Davao de Oro State College (DDOSC), in partnership with the Nabunturan Integrated Cooperative (NICO) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), conducted the extension activity “Kickstart: Youth Profiling & Financial Literacy for Project Earn While You Learn” on September 1–2, 2025, at the DDOSC Main Campus Covered Court.

The activity was held in three sessions across two days to accommodate the different year levels of the Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship (BSE) program together with their parents. The first session, held on September 1, was attended by third-year students with their parents. On September 2, two separate sessions were conducted for first-year and second-year students with their parents.

Each session focused on the fundamentals of financial literacy such as saving, budgeting, responsible spending, and livelihood opportunities.

Niño Manialag, MBA, Dean of the Entrepreneurship Department, welcomed the participants and emphasized the importance of financial preparedness after college. Mr. Kennith Flor Balico of NICO delivered his talks “Unang Income, Unang Ipon” and “Add to Cart, Add to Problema Part!” which highlighted the importance of saving early, managing income wisely, and avoiding impulsive online shopping. Representatives from DSWD also introduced the Sustainable Livelihood Program, presenting opportunities for long-term financial growth.

The sessions concluded with a message from Sheila Marie Gonzales, who expressed gratitude to the partner agencies and participants, and encouraged families to apply financial literacy principles in their daily lives. (By Lady Lee S. Leyson)