IN CELEBRATION of its 10th anniversary, the TSPI Mutual Benefit Association, Inc. (TSPI MBA), held its Annual General Membership (AGM) meeting with a special theme, honoring God’s faithfulness for the past 10 years. The theme, “Sampung Taon ng Pagpapala ng Diyos sa MBA,” paved the way for the AGM and other activities last May 31 at TSPI’s Engr. Padilla Hall in Makati City. A thanksgiving mass was offered to commence the general assembly.
SAMPUNG TAON NG PAGPAPALA
Recognizing its role in the mission of poverty alleviation, the TSPI MBA has been instrumental in providing excellent micro-insurance products that protect clients from financial liabilities caused by hospitalization and death, and risks of having access to micro-credit. According to TSPI MBA Vice President and chief operating officer Eleanor So, the organization has worked hand in hand with TSPI NGO to provide opportunities for its clients to experience fullness of life in Christ through Christian microenterprise development.
Chairman Luz Planas and Board Committee Member Juanita Amatong share a light moment during the AGM.
“MBA has been a staunch advocate of the direction that the NGO wants to take in terms of mission and vision,” So said. “It is our belief that being protected against financial risks help contribute to fullness of life.”
The past decade has seen TSPI MBA’s huge impact in mobilizing affordable healthcare benefits through its Microhealth Program, which ran from 2013 to 2016.
“We know how expensive medical costs can be. With the microhealth product, we made sure that our clients had access to quality medical care at an affordable cost,” she said. “This safeguards them from the financial distress of sickness and hospitalization not only for the insured but also for their families.”
However, the marketing of life insurance products remained a challenge for TSPI MBA’s insurance officers, according to Leander Aguinaldo, Deputy Director for Operations.
“Micro-insurance used to be considered taboo as it has always been associated with death and accidents. While micro-insurance awareness still remains a challenge, people are more open and accepting today, compared to five years ago,” Aguinaldo said.
So adds, “When they see other clients reaping the benefits of micro-insurance, it becomes an eye-opener for them. Experience makes them change their mindset about having micro-insurance.”
Vice President and COO Eleanor So and Deputy Director for Operations Leander Aguinaldo raffling off some prizes during the event.
She expresses her delight over this change in mindset, as she considers this a major achievement for the micro-insurance industry as a whole. TSPI MBA also considers this an important milestone as it is testament to God’s faithfulness over the last decade.
“The whole country is moving towards making more Filipinos aware of the benefits of micro-insurance. The Department of Finance (DOF) even rolled-out a micro-insurance literacy program to promote micro-insurance as a tool to alleviate poverty,” So said.
TSPI MBA Claims Manager Emma Solis shares the same sentiment. “Proof of its wider acceptance today is micro-insurance being promoted as a basic need, up in the ranks of food, shelter, and clothing. It was included in DOF’s micro-insurance literacy campaign.”
The popularity that micro-insurance has gained over the last few years motivates TSPI MBA to think of even more ways to improve their products and services. Aguinaldo believes that this is not the time to rest on their laurels.
“We are always being compared with other micro-insurance providers and that’s what motivates us to do better. We want to improve our offerings not because we want to compete with them but because we believe in the true benefit of micro-insurance,” Aguinaldo said.
ANG INYONG BAGONG KAAGAPAY
The AGM also served as a venue to promote TSPI MBA’s Kaagapay Plans, a new brand and campaign for its micro-insurance products. New and improved benefits for life insurance and loan insurance have been formally introduced.
Launched in January, Kaagapay Plans promises wider coverage and range of benefits of up to Php80,000 for natural death and up to Php200,000 for accidental death. As of May 2017, 39,944 members have already availed of Kaagapay Plans’ new products, the Life Plus and Life Max Plans.
Present during the AGM to witness the campaign were several TSPI MBA Board of Trustees including Chairman Luz Planas, Vice Chairman Cornelio Gison, President and CEO Eduardo Mendoza and Board Committee Members Rene Cristobal and Juanita Amatong. Also present were outgoing trustees Ramil Mendoza, Yolanda Barrientos, Erlinda Ponce, and Marieta Puente. Planas and Mendoza led the plaque-giving ceremony to honor the outgoing trustees.
For 2017, the newly-elected Board of Trustees include Regional Head Sherry Lou Salazar, and TSPI clients Matilde Vejerano, Julita Pascual, and Virginia Gime.
This year, priority was given to TSPI clients to be attend the general assembly.
Text by Ms. Joanne G. Fajardo of TSPI Enterprise Development Services. Photos by Mr. Reginald King Brigino of TSPI Mutual Benefit Association, Inc.