The municipality of Naguilian in the province of Isabela is home to 1, 119 beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. Since the program landed on their tranquil and modest municipality, positive changes can be seen.

Yes, the program aims to break the intergeneration cycle of poverty, so it invests in the health and education of poor Filipino children aged 0-14 years old. Records show that there is an impressive compliance of the beneficiaries to the conditionalities of the program involving health and education.

Despite financial constraints, Pantawid Pamilya children continue to persevere in their studies. Thanks to the P500 amount of cash grant they received monthly. They may have young and innocent minds, but they greatly understand the importance of education. These children know very well that poverty cannot stop anyone from reaching his dreams and aspirations, and this is what the children of Mrs. Mary Grace Adriano strongly believe in.

 LITTLE MINDS, BIG DREAMS

“Dahil sa Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, ang aking tatlong anak ay lalong matiyagang pumapasok at ngaaral ng mabuti,” quipped Aling Grace.

The Adriano Family lives in Brgy. Quirino, in Naguillian, Isabela. She said that the program is really a big help in augmenting the needs of her children in school. Because one of the conditionlaities of the program is that children aged 6-14 must be enrolled in elementary and high school and must have an 85% of attendance, her three cuddly and smart children never fail to come to class.

But she said that it is not only for the sake of compliance that her children are attending their classes regularly, but because they have dreams, big dreams that someday they maybe a teacher, a doctor, and perhaps, even an engineer.

Yet greater that to be a professional someday is their dreams that somehow, they will rise from the ground and have a taste of comfort – something better that what they have now.

“Ito ay patunay na kahit mahirap kami, ang kahirapan ay hindi hadlang sa mga munting pangarap ng aking mga anak. Mga munting pangarap  na alam kong makakamit nila dahil sila mismo ang susi sa mga ito. Lalo na ngayon at kabilang kami sa programang Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program ng DSWD,” she continued.

Aling Grace also added that the program, through the Family Development Sessions, have helped them to be more responsible parents. They continue to nurture and support their children in the realization of their aspirations.

LOVING FATHER, GRATEFUL BENEFICIARY

Another beneficiary who is very thankful to the program is Tito Pabro, 49 years old, and lives in Barangay Magsaysay, also in the municipality of Naguillian. Mang Tito just has lot of “thank you” words to say that he needed to put it in a letter.

“Hindi sapat ang salitang ”salamat” sa programang ito na kahit sa maliit na halaga ay napakalaking halaga nito sa akin. Malaki man o maliit ang halagang ito ay napapagaan na ang aking pamilya. Bukal sa aking puso ang pasasalamat sa Diyos dahil ito ay sagot na biyaya na aking pinapanalangin lagi at sa pamahalaan, at sa mga taong nasa likod ng programang ito. Napagaan ang buhay namin sa tulong ng Pantawid Program,” he wrote at the start of his letter.

Mang Tito is a widower, and lives with his daughter Roselyn, 7 years old, who studies at Namay Elementary School. Since her wife died, he assumed the responsibility of being both a mother and a father.

Bilang isang ama na nag-iisang bumubuhay sa aking mga anak ay masasabi kong mahirap, ito ay dahil wala akong katuwang sa buhay na magalaga sa mga anak ko at magluto kapag ako ay wala sa bahay upang kumayod para sa aming mga anak,” Mang Tito shared.

                He works as a tenant farmer in a vast ricefield. He also earns extra income as a Construction Worker. But still, Mang Tito finds it very difficult. His salary is not enough to sustain the needs of his family.

                 “Kala ko noon ay wala nang tutulong samin, laking tuwa ko at napili kami na mapabilang sa Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program,” soon a smile lit on Mang Tito’s face.

“Napagaan ang buhay namin sa tulong ng Pantawid. Sa pag-aaral ng mga anak ko lalo na pagdating sa mga bayarin sa paaralan, mga kagamitan na kailangan nila na minsan ko lang sila nabibilhan noon,” shared a very happy Mang Tito. He also said that now, they can buy viands of pork and chicken.

Mang Tito is truly a father his children can be proud of. Being a mother and a father at the same time is not easy, but surely is rewarding, especially when you do it for the ones you love — your children.

Mang Tito ended, “Lahat ay kinakaya ko para sa aking mga anak dahil sila ay mahal ko.”

                For Aling Grace and Mang Tito, poverty is but a word. It may strike fears and desperateness to others, it may kill someone’s hopes but it will not reign over a parent’s overflowing love for his children. ###By MICHELLE TURO, Municipal Link/Naguillian, Isabela