SAN PABLO, ISABELA — Long before he earned the title magna cum laude, Mark Anthony Bangug remembers a boy who walked to school wearing worn-out shoes, often singled out for what he lacked rather than what he could become.
He recalled how he was once bullied because of his shoes. “But it was also then that I learned how important dignity is, and how far one can go when given even a little support.”
Mark Anthony, from Simanu Sur, now a Bachelor of Secondary Education graduate, is among the 10 college graduates honored during the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) Ceremonial Graduation of San Pablo on December 4, 2025. Along with him, 240 households were officially recognized as exited beneficiaries, during the Pammadayaw na Paggradua na Pantawid Pamilya held on December 4, 2025.
For Mark Anthony, 4Ps was more than financial aid. It was a lifeline that allowed him to hold on to his dreams when life felt too heavy for a young student to carry.
“Sa tulong ng 4Ps, unti-unting gumaan ang bigat ng aming mga pangangailangan,” he said. “Nakabili ako ng kahit sapat lang na gamit sa paaralan. Hindi sobra, kundi sapat pero sapat para makapagpatuloy.”
He emphasized that these small but essential supports that opened doors others might overlook, especially for students coming from low-income households. “Sa simpleng tulong na iyon, natutunan ko na ang bawat oportunidad ay mahalaga at sapat upang maabot ang mga pangarap sa kabila ng kakulangan at kahirapan,” he added. “Sa madaling salita, ang 4Ps ang nagbigay sa akin ng pagkakataon at suporta upang ipagpatuloy ko ang aking pag-aaral nang may dignidad at pag-asa.”
Beyond individual success stories, the graduation ceremony also highlighted San Pablo’s wide array of support mechanisms for exited households. The LGU continues to provide rice subsidies, educational and medical assistance, employment facilitation, and cash incentives as part of its post-service interventions. Several local ordinances safeguard and strengthen 4Ps implementation in the municipality including bans on pawning cash cards, engaging in gambling, and a local policy aligning with the convergence provisions of RA 11310 to ensure continued support for exited families.
For the graduates and families who stood proudly in the municipal gym that day, the ceremony represented much more than completion. It was a testament to resilience, partnership, and the power of shared responsibility between community and government.
And for students like Mark Anthony, who once endured school days filled with fear of ridicule, the moment signified victory.
A victory earned.
A victory shared.
A victory that began with the simple gift of being able to continue.