As a recipient of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, we consider our municipality lucky and blessed because of the impact and transformation brought not only to the lives of our family beneficiaries, but to our municipality as a whole. The program paves the way in strengthening the partnership and cooperation of our constituents and the government for the effective delivery of services particularly on health and education.

Our people are now aware of their duties and responsibilities as citizens and parents. Some of our great traits as Filipinos were revived such as “Bayanihan”, as manifested in the active participation and visibility of our family beneficiaries not only within their community, but as well in the schools and other institutions of the government for them to ensure their compliance to the conditions of the program.

Through the trainings and seminars conducted for the Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries, some of them are now taking their first step to have an alternative livelihood to alleviate their living condition. In a way, they have earned to value their money. They learned how to withdraw money from the ATM for the first time in their lives without any assistance from anyone. They even know how to count their money in just a simple arithmetic. Furthermore, it is an amazing experience for them to use the ATM card as shown in their faces.

Because of the monthly Family Development Sessions or FDS, the self-esteem and confidence of the beneficiaries were developed. They have learned how to express themselves during gatherings and meetings set by the government and stakeholders. In fact, some of them became leaders and active partners.

Based on records of the Rural Health Unit of this Municipality, awareness on the Maternal and Child Care Program has been greatly improving since the implementation of the program, thereby reducing the number of maternal and infant mortality in the locality, as well the number of malnourished children, unlike before that some of them were reluctant to avail our health services.

Consequently, they became the models and inspirations to their fellow constituents particularly to those non-recipients of the program, who are still hoping to be a beneficiaries also of the Pantawid Pamilya.

Illegal gambling in the community is controlled because of the program’s strict regulations and policies that Pantawid beneficiaries should not be involved in any illegal activities.

The Pantawid Pamilya is also a big help in boosting our local economy because there is additional money circulating in the community while waiting for the cropping season.

The program is a very effective tool in catching the heart and the minds of needy constituents to enhance their social being and for those who concerned agencies to touch their lives in order to make a difference in their daily living particularly in the implementation of various programs in the alleviation of poverty.

Indeed, it is life changing program that brings joy, hope and inspiration to the grassroots and for the government to let them feel their importance through the minimal financial assistance extended for every beneficiary of Pantawid Pamilya with the given conditions.

It is my fervent prayer therefore, that this program of the government will be extended until such time that every family beneficiary could already soar high like the baby eagle where the government is compared to the mother eagle who is trying its best and efforts for the baby eagle to be developed so that it can spread its wings to fly independently.

More power and God speed!

*Written by Mayor Dean Anthony G. Domalanta, at the Municipal Hall of San Mariano, Isabela on August 20, 2013