SEC Philippines Calls for Sustainability at 2024 National Finance Summit

​The Junior Confederation of Finance Associations – Philippines (JCFAP), an organization of over 15,000 finance students from 150 schools across the country, conducted its annual National Finance Summit last April 21 at the Le Pavillon, Bay Area Central Business District in Pasay City.

With the theme, “Roadmap to Sustainability: Digital Financial Solutions for the Next Generation,” the summit brought together finance and business students to discuss a wide array of topics on the emerging trends and challenges in the finance industry. Through the insights of reputable financial experts, it sought to equip the participants with the knowledge to navigate through the developing industry.

The event was a fitting opportunity to communicate the efforts of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on the topics of digitalization and sustainability. SEC Commissioner Javey Paul D. Francisco discussed the contributions of the Commission’s digital initiatives, such as the Electronic Simplified Processing of Application for Registration of Company (eSPARC) to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which allowed for the reduction of large amounts of paper use in the performance of the regulatory functions of the SEC.

In closing his speech, Commissioner Francisco called upon the future members of the finance industry to do their part as individuals towards a more sustainable future.

“The choices we make every day count. We only have one Earth and we only need to look around us to know that the fight for protecting our planet is not a fight won alone. Our individual and collective efforts will surely bring us the change we desire,” Commissioner Francisco said.

The summit held sessions on “Strategic Plays Against Global Financial Threats,” which gave participants an overview of the Philippines’ risk and opportunities as an economic player on both the ASEAN and global stage.

A session on “The Imperative of Cybersecurity in Digital Finance” further allowed participants to become cognizant of the benefits and challenges of moving into an increasingly digital world.

The participation of the SEC at the summit underscores its commitment to “walk the talk” as a strong advocate of sustainability by raising awareness to future generations and members of the finance industry on the Commission’s sustainable practices. The Commission looks forward to future milestones such as the JCFAP National Finance Summit to further advocate and promote awareness on sustainability among students, professionals, and other stakeholders.