A parents’ love is one of the most unparalleled things in life. A beautiful gift from God that means unselfish giving and loving and, it can also be another word for sacrifice. Parents whether in blood or not, will do everything for their children. They will make the both ends meet just to have something for their love ones. It is a kind of genuine love, that cannot be bought even in the luxuries department store in the whole universe but can be found inside a home.

In a small home in Piat, Cagayan, we can see Marry Jane Guiterez. She is a mother of two and married to Arnold Guiterez. She is a seasonal vendor of various fruits in the market while her husband is a farm laborer.
Mary Jane describes their life before as, “Simple lang, makakain lang ng tatlong beses sa isang araw pwede na”. According to her, they are living in a simple and quite way but never did she know that she will face a storm that tested them as parents.

Armand, the oldest child of Marry Jane, suffered from severe disease that needs an expensive medication. Mary Jane honestly shared that they have no savings to provide for the medicines of their son and they can’t even pay for the hospital bills.

“Ang akala ko noon, okay na yung buhay namin. Kahit walang ipon o pera basta nakakaraos lang sa pang araw-ara, mali pala,” Mary Jane shared her regrets.

Mary Jane and her husband solicited money from all their relatives and friends to pay for their expenses.

During our conversation, Mary Jane was very emotional in sharing her stories, “Napaka-hirap ng narasan namin, yung lahat pinuntahanan na namin, nagmamakaawa pa kami para mangutang para may maipambayad sa hospital at makabili ng gamot. Wala na talaga ako noon paki-alam kahit anong sabihin ng mga tao. Basta ang nasa-isip namin noon, gagawin ko lahat mailabas lang namin ang anak namin.”

She went to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to seek for financial assistance. Through the Crisis Intervention Unit (CIU) and other concerned citizens, Mary Jane was able to pay the hospital bills of their son.

But the problems kept pouring in, Mary Jane has no money to sustain the medicines of his son. Once more, she went to their relatives to loan money.

Every day was a challenge for them on how to send their children to school knowing that they have nothing for their allowance and other school obligations.

Reality bites, Mary Jane and her family was left with colossal debt. She remained positive and believed that the storm will vanish. According to her, she will never pass a single night without praying that they will surpass their blizzard.
An answered prayer.

It came as a big surprise when Mary Jane’s family was chosen as one of the beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program of DSWD.

“Tuwang-tuwa ako noon nalaman ko na kabilang ako sa programa. Malaki talaga ang naitulong sa akin ng Pantawid. Dahil dito natutustusan ko na yung mga kailangan ng aking mga anak sa eskwelahan at mas importante pa ay malimit na silang magkasakit dahil bukod sa education, may binigay para sa pangkalusugan ng mga bata”, Mary Jane said.

She also added that their income were able to concentrate and sustain in their basic needs. Time after time, they were able to pay their debts.

Mary Jane was grateful to Family Development Sessions (FDS). FDS opens a lot of opportunities for them to learn significant things most especially in their family. She also mentioned thoughts on time management, budgeting and how to avoid vices.

Another milestone blessing came in the family of Mary Jane that entirely changed their lives. They were chosen as one of the beneficiaries of the Famers Field School (FFS) a project of Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP). This project afforded the beneficiaries to learn Organic Vegetable Farming.

Through the FFS, Mary Jane was able to maximize their agricultural lot nearby their house. They have used it as their vegetable garden.

Now, she sells vegetable daily in the market and because of this, they were able to make improvements on their house.

“Sa FFS naman natuto akong magtanim ng mga prutas at gulay na sigurado akong safe sa mga anak ko pati sa mga bumibili. Dito palang nalilibre na yun ulam namin pang araw-araw at kahit paano malaki na ang pinagbago ng buhay namin ngayon kumpara nuon, kaya naman nagpapasalamat ako ng marami sa lahat ng naitulong ng DSWD sa amin.”, Mary Jane described their improved living conditions.

When Mary Jane was asked on her thoughts on the DSWD’s programs, she uttered, “Kung darating man ang panahon na mawawala na ang Pantawid o SLP, higit man sa mga grants na nakukuha namin ay mananatili sa amin lahat ng mga naituro nila kung paano matulungan ang sarili namin para umunlad sa buhay.”

Mary Jane now continuous to strive for the better and has set good example of a beneficiary who applies what she learned in the DSWD programs and most importantly, she inspires and unselfishly shares her knowledge to her neighbors and relatives.

“Ginagawa namin ngayon lahat para patuloy na umangat ang aming buhay. Mahal namin ang aming mga anak at ayaw ko ng maranasan nila yung mga naranasan namin noon. At kinagandahan pa ay nabibigyan pa kami ng pagkakataong ibahagi ang nalalaman namin sa iba.”

The changed of Mary Jane and her family lives took place when the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) knocked at their door way back in 2009.

Of the 118, 118 identified poor households in Region II, Mary Jane’s family was one of the identified households and subsequently became part of DSWD’s programs, namely: Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino and Sustainable Livelihood programs.

NHTS-PR became a bridge that connected her to a lot of beautiful opportunities in life.

“Nuong nalaman ko nakapasok ako sa programa dahil sa interview ng NHTS-PR at nakitang mahirap kami, sobrang laking tuwa at pasasalamat ko. Ngayon, masasabi kong handa na kami sa kahit anong pagsubok na dumating sa amin buhay.” Mary Jane ended our conversation. ###By: AILYN P. AGLAUA, Admin. Assist. III, LISTAHANAN