With her impressive display of wit and talent coupled with confident stature, Rachel Joyce Tattao, a children beneficiary from Jones, Isabela bagged the coveted title of the Search for Exemplary Pantawid Pamilya Children 2014 during the Tagisan ng Talino at Talento held at Casa Angela, Tuguegarao City on October 14, 2014.

Tattao won the hearts of everyone especially the judges’ when she performed a declamation piece. During the Q&A Portion, she said that she would be an example to her fellow children beneficiaries by having good academic standing and by being involved in community activities while enjoining her fellows to do the same. In this way, she can prove that children, despite of their young age, can have big contributions in poverty alleviation and nation-building.

“I’m very happy that I won in this Search. This is such a very important happening in my life that I will always be proud of. There are already lots of good things that happened since my family became one of the beneficiaries. I’m just so thankful,” Rachel said.

“Because of Pantawid Pamilya, I was inspired to study better to achieve my dreams. And when that time comes, my family will also be one fulfillment of the program’s thrust that ‘Kayang-kaya ng Pinoy tumawid tungo sa kaunlaran!” she added.

She received a certificate of recognition and a cash prize awarded by DSWD Regional Director Remia T. Tapispisan and other members of the Regional Sub-Committee for the Welfare of Children or RSCWC.

Tattao, together with the 2nd and 3rd place winners namely Maera Cosep of Ambaguio, Nueva Vizcaya and Ainjel Aycees Juvenal of Aglipay, Quirino, will join the National Children’s Congress in Manila later this month.

The contestants are judged according to their Talino at Talas ng Isip (Wit and Intelligence), Talento (Talent), Pakikilahok sa Komunidad at Eskwela (Community and School Participation) and Tindig at Pormang Exemplary (Presence and Appearance).

The Search is done annually by the Department of Social Welfare and Development in order to recognize children beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program who set excellent examples in their households, schools and in their community. Consequently, they will also play an important role in advocating the department’s thrusts especially of the Pantawid Pamilya.

Pantawid Pamilya is a human development and rights-based program of the national government and is being implemented by DSWD. The program invests in the health and education of poor Filipino children aged 0-18 years old by providing cash grants in exchange of compliance to certain conditionalities.

For region 02, there are 97, 708 household beneficiaries covered in the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya. ###By MARICEL B. ASEJO, Information Officer II- Pantawid Pamilya