BUTUAN CITY – Taking a proactive stance on youth empowerment, the Cooperative Development Authority – Caraga (CDA-Caraga) spearheaded a series of regional financial literacy initiatives from March 16 to 22, coinciding with the 2026 celebration of Global Money Week.

The week-long campaign focused on equipping the next generation with essential money management skills through cooperative education and strategic institutional partnerships.

The agency’s core activities kicked off on March 18 at Nasipit Central Elementary School. Led by Mr. Niño Rosil C. Bantayan, Senior CDS of the CRIT Section, the session engaged 100 Grade 4 and 5 members of the school’s laboratory cooperative.

Under the guidance of their guardian cooperative, the Agusan del Norte Teachers Retirees Employees and Community Cooperative (ANTRECCO), pupils were introduced to the importance of early savings, smart spending habits, and the core values of the cooperative movement.

The momentum shifted to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Butuan Branch on March 19 for a collaborative educational visit. Thirty participants, including school heads and 20 pupils from Lingayao and Tinuocran Elementary Schools, attended the high-impact session.

With ANTRECCO again serving as the guardian cooperative, a BSP expert used creative and interactive methods to reinforce the long-term benefits of financial discipline. The visit provided the young learners with a firsthand look at how national financial institutions support local economic stability.

By partnering with established institutions like the BSP and ANTRECCO, CDA-Caraga is turning the concept of youth empowerment into tangible action. These initiatives ensure that the youth of the Caraga Region are not just observers of the economy, but are equipped with the financial tools necessary to make sound, lifelong decisions.