2020 | My Philippine Stock Market Portfolio

With the advent of this technology called Internet, many Filipinos just like me have been able to enter the complex world of stock market. In this post, I will share to you my journey, the journey of the middle-class, government employee, trying to do what the rich people are practicing.

To guide you through this post, I am going to answer these following five questions:

1.) What companies have I been buying and how many shares do I have?

2.) In the midst of this Covid19 crisis, are they (companies) losing or gaining?

3.) How much is the total dividend I received from the time I started?

4.) Who buys stocks for me?

5.) Who influenced me to invest in the Philippine stock market?

Answer to Question No. 1:

The table below shows the nine (9) companies I have been investing since 2016.

The very first stock that I bought was with ALI for 200 shares. That time, I felt so accomplished. In my mind, I was like, "Finally, after some doubts and fears, I took the courage to explore a new territory." 

I don't buy in only one company. Experts advise that we shouldn't put our eggs in only one basket. So that if it drops and breaks all the eggs inside it, we still have eggs to boil from other baskets. But of course, I hope that all those nine companies that I'm buying won't experience any bankruptcy or anything of the same fate. After all, it is still heartbreaking to be losing from your investments.  

Answer to Question No. 2:

As of April 25, all of my stocks are down during this pandemic. My greatest lose is DMCI. But the said company's buy price is down even before the Covid19 crisis. Maybe one of the reasons why investors are withdrawing their investments in DMCI, is because they are the developer of the collapsed condominium in Davao City, during an earthquake late last year. This kind of tragedy would apparently discourage investors to keep their money in a company which gives bad impression to consumers. But as for me, I will keep my little share with DMCI. I am even planning to buy more. Why? It is just a phase. They could bounce back and earn their good reputation once again. I can let my money sleep to that company since I am not using it any sooner. That money is for my retirement fund. That means the earliest time I'm gonna sell my share will be 20 years from now.

Answer to Question No. 3:

So first, let us get the definition of dividend. According to the Oxford Dictionary, dividend is an amount of the profits that a company pays to people who own shares in the company. Since 2016, I have received a total amount of Php 4,725.77 or 93 US Dollars. I know that it's not that much. And it's not gonna make me rich any sooner. However, it is fascinating to realise that it gives me higher return compared to putting my money in the bank. Don't get me wrong, though, I have a bank account where my emergency fund is kept. Actually, when were saving for our wedding, we put our money in the bank, not in the stock market.

The largest dividend I received from a company, which comprises 36% of the Php 4,725.77, is DMCI. So far, I still haven't acquired any dividend from my shares in SMPH. I only bought stocks from the said company only last year, in the month of September. While they distribute their dividend every month of May. 

A dividend is not fixed every year since it is dependent to the profit a business gets. Majority of the companies I have shares with, their dividends are increasing. For example, AC distributed Php3.46 per share last year. But this 2020, they gave Php4.15 per share, which I received last January. Only BDO remains Php0.30 per share since 2016, in which they distribute four (4) times a year.  

Answer to Question No. 4:

COL Financial buys stocks for me. On their website, it says that: COL Financial Group, Inc. (COL) is the fastest growing online stockbroker in the country today with over 200,000 customers and Php 62 billion in customer assets established in 1999. I am sure of COL Financial because it is mentioned on the financial books I read.

In 2016, I sent my application form and photocopies of valid ID's to their office in Ortigas Center, Pasig City, through a courier. I waited for them to contact me. They called me and instructed me to open a Skype account. We need to have a video call. It was just short because I only showed my valid ID to them. And that was it, they provided me an account. I only have to deposit money to that account, with a minimum amount of Php5,000.00, to start buying stocks.  

Answer to Question No. 5:

Bo Sanchez is the main guy why I entered into this. I bought four (4) books he had written. The first one was the 'My Maid Invests in the Stock Market'. At page 45, he said this:

"A crisis is a wonderful buying opportunity....

....Here's why: I plan to invest for 20 years. I hope you have the same idea. So 20 years from now, the "crashes" today are temporary dips."

In the 'The Turtle Always Wins', at page 20, he shared this:

"Just two months ago, I told her, "Mom, you're 85. You better sell whatever you have left in the stock market. Yes, I know they're crumbs. But just collect them anyway."

She agreed. She called up her stockbroker and said, "Can you sell all the tiny stocks I have left?"

She was expecting P10,000. At most, P20,000.

But she got the shock of her life. The stockbroker told her, "Mrs. Sanchez, your stocks are worth P1.2 million."

Bro. Bo learned the advantages of investing in the stock market from his parents. He wanted to help the people around him and he shared it to them. He desired to give every Filipino an opportunity to know about this, so he wrote books.

Bro. Bo didn't only teach me how to invest in the stock market. But more importantly, he guided me how to handle my finances wisely. Before I got to read his book, I have no savings. If I had extra cash in my wallet, I spent it on things I only wanted but not needed. It was as if, it was a problem to have money left in my pocket. Now, I save with a fixed amount. I save first before I spend my money. Because if spending comes first, I bet you couldn't save anything.

I even buy other financial books from other authors like Robert Kiyosaki, Marvin Germo and Chinkee Tan, to feed my hunger for financial literacy.

Lastly, I believe that I still have a lot of things to learn. But I won't give up on this (stock market and investing), because I firmly believe that I am on the right track. :)