We can never be too sure with what’s in store with our future. We have to be ready. We have to be prepared. But it’s not enough to be street-smart. It pays to moneywise.
So goes the campaign of the newest financial literacy show, MoneyWise, set to hit Philippine television on Dec. 12 via CNN Philippines. Hosted and produced by broadcaster and children’s book author, Christine Bersola-Babao, and wealth and life coach, Chinkee Tan, Moneywise aims to educate the viewing public on how to save their hard-earned peso and make it grow by getting into business, banking or investment.
The hosts themselves are no strangers to this field having been exposed to financial literacy at a very young age.
“I owe it to my mom,” says Tintin. “I’ve been a witness to her entrepreneurial skills when I was young. I have seen her selling anything that could be profitable and consequently beneficial to our family. From cashew nuts to chicharon to pre-owned furniture pieces — you name it. She was also into bazaars and I would help her do the inventories or dress up the mannequins. No doubt about it, I inherited my entrepreneurial mindset and skills from my mom.”
Now, Tintin is one of the country’s successful celebrity entrepreneurs with business franchises of Siomai King and Chef Tony’s Popcorn. And in between managing these businesses, Tintin continues to operate her own bazaar. She and her mom Ching have been the prime movers behind the Grand International Importers and Exporters Christmas Bazaar & Celebrity Bazaars. But aside from being a mompreneur, Tintin is a children’s book author and among her bestsellers in schools are the Basura Monster and Super Hero Nio. Bakit Siya Meron? Bakit Ako, Wala? is a Christmas story that will warm hearts.
Tintin is passionate about co-creating and co-producing MoneyWise since she saw for herself how difficult life is if one is ill-prepared and lacks knowledge or experience in handling money correctly. For her, MoneyWise is an advocacy which every Filipino, young and old, needs.
Chinkee, on the other hand, has his own story to share. “My father used to own an textile business until it collapsed. We had no choice but to help our family augment our income. Back then, I would help my family in selling toilet papers, shoes, pants, shirts and other types of garments. I experienced how difficult life could be. But that didn’t dampen my spirits to strive and become financially secure. I even had to join showbiz just to earn something.”
Chinkee was one of the Hawi Boys of Randy Santiago in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, and also did a few movies as a comedian.
In 2001, he formed an organization whose vision is to provide life-changing opportunities to develop a financially-literate and debt-free society. He is also the author of eight books namely: How I Made My 1st Million; Secrets of the Rich and Successful; Always Chink +; For Richer and For Poorer; Rich God, Poor God; For Richer, For Poorer; Till Debt Do Us Part and Happy Wife, Happy life.
At present, Chinkee is one of the most sought-after financial advisors and motivational speakers in the country. In 2014, he finished with over 300 speaking engagements. Married with three kids, Kayla, Jethro and Destiny, Chinkee also imparts his views on money-saving to his kids to make them financially secure as they grow up.
Doing the MoneyWise TV show with Tintin is part of Chinkee’s advocacy to help Filipinos become financially stable. And according to him, the show will not only inspire people how to create money but it will also teach them how to grow and protect their hard-earned money.
With Tintin and Chinkee sharing the same passion and vision to make their fellow Filipinos financially-literate and debt-free, their tandem via MoneyWise is surely to watch out for. After all, who else could possibly teach us to be moneywise but these two personalities who learned to be financially secure and independent through years of hard work and experience.
MoneyWise will air every Saturday at 11:30 a.m. on CNN Philippines.