In the far-flung islands of Calayan, Cagayan, where the sea divides communities and travel means braving the waves, hope found its way to shore, carried not by boats, but by stories, school supplies, and the promise of a better tomorrow.

On May 26 and 28, 2025, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), through its Provincial Operations Office of Cagayan, brought Project RISE (Radiating Inspiration, Strengthening Education): Bata Balik Eskwela (BBE) Campaign to two island communities, Calayan Proper and Barangay Camiguin. The goal: reach out to out-of-school youth (OSY) under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and help them find their way back to education.

A total of 31 youth beneficiaries (12 from Calayan Proper and 19 from Camiguin Island) participated in the activity. Each brought with them not just their names and addresses, but stories shaped by hardship. For many, the road away from school began not by choice, but by circumstance: some had to work at a young age to help their families, others lost interest after repeated setbacks, while some were held back by poverty, personal circumstance or by gender-based issues that suggested education wasn’t meant for them. These are barriers that go beyond the classroom and reflect broader social realities faced by youth in remote communities.

Meeting the Youth Where They Are

Project RISE, through the BBE campaign, doesn’t offer one-size-fits-all solutions. Instead, it takes a case management approach, treating each participant’s situation with care and understanding. Social workers and development officers sat down with each youth, not just to talk them into going back to school, but to understand what held them back and how they could move forward. Through open dialogue, encouragement, and practical support, many left the activity with a changed mindset and a plan.

To make their return to school a little easier, Pacific Star International Employment Agency Corp. and Michael Angelo Manpower Exponent Inc., civil society organization partners of DSWD, donated school supplies to all 31 beneficiaries—symbolic first steps toward a new beginning.

When One of Their Own Speaks

A powerful moment unfolded when Mark Joseph Sambajon, a monitored 4Ps child and Senior High School Class Valedictorian from the Lyceum of Camiguin, stood before his fellow youth to deliver an earnest and heartfelt speech. Born into poverty, with parents who made a living through farming, Mark’s journey was rooted in the very struggles familiar to his co-beneficiaries. Yet there he stood strong, determined, and full of hope, inspiring his peers to dream boldly alongside him.

“Kayat kut agadal tapnu makapan nak iti agduma-duma nga lugar, kayat kut agadal tapnu matulungak iti tao nga agkasapulan met, kayat kut agadal tapnu makapanaw kami iti biyag nga narigat. O diba nagmayat iti agarapaap. Yung hirap na nararanasan namin ngayon at ang mga pangarap na dinadala ko araw-araw ay ang aking mga inspirasyon para magpatuloy sa pag-aaral.”

(I want to study so I can travel to different places. I want to study so I can help others in need. I want to study so we can rise above this difficult life. Isn’t it beautiful to dream? The hardships we face today, and the dreams I carry every day, are what keep me going.)

By speaking from the heart and standing among his peers, Mark dared to inspire them, not from a place of superiority, but from shared experience. His words were not just motivational; they were a call to action, a gentle but powerful push to believe in themselves despite the odds.

“Let us not treat poverty as a barrier,” he added, “but as a reason to pursue the life we dream of—with the help and support of DSWD and 4Ps.”

More Than a Program

For places like Calayan, where education often takes a backseat to survival, Project RISE brings more than just services. It brings validation and hope. It tells young people that they are not forgotten, that their dreams still matter, and that it is never too late to begin again.

Through the efforts of DSWD, the support of its partners, and the courage of youth who dare to dream again, Project RISE continues to prove that no child is ever too far and no future is ever out of reach.
For the youth of Calayan, these two days may have been short, but the impact will last a lifetime.

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