“Pagtatapos niyo, tagumpay ng Pilipino!”

This was the highlight statement during the series of provincial celebration event for the high school graduates of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program in the region.

The festivity kicked-off in Cabarroguis, Quirino on April 27, 2015 which was followed by three provinces of Nueva Vizcaya, Cagayan and Isabela from April 28-30, 2015 respectively.

Children beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program from the four provinces who graduated from high school together with their parents, and partners from the local government units, civil society organizations, academe and media graced the celebration.

Exemplary graduates from the provinces also shared their transformation stories on how the Pantawid Pamilya program brought positive impacts on their lives, especially on their education.

“When we were not yet a beneficiary of Pantawid Pamilya, my parents always come to school asking for promissory during exams because we don’t have enough money to finance my needs,” Rhealyn Zonio, a valedictorian from Diffun, Quirino, shared.

She also added that her parents still borrow money from relatives whenever there are seminars and contests, but everything changed when the program came to their lives.

Rhealyn continued, “It was in 2012 when we became a beneficiary of Pantawid Pamilya. Since then, I was able to pay my school obligations on time and I can always attend seminars and co-curricular activities without thinking where to borrow for the expenses. Indeed, being in the program motivated me to study harder and I finished high school at the top of my class.”

In her message, DSWD Regional Director Remia T. Tapispisan encouraged the graduates to continue the positive change within them and continue reaching for their dreams.

“Kami sa DSWD ay tunay na nagagalak na masaksihan ang bunga n gaming programa. Kayo ang mga patunay na ang Pantawid Pamilya, at maging ang mga programa ng gobyeno ay nasa tamang daan upang masugpo ang kahirapan. Ipagpatuloy niyo ang pag-aaral ng mabuti at lagi niyong patunayan na ‘Kayang-kaya niyo ang magandang pagbabago!”, Tapispisan said.

For this year, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program has produced the first batch of graduating high school students with a total of more than 300, 000 students nationwide. For the region, there are a total of            5, 560 children beneficiaries who graduated from high school.

The “Pagdiriwang para sa mga Pantawid Pamilya High School Graduates” was conducted nationmwide to recognize the achievements the high school children beneficiaries.

The event was also a manifestation of how the program positively affects the lives of its beneficiaries and its contribution in keeping the children at school, which is vital in harnessing increased support from the stakeholders. It also served as a venue for the graduating students to be linked to opportunities such as scholarship, internship and part-time jobs that will help them realize their dreams of finishing their studies.

The Pantawid Pamilya is a human-development program of the national government that invests in the health and education of poor Filipino children aged 0-18 years old. Cash grants are provided to families in exchange of compliance to health and education conditionalities. Parents must also attend the Family Development Sessions. ### By MARICEL B. ASEJO, Information Officer II- Pantawid Pamilya