Enchong Dee. Image: INQUIRER.net/Armin P. Adina
MANILA, Philippines—Enchong Dee has been recognized as one of the most business savvy celebrities in the industry, and many have branded him as “kuripot,” or stingy, when it comes to spending his earnings. But the Kapamilya actor believes it is one trait of his that he is proud of despite the negative connotation the word entails.
“Come to think of it, being ‘kuripot’ may be translated to being wise. It’s hard-earned money,” he told INQUIRER.net at the sidelines of an event for an online payment service app at the Maybank Performing Arts Theater at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City on Aug. 30.
Dee also believes that every Filipino has the capacity to be responsible with their money. “We just have to believe in our ‘kababayan’ that, ‘okay, with education, with financial literacy, they may be enlightened.’ Sometimes the problem is that they get ridiculed first,” he explained.
“We have to trust that as Filipinos, we can save. We have to trust ourselves that we can do it, if we are equipped with the right knowledge,” Dee continued.
The actor also shared how he struggled to make ends meet for the people working for him at the height of the pandemic. “As business owners, we need to exercise a little more patience, because we are not the only ones earning a living, our employees need to be taken care of even more,” he said.
“Now everything is a bit clearer. We can see thing slowly getting back to the way it was. Perhaps the challenge would be how to regain what was lost in the past two years,” Dee said.
He also lauded new online channels that ease the burden of financial transactions, whether it be through informal channels or in big institutions.
Dee has already wrapped up work on several film projects, whose screening schedules have not been released as of the moment. “But at the same time, we were able to enter several international film festivals, which I’m very, very happy about,” he said.
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