Financial Edutainment: The Effect of Social Media Usage on the Financial Literacy of Students in Bulacan

In the Philippines, students turn to social media for financial guidance, a practice known as "financial edutainment." This situation creates a potential risk of exposure to misinformation, posing a challenge to the financial well-being of young Filipinos. This study aimed to determine the effect of social media usage on the financial literacy of students in Bulacan, examining whether financial edutainment is a beneficial supplement to traditional learning or a source of financial confusion. A causal research design was employed, utilizing a structured survey questionnaire administered to 556 students in Bulacan, selected through purposive sampling. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and linear regression to establish the relationship between the variables. The findings indicated that most students are heavy social media users, spending over five hours daily on these platforms. While students passively consumed financial information several times a month, they were less inclined to seek it out actively. Overall, students perceived social media as a moderately useful and easy-to-use tool for financial learning, but also acknowledged associated privacy and security risks. Social media usage has a tangible effect on the financial literacy of students. It is recommended that educational institutions integrate digital and media literacy into their curriculum to equip students with the skills to evaluate online financial advice critically. Furthermore, regulatory bodies and financial institutions should collaborate to promote verified and reliable financial information on popular social media platforms to counter misinformation.