Sanchez Mira, Cagayan—Barangay Santiago is one of the interior barangays of Sanchez Mira, Cagayan. It is located on a hilly area around 30 feet above sea level and surrounded by vast agricultural lands. It is around 5 kilometers away from the national highway. The road going to it is muddy and slippery during rainy season. Stony and dusty during dry season. There’s no electricity in this place because of its location and economic status.

During the World War II, most of its people migrated to its neighboring barangays and preferred to stay on their relatives. After this  unforgettable event that happened, only few of its people decided to come back to their humble barangay.

Based on the census, it revealed that Barangay Santiago has a total of 108 households with a population of 328. There are 187 males and 141 females. Most of the residents are farmers and tenants. Therefore, the primary household source of income is farming and hunting. According to them, farming in their place is like gambling. If there is strong rain their area easily gets flood.

Due to this, they failed to harvest their plants. It is also causes considerable damages to their houses and other properties hence making life difficult for them. It is seldom that they have a good production. Selling of rattan is the secondary source of income. Some of them are animal raisers, tricycle drivers and handful is businessman. The transportation of their products is very difficult because of their unfinished rocky roads. Some used their “kuliglig” or tractor as their means of transportation. Most prefer to walk carrying their products like vegetables and barter it on the public market.

The residents are hard-working yet unchallenging people. They are already satisfied with what they have. Eating three times a day is already enough for them. Planning for the future of their families is not so apparent.

Days gone by, these attitudes progressively changed. Now that the summertime is over and the rainy days as well as the typhoon season are here once again, it is anticipated that number of people would flock at the LGU and ask for assistance, but this was proven wrong.

According to their barangay captain, the number of people from barangay Santiago asking for assistance has lessened. It was noted that such changes happened after the birth of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program in their barangay. The Pantawid Pamilya is a poverty alleviation program of the national government that aims to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty of poor households by investing in human capital such as health, nutrition and education of Filipino children aged 0-14.

Positive attitudes and meaningful conduct is noticeable in the beneficiaries. Now they believe and come to realize that it is better if they spend their time prolifically. Thus, superfluous activities in the community have diminished. The residents enjoy planting vegetables in the backyard. This was made a day to day activity in every household. For those recipients who do not have enough space in their backyard, they have utilized the roadsides which beautify the road.

The beneficiaries also established “Gulayan sa Paaralan” through the leadership of their parent leader. The barangay officials devoted full support and provided vacant lots in the barangay for a communal garden. Now, their family enjoys fresh and nutritious vegetables during their meals. Others also hoist business like putting up a small store. Such is like putting money in the bank for it brings additional income to their family at the right time. Another meaningful change was that before, the constituents only worked for their family’s interest but when the Pantawid Pamilya was implemented they began to go out of their way to work with the other members of the community thus enliven the spirit of ‘bayanihan’ among them.

There was even a time that the beneficiaries happily initiating clean and green program in their barangay. According to them, this is not supposed to happen only during fiesta or any significant occasion. This is how they show their concern to the community as well as their way of expressing their gratitude to the government. Now a number of beneficiaries engage in volunteer work. This has motivated other residents particularly the non-beneficiaries to replicate their efforts. Through the program, the beneficiaries became more cognizant of their responsibility as parents.

For one thing, Barangay Health Stations already exist yet only a few of the residents visit the center. Usually BHWs are having a hard time convincing the residents to have their health check-ups. They even have to go house to house just to weigh and deworm children. Yet now, BHWs no longer have to force the recipients.

Children on the other hand, learned to value education hence are now regularly attending school. Before, they would rather help their parents earn a living instead of going to school. Now, they no longer have any reason not to attend their classes because the government provides them with grant which augments their family income. Their family could even save part of their daily earnings for their other needs.

The birth of the Pantawid Pamilya Program is really a great help on them. Parents are now starting to weave dreams for their  children and are now aware that it could only be realized through proper education. ### By: JOEFREY D. CACATIAN, Teacher- In-Charge/ Santiago Elementary School, Sanchez Mira, Cagayan