FINANCIAL LITERACY, ACUMEN, AND RETIREMENT PREPAREDNESS OF PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS IN REGION 1: BASIS FOR PROJECT CARE

This study investigated the relationship between the level of financial acumen and the financial and retirement preparedness of public-school teachers in Region I, Philippines. Utilizing a descriptive- correlational research design, the study surveyed four hundred (400) respondents across four Schools Division Offices. Data were collected through a comprehensive 94 -statement questionnaire covering capital health, health financing, retirement risk, and protection risk. The findings revealed a demographic profile predominantly composed of married females (78.0%) in their mid-career stages (31–40 years old). A critical discovery was the "Survival vs. Wealth Paradox": while teachers demonstrated a High level of Financial Acumen (Overall Mean = 3.56), particularly in short-term capital management and budgeting, their actual Financial and Retirement Preparedness was only Moderate (Overall Mean = 3.37). Alarmingly, 83.1% of the respondents are ensnared in a debt-dependency cycle, holding three to four concurrent loan portfolios. Furthermore, pre-retirement preparation was found to be Moderate (Mean = 2.95), with a significant deficiency noted in Psychosocial and Legacy Transition (Low, Mean = 2.37). Statistical analysis using Spearman’s rho and Eta coefficients confirmed a highly significant positive relationship (p = 0.000) between financial acumen and retirement preparedness, specifically highlighting that advanced retirement knowledge is the strongest predictor of investment behavior. The study concluded that despite high educational attainment, educators remain structurally vulnerable to economic shocks due to systemic informational gaps and the "Action-Knowledge Gap." To address these vulnerabilities, the study developed Project CARE (Capital, Assets, and Retirement Empowerment), a localized intervention program. It recommends the institutionalization of early-career financial onboarding, debt-consolidation advisory services, and psychosocial retreats to transform teachers from debt-dependent employees into asset-building professionals, ensuring a dignified and self-sustaining retirement.