Gicel Roger Salvilla, News, Communication Management Office
SDG 4 SDG 8 SDG 10 SDG 17
Photo courtesy of: Deanna Margaret B. Baldosa
Composed of four Bachelor of Science in Business Administration major in Financial Management students—Deanna Margaret B. Baldosa, Precious Samantha G. Alano, Veronica Nicole L. Dimaya, and Zyrus I. Orgen—Capitalyst Partners secured second place among 50 investment fund proposals submitted nationwide with its BPI Future Starter Fund. The team received a ?50,000 cash prize and ?3,000 worth of investment credits for each member.
The team was guided by faculty coaches Asst. Prof. Prince Guillan D. Cruz, Asst. Prof. Gem B. Galupar, and Dr. Antonette Belago, alongside alumni coaches Ms. Rachelyn Patello, Ms. Jhonna Lien Elorde, and Mr. Raven Salguero.
The proposed unit investment trust fund (UITF) targets Generation Z and first-time investors, featuring a minimum initial investment of ?500 and a diversified portfolio allocation of 60% equities and 40% fixed-income instruments. Beyond investment returns, the proposal emphasizes financial education and consistent investing to help young Filipinos develop sustainable financial habits.
As one of the competition’s Top 5 finalist teams, Capitalyst Partners underwent a month of mentoring sessions with BPI Wealth employees to refine its proposal ahead of the live defense and awarding ceremony. The team received guidance from lead mentor Ms. Janina Angelique Lapuz, alongside subject matter experts Ms. Jocelyn Duhaylungsod for investment, Ms. Frances Alexandra Fernandez for marketing, and Mr. Jose Edru Urcia for customer journey.
For team captain Deanna Margaret B. Baldosa, one of the biggest challenges was bringing together members with different perspectives, schedules, and commitments while balancing academic requirements and on-the-job training (OJT).
“More than the opportunity to meet BPI and BPI Wealth executives and learn from industry mentors, what made this experience special was realizing that we were creating a product for people like us,” Baldosa shared.
Meanwhile, Precious Samantha G. Alano, for whom the competition was her first national-level experience, described the process as challenging but rewarding. Despite sleepless nights and difficulties managing academic requirements and OJT, she gained confidence through collaborating with her teammates, receiving industry mentorship, and presenting their proposal before a panel of judges.
“More importantly, this experience taught me to step out of my comfort zone, become more confident, and believe in my own abilities,” Alano said.
Veronica Nicole L. Dimaya highlighted the technical challenges of developing an investment fund that would be viable and relevant to young Filipinos. The process required the team to examine how the fund’s components would work together and support its intended objectives.
“This experience made me appreciate how much thought goes into creating a financial product and how important it is to understand the people it is meant to serve,” Dimaya shared.
For Zyrus I. Orgen, the competition became an opportunity to confront his fear of public speaking while competing against students from other universities. He credited his teammates, mentors, and coaches for helping him navigate the challenges of preparation and presentation.
“I am still not the most confident speaker, and I know I have a lot to work on, but this experience reminded me that my fears do not have to define what I can achieve,” Orgen said.
Following the competition, the team members expressed their commitment to applying their learnings and promoting financial literacy among young Filipinos. Baldosa hopes to continue learning from industry mentors and encourage financial literacy among her peers, while Alano aims to become more confident in investing and help other young people understand its importance. Dimaya plans to deepen her understanding of investments through experience, while Orgen hopes to use his growing knowledge of finance to make investing less intimidating and more accessible to others.
Another team from the University, Slayholders, also earned recognition as one of the competition’s Top 15 teams with its proposed SIBOL Adaptive Balanced Fund, which aims to make investing more accessible and goal-oriented for young Filipinos aged 18 to 25.
The achievement aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4: Quality Education, through the application of financial management knowledge and the promotion of financial literacy; SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, by encouraging young Filipinos to develop financial capabilities and explore opportunities for long-term financial growth; and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, through the team’s proposal to lower barriers to entry for young and first-time investors. The collaboration among students, faculty coaches, alumni, and industry mentors also reflects SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, highlighting the value of academic and industry collaboration in developing practical financial solutions.
Through their participation in BPI FinQuest 2026, PUP students demonstrated how academic knowledge, collaboration, and financial innovation can contribute to financial literacy and more inclusive economic opportunities for the Filipino youth.
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