people to figure out what they really want and seek help from reputable financial planner.
“Millennials have seen many financial crisis in recent years that’s why they are quite scared to invest but surely they can take risks,” Duplito said. “Today, there has been a slight increase in the millennials becoming investment savvy.”
According to her, “young Filipinos can invest in the financial and real-estate markets.” “Property is indeed a good investment—take into consideration the increasing land values, and you can also realize gains from rental income,” Duplito said. “They also have a choice whether to live in the property that they bought or use it in the future.”
Baylon-Jara further noted that “buying a home is a major investment.”
“And it is even more important for millennials to consciously and wisely manage their finances to achieve their dream homes,” Baylon-Jara said. “These homes will serve as the springboard to open up better life opportunities and possibilities for them in the future.”
The Avida Homepossible series is primarily held in Metro Manila, though it has staged a leg of the series in Cebu. Baylon-Jara said Avida Land is continuing to evaluate if it can roll out the series to different locations nationwide.
Leony R. Garcia works for the advertising department of the BusinessMirror. Like her story online via the BusinessMirror Millennials Universe (BMMU) Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Millennial-Universe/435594193285671. Follow BMMU on Twitter via @millennial_U or Instagram (type Millennial Universe). E-mail comments or story to millennialuniverse@yahoo.com and the editor at dennis.estopace@gmail.com.