DUBLIN, Calif. –— Patelco Credit Union has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Consulate General of the Philippines in San Francisco under the Spark* Connect* Empower* (SCE) Movement, which seeks to help spark pride among Filipino Americans in their Filipino culture and heritage, connect them with one another, and empower them in the process.
Patelco said the initiative is the brainchild of Consul General Henry Bensurto, Jr., and aims to connect Filipino Americans to their Filipino roots and with other Filipinos and empower them to give back to their country of origin or of their ancestors and/or their present communities.
Patelco said it is the first and only credit union partner under the SCE Movement.
Patelco said its goal is for the organizations to provide Filipino Americans in the Bay Area with opportunities for financial education.
“As a credit union, we owe it to our members to support the communities they belong to in order to fuel hope and opportunity,” said Long Vo, director of retail development at Patelco. “Patelco and the Philippine Consulate share the same vision – to empower our communities and prepare the next generation for success and resiliency.”
Workshops Planned
Patelco said it hopes to provide workshops on relevant financial topics, mentorship opportunities and access to financial resources for Filipino Americans.
“We’re grateful for this partnership and we look forward to working with Patelco to spark, connect and empower Filipinos, both individually and collectively, through financial literacy,” said Consul General Bensurto.
According to Patelco, the partnership comes from a longstanding relationship between Patelco and the Filipino community in the Bay Area. Patelco team members – such as Alma Tolentino, Patelco’s Sunnyvale branch manager – have supported and participated in events such as the Adobo Festival, Pistahang Pinoy Festival and Paskuhang Pinoy Festival as well as groups like the Filipino Ladies Guild in Milpitas and Filipino Association of Real Estate Professionals (FAREPA).
The $500-million Patelco has more than 380,000 members.