Empowering Financial Stability: Learning from Our Heroes' Journeys Towards a Secure Future

 

Looking for inspiration for your financial goals? Perhaps our country’s national heroes can provide us with relevant insight this National Heroes Day.

 

Celebrated in the month of August, National Heroes Day enshrines the heroes who fought for the country’s independence. It celebrates not just one or a few heroes—rather, it is meant to honor all heroes who worked hard and even faced death for the freedom and liberties we are enjoying today. 

 

There is much we can learn from our national heroes beyond what they have done for our country. Besides their bravery and love for the country, their personal beliefs and practices remain relevant today—and are worthy of emulation, especially for those of us working towards personal goals and financial security. 

A mind for money consciousness

 

Dr. Jose Rizal is easily among the most revered and respected. His writings—particularly his novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo—are considered to have inspired the Philippine Revolution that was waged against Spanish colonizers for the country’s independence. He is known as a polymath, someone with a wide range of knowledge; besides being a writer, he was also an ophthalmologist by profession and had skills in painting. 

 

But aside from his talents and contributions to the Philippine Revolution, Rizal is known for being money-conscious. Historians noted that Rizal kept a very detailed record of his daily expenses—listing down money he spent, down to the last centavo. A letter he sent to his sisters even revealed that he once did not take a bath for months while studying abroad because “a bath is expensive.” In his travels in Europe, records showed that he went out of his way to look for cheaper accommodations to save money and plan his meals meticulously so he can follow the daily budget he set for himself. 

 

Of course, it isn’t healthy to forego daily needs just to save money. Yet, we can also learn a thing or two from Rizal in terms of budgeting. Then and now, it helps to record our expenses and set a specific budget to avoid financial waste and achieve our financial goals sooner.

 

The value of self-improvement

 

Andres Bonifacio is known as one of the founders of the Katipunan, a Philippine revolutionary society with the goal of gaining independence from Spain. From history lessons we learned that Bonifacio did not complete his formal education. He is considered today as a self-taught man—reading books about United States presidents, the French Revolution, and French novels. He supported his family by working at a young age; Bonifacio even learned English while he worked as a clerk for a British company. He dealt with his financial hardships by working hard and held part-time jobs to augment his regular income. This also did not stop him from being a vicarious reader; he was immersed in literature and read novels such as Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables and Rizal’s own novels, which inspired his desire to fight for Philippine independence.

 

From this we can learn that we are never too busy to improve ourselves—may it be through self-education, reading, or formal education and training, It is also important to have more than one source of income. Bonifacio exhibited that hard work and passion for education are values that remain relevant today. 

 

Couple these good habits and practices with tools that can help you achieve your financial goals from a reliable banking partner who understands your needs.

 

And just like Rizal and Bonifacio who have made a positive impact not only for the country but in our personal lives, you need another hero that will champion these habits and help you achieve your goals and aspirations in life.

 

Consider banking with a financial hero like RCBC, a bank that is committed to your financial success and well-being, and prioritizes your needs. RCBC offers banking solutions that cater to specific needs of each phase of life, from building your savings and maximizing your funds potential, to fulfilling lifelong dreams such as buying your first home and planning your retirement.

There are many other national heroes who have fought fearlessly for our freedom and can be considered as models for our modern lives. By being financially strong and independent, we can help ourselves as well as our family and loved ones—thus becoming your very own personal hero.