Dr. Bernadette Gavino-Gumba, Professor at the Department of Social Sciences and Graduate School, presented her research paper at the 6th Annual Conference of the Institute for Money, Technology and Financial Inclusion (IMTFI) held at the University of California in Irvine last 9-12 December 2014. The conference brought together the institute’s sixth-year research award recipients who presented their preliminary findings. As more and more philanthropic, industry, and development actors ask whether mobile technology can help provide access to needed financial services like savings and money transfer, the research projects looked into the experience on the ground of existing, traditional money systems and financial practices, as well as the potential and real impact of new technology in providing access to finance for the world’s poor.

Dr. Gumba’s research is titled “Storing and Transferring Money in a Cash-Strapped Fishing Municipality in the Bicol Region.” It started in June 2014 and covers the municipality of Garchitorena, Camarines Sur. Survey work is scheduled in the month of December and the whole study should be completed by May 2015.

photo c/o the IMTFI