Citadel hosts PHINSUM 2026 at UA&P
A nationwide investment summit
By Andreas Christian Punzalan
2-6YP Master of Science in Management Student
Held on Saturday, May 2, PHINSUM 2026: The Citadel Philippine Investment Summit brought together students and industry experts for a nationwide, student-led finance event at the University of Asia and the Pacific. Organized by Citadel: The UA&P Investment Society, the one-day event aimed to promote financial literacy, investment awareness, and professional development among students and young professionals.
PHINSUM 2026 welcomed a few of the most esteemed experts in Philippine economics, including Dr. Ricardo G. Barcelona, Jun Neri, April Lee Tan, Alvin T. Tan, and Raphael Bustamante. In partnership with eleven different organizations, co-presented by COL Financial and Luna Securities, and sponsored by Sun Life GREPA, MyTrade, and A Bonne’, it hosted over a hundred students from more than a dozen schools at the Li Seng Giap Auditorium, including Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, and the University of the Philippines.
Raphael Bustamante, a finance content creator at COL Financial, presented “Building Your First Investment Strategy.” The lecture delved into topics centered on financial fundamentals, investing in funds and stocks, and insider information on COL Financial’s fund and stock picks. John Gatmaytan, chairman of Luna Securities, followed with “How to Start Your Investing Journey,” giving attendees a comprehensive overview of today’s market environment, several important key metrics for investment, and different approaches to analyzing the market.
PHINSUM 2026’s main segment concluded with panel discussions hosted by Citadel President MC Marasigan and Assistant Vice President for Competitions Andreas Christian Punzalan. Joined by senior officials from Luna Securities, the president of CFA Society Philippines, the lead economist and senior vice president of BPI, a veteran investment professional, and the top-rated European utilities analyst, they discussed the impact of the U.S.-Iran war on investment opportunities, the effect of artificial intelligence on entry-level roles for graduating students, and career insights for attendees starting their finance journeys.
Participants then competed in a fast-paced finance quiz bee, where mixed-school teams answered questions under time pressure. The competition energized the auditorium, with Team Tristan Matthew (UA&P, PUP, STI Novaliches), Team TamaDragons (UA&P, SPUQC, PUP, FEU), and Team PUPxDLSU (PUP and DLSU) emerging as the top three teams.
Dr. Peter Lee U, Dean of the UA&P School of Economics, closed the event, emphasizing the significance of financial literacy as a lifelong skill for success beyond the field of economics. In line with this reality, the event forged a greater understanding of finance and its different facets, among young Filipino students. PHINSUM served as Citadel’s first step toward making financial literacy more accessible, equipping students and young Filipinos with the knowledge needed to make informed financial decisions in a complex economic landscape.