Volunteerism is a word that every individual understands. We know exactly the true meaning of this word. We can actually explicate and elaborate it further. We are so great in defining such word, situating fancy or impressive verses. Yet, do we really understand its meaning? And if we do, will we be able to put into realization the meaning it suggests? Why is it so hard for us to accomplish such thing if we really understand it?

 I am EDUARDO C. TUTAAN JR., Municipal Day Care Worker of Diadi, Nueva Vizcaya. I have been the MDCW of Balete Day Care Center and Bugnay Day Care Center for almost two (2) years.

 In my two years of offering my time, knowledge, skills and patience to the children who became my pupils through the supervision of the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office; happiness or satisfaction seems to be quite missing in this scrupulous field of specialization, although I must admit that teaching and caring for those innocent minds is one of my passion.

 I have always love being a role model, an educator, a second parent for the young children. However, I’m still searching for something that I do not have right now as a Municipal Day Care Worker, I want to feel something that I’ve been longing to feel. I want to feel fulfillment for what I am doing. I want to be satisfied.

When the Municipal Link of Diadi, Nueva Vizcaya, conducted the second wave for the administration of Social Welfare Indicator (SWI) of Pantawid Beneficiaries, I presented myself and offered a helping hand to Mac Pau. I volunteered myself. It is already summer anyway so it will not cause any conflict with my job as a MDCW.

 The Municipal Link was so thankful when I volunteered. He then gave me orientations and instructions regarding the administration of SWI. Fortunately, I did not encounter any difficulties in understanding the content of the SWI form since most of it are health-related.

 We walked kilometers from one house to another. We talked with the Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries. The elation we feel upon seeing the smile in each beneficiary’s face overpowered the scorching heat of the sun. What made our hearts jumped in joy was when everytime the beneficiaries express how the program brought positive changes in their lives. And there, in those precious moments, a feeling unknown to me slowly reigned in my veins. I began to feel proud of what I am doing. I felt satisfaction – into a different kind of hype that I have never felt in my whole life.

 I feel so fulfilled and euphoric for taking part in the implementationof Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program in Diadi, Nueva Vizcaya. Extending services to people who are in need, even in just a simple way is already a big achievement that I can be proud of.

 I volunteered. It really felt great. I will continue to be a tool to uplift the lives of our poor fellows. I will pull them from the quagmire of poverty. And no, I will not stop. No. Never. I have just begun.### MAC PAUL V. ALARIAO, Municipal Link/Diadi, Nueva Vizcaya, (MBA, FO2 SMU)

Mrs. Zessane Dawang, a Day Care Worker, is an epitome of a dedicated public servant.

Community organizing is a wide-ranging job. Not just actually a job, but a life as well. Hence, to fully appreciate its nature, there is a need to maximize engagement with different people and amalgamate them to go into one direction. This becomes easier when there are people who are ready and ever willing to share themselves to make dreams come true.

This I further realized when I met Mrs. Zessane Dawang, a resident and the permanent day care worker of Brgy. San Pugo, Nagtipunan, Quirino. Mrs. Dawang has been an active partner in implementing Pantawid Pamilya in the municipality. She attends to the needs of the beneficiaries in Brgy. San Pugo. As one of the trusted person in their barangay, beneficiaries see her whenever they are in doubt or have questions. They seek her help and she is ready and willing to answer it.

According to parent leader Nora Dawang, they were assisted by Mrs. Zessane in preparing their documents during the community assembly which resulted in a 100% registration of beneficiaries in the barangay. Up to now, she provides technical assistance and models like a parent leader to the beneficiaries. She attends payout and assists them in filling up documents.

She was motivated to help the beneficiaries because she had seen them in need of her help. “Madami kasi sa kanila ang ‘di nakapag-aral. Naawa din ako sa kanila, kasi yung iba nahihiya pa at ako na yung nilalapitan nila noon pa. Pero gusto ko talaga silang tulungan. Mababait naman sila at masunurin” (A lot of them were not able to attend school. I pity them too because they are not yet that empowered. But, I am more than willing to help. They are kind and obedient, too) said Mrs. Dawang. “Gusto ko din silang makitang umangat sa pamumuhay nila ngayon” (I wanted to see them soon uplifted from their present economic and social condition) she added.

As the municipal link in the area, I am very glad and thankful for her active involvement in the project implementation. Their place is very far from the center of the municipality, yet distance is not a hindrance for her to be an active partner.

 Now, she is also a committed resource person who conducts Family Development Sessions in the area. In spite of her responsibilities as a mother and a day care worker, she is happy to serve her fellow.

 Indeed, she is an embodiment of a public servant whose ideal is service beyond service. By ARVIN T. LONGCOP-Municipal Link of Nagtipunan, Quirino

No gain, no pain!

This is the battle cry of the Project Development Officers who wish to achieve their goals in organizing beneficiaries for Self Employment Assistance-Kaunlaran Associations.

The Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) of the DSWD FO2 had reached the remotest barangay of the Municipality of San Mariano, Isabela, one of the Set 1 areas of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. This is the barangay of DICAMAY. It is 60 kilometers away from its town proper, a 6-hour trip.

Fearless, we went there. Highly motivated and brave enough to face whatever challenges that will come along the way. Just to recall, the municipality of San Mariano has the most number of Insurgency cases in Region 02 and, inspite of the dangers and risks inherent of its geographical location and the insurgency cases being one of the problems faced by the people and the field officers visiting the area, it is a mountainous first class municipality of Isabela, covering 90 percent of its mountainous barangays.

Given these risks, the PDOs of the Livelihood Program conquered their fears in traversing these mountainous, agricultural and forested areas, totaling 36 barangays including Dicamay, the remotest among them. We visited it during the cold weather of December, 2012.

There was no available 6X6 truck at that time, so we boarded an ordinary bus via Cauayan City. True enough, at around 7PM, we were stranded on our way due to the sticky, muddy, clay-type road. According to my seatmate, a Pantawid beneficiary, there was a heavy rain the previous night. It was good to know that the bus drivers, conductors and the male passengers helped each other by putting a thick rope in front of the bus and patiently pulled-up the bus. We, along with all the other passengers had to walk for 30 minutes to reach a safe part of the road.

The whole trip was through a muddy mountain, with its rough roads if there is any, that causes the “ups and downs” of the trip. Going up was indescribable. It was like a roller-coaster. And surprisingly, we thought the hues changed into three colors from then on: something white when we look at the sky above, something green because of the forest we were passing through and something brown because of the sticky roads of the farmlands we pass by. It was dark when we arrived at the barangay proper at 9:30 PM. Immediately, we proceeded to the house of the barangay captain for courtesy Call.

The next day, when we reached the Barangay Hall, the Pantawid beneficiaries were already there and gave us a very warm welcome. This showed their willingness and interest to join the Livelihood program that will soon improve their lives.

We conducted Community Driven Enterprise Development (CDED) Training and Self-Employment Assistance Kaunlaran (SEA-K) Training to 152 Pantawid beneficiaries. The participants actively listened and participated during the sessions. There were so much queries during the discussion and that was a good gesture because it showed their interest to the program.

Successfully, we were able to organized 4 SKAs namely: Southern Hills (20 members), Green Harvest (15), Kingsville (28) and Highlander (25) with a total of 88 beneficiaries. Most of them will invest into corn production since most of the beneficiaries are farmers; they said this will relieve them from the burdens of the high interest rates (20-25% per cropping) that they are paying to the Financer/traders.

This visit has proven our commitment to the agency where we belong and to the community that we serve. And the realization that through God, the Creator, we can reach the beneficiaries, whatever it takes! It also proved that no matter how difficult things are, if you do your best, God will do the rest.

The actors who went to this area were Ms. Katylin A. Cauilan and Mr. Jerome Verzosa, Project Development Officers of the SLP Unit, through the full support of its Unit Head, Ms. Nena T. Mayo, PDO-III. ###By: Katylin A. Cauilan, PDO II, San Mariano, Isabela

###

The municipality of Naguilian in the province of Isabela is home to 1, 119 beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. Since the program landed on their tranquil and modest municipality, positive changes can be seen.

Yes, the program aims to break the intergeneration cycle of poverty, so it invests in the health and education of poor Filipino children aged 0-14 years old. Records show that there is an impressive compliance of the beneficiaries to the conditionalities of the program involving health and education.

Despite financial constraints, Pantawid Pamilya children continue to persevere in their studies. Thanks to the P500 amount of cash grant they received monthly. They may have young and innocent minds, but they greatly understand the importance of education. These children know very well that poverty cannot stop anyone from reaching his dreams and aspirations, and this is what the children of Mrs. Mary Grace Adriano strongly believe in.

 LITTLE MINDS, BIG DREAMS

“Dahil sa Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, ang aking tatlong anak ay lalong matiyagang pumapasok at ngaaral ng mabuti,” quipped Aling Grace.

The Adriano Family lives in Brgy. Quirino, in Naguillian, Isabela. She said that the program is really a big help in augmenting the needs of her children in school. Because one of the conditionlaities of the program is that children aged 6-14 must be enrolled in elementary and high school and must have an 85% of attendance, her three cuddly and smart children never fail to come to class.

But she said that it is not only for the sake of compliance that her children are attending their classes regularly, but because they have dreams, big dreams that someday they maybe a teacher, a doctor, and perhaps, even an engineer.

Yet greater that to be a professional someday is their dreams that somehow, they will rise from the ground and have a taste of comfort – something better that what they have now.

“Ito ay patunay na kahit mahirap kami, ang kahirapan ay hindi hadlang sa mga munting pangarap ng aking mga anak. Mga munting pangarap  na alam kong makakamit nila dahil sila mismo ang susi sa mga ito. Lalo na ngayon at kabilang kami sa programang Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program ng DSWD,” she continued.

Aling Grace also added that the program, through the Family Development Sessions, have helped them to be more responsible parents. They continue to nurture and support their children in the realization of their aspirations.

LOVING FATHER, GRATEFUL BENEFICIARY

Another beneficiary who is very thankful to the program is Tito Pabro, 49 years old, and lives in Barangay Magsaysay, also in the municipality of Naguillian. Mang Tito just has lot of “thank you” words to say that he needed to put it in a letter.

“Hindi sapat ang salitang ”salamat” sa programang ito na kahit sa maliit na halaga ay napakalaking halaga nito sa akin. Malaki man o maliit ang halagang ito ay napapagaan na ang aking pamilya. Bukal sa aking puso ang pasasalamat sa Diyos dahil ito ay sagot na biyaya na aking pinapanalangin lagi at sa pamahalaan, at sa mga taong nasa likod ng programang ito. Napagaan ang buhay namin sa tulong ng Pantawid Program,” he wrote at the start of his letter.

Mang Tito is a widower, and lives with his daughter Roselyn, 7 years old, who studies at Namay Elementary School. Since her wife died, he assumed the responsibility of being both a mother and a father.

Bilang isang ama na nag-iisang bumubuhay sa aking mga anak ay masasabi kong mahirap, ito ay dahil wala akong katuwang sa buhay na magalaga sa mga anak ko at magluto kapag ako ay wala sa bahay upang kumayod para sa aming mga anak,” Mang Tito shared.

                He works as a tenant farmer in a vast ricefield. He also earns extra income as a Construction Worker. But still, Mang Tito finds it very difficult. His salary is not enough to sustain the needs of his family.

                 “Kala ko noon ay wala nang tutulong samin, laking tuwa ko at napili kami na mapabilang sa Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program,” soon a smile lit on Mang Tito’s face.

“Napagaan ang buhay namin sa tulong ng Pantawid. Sa pag-aaral ng mga anak ko lalo na pagdating sa mga bayarin sa paaralan, mga kagamitan na kailangan nila na minsan ko lang sila nabibilhan noon,” shared a very happy Mang Tito. He also said that now, they can buy viands of pork and chicken.

Mang Tito is truly a father his children can be proud of. Being a mother and a father at the same time is not easy, but surely is rewarding, especially when you do it for the ones you love — your children.

Mang Tito ended, “Lahat ay kinakaya ko para sa aking mga anak dahil sila ay mahal ko.”

                For Aling Grace and Mang Tito, poverty is but a word. It may strike fears and desperateness to others, it may kill someone’s hopes but it will not reign over a parent’s overflowing love for his children. ###By MICHELLE TURO, Municipal Link/Naguillian, Isabela

In photo: A representative of GreenMeadow Foundation Inc., one of the CSOs partner of DSWD in the implementation of MCCT, discusses about their accomplishments.

With the aim to review accomplishments, define issues and problems encountered in the implementation of Modified Conditional Cash Transfer, the DSWD Field Office 02 led by Director Violeta A. Cruz conducted its 1^st quarterly meeting with the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) at Hotel Carmelita, Tuguegarao City on May 7, 2013.

Salient discussions were tackled during the meeting which highlighted on the 1^st quarter accomplishment reports of the two partner CSOs in the implementation of MCCT namely the Green Meadow Development Foundation Inc. (GMDFI) and Pangkaunlaran Development Association Inc. (PDAI).

The two CSOs were represented by their Case Workers, Family Welfare Assistants, Psychologists, MCCT CSO team leader, Board of Trustees President and their MCCT Focal Person.

“Meetings like this are very essential to thresh out problems arising in the implementation of the program, and eventually find solutions to resolve such. This is also an avenue for us to further strengthen our ties with our partners,” said Sharlyn Altavano, the Focal Person of MCCT for Field Office o2.

Also, the two partner CSOs expressed their happiness to take part in the implementation of MCCT. They said that the program has sustained the existence and operations of their organization, aside from they are given the chance to transform live of other people and not just their regular clientele.

Presently, there are a total of 100 household beneficiaries for the DSWD-Run MCCT. For CSO-Run MCCT, there is a total of 1, 231 household beneficiaries: 763 for PDAI and 468 for GMDFI respectively.

Meanwhile, the conditions of the MCCT are similar with the Pantawid Pamilya like the attendance to Family Development Sessions, attendance to Alternat

In photo: Happy family! The Alvarez family with Diane during one of

their vacation trips in Ilocos Province.

Being a foster parent is not easy, but making a difference in a child’s life brings a wonderful, rewarding, life-changing experience in our family.

It was October 2011 when Diane arrived to our family through the program of DSWD’s Reception and Study Center for Children (RSCC) to temporarily place all children of said center to foster homes for them to experience the spirit of Christmas season with a family.

That day when Diane came to our home, she was very silent, she does not want to talk to anybody. But after a week, Diane showed some changes in her behavior, she started to socialize to every member of the family.

After a month, Diane became closer to his Kuya Elyon, my ten-year old biological son. She had already revealed her sweet side. She was extremely caring especially to his Kuya Elyon. How we love to see them bonding with each other especially when they played games and watch their favorite cartoons in the television.

Progressively, Diane learned to trust us, and our unconditional love has helped her to deal with her shyness and adapt easily to her new environment. This child has sparked our interest and sounded like someone we were willing to take care and become part of our family.

Undeniably, I jumped for joy and my heart fells when we heard Diane started calling us Mommy and Daddy for the first time. From then on, I devoted much time and interest to her and even treated her as my very own child.

Indeed, our family was not the same when Diane poured joy and happiness to our lives. She filled that “emptiness” in our home especially that I and Warner wanted to have a daughter.

Watching Diane gradually adjusted to her new found home and family, my husband Warner, Elyon and I had decided to expand our family by eventually adopting Diane and to be legally part of our family.

I could never imagine having Diane in our life only for a months and end up having to give her back to the center. I and Warner had thought that it would be hard on such a fragile and innocent child after having been adjusted with the love and care of a family to bring her back to her old life.

We have been foster parents for Diane for almost two years now, and the entire experience has been fulfilling, knowing that we had made a difference in Diane’s life.

Indeed, fostering is not necessarily easy, but extremely rewarding.  You have to work on building trust with the child, be honest, and be supportive. For a child like Diane, it involves a commitment to giving a child consistent love, support and understanding, and helping the child through a tremendously difficult time.

As a foster parent, Warner and I had experienced the deep fulfillment knowing that we had provided a needed home for a sweet childlike Diane, we provided the care crucial for a child to grow and develop with a family; we had shared our family’s love unconditionally because we both believe that every child deserves a family.

Just like any other children out there who are longing for the love and attention of real parents, Diane had always dreamt of having a real family, thus, we are now making her dreams come true. Soon, our adoption papers will be finalized, Diane will become part of our family forever. ### (Narration written by Angely Lubo-Mercado, DSWD Regional Information Officer)

__________

Mr. Warner Alvarez and Mrs. Karen Alvarez are the foster parents of Diane for almost 2 years now and now in the process of adopting Diane to be legally part of their family. Mr. and Mrs. Alvarez are both working in the Commission on Audit (COA) Regional Office 02.  

(Ang liham na ito ay sinulat ni Ginang Maricel L. Baddu, isang benepisyaryo ng Pantawid Pamilya mula sa Sanchez Mira, Cagayan)

Maligayang bati po sa inyong lahat !!!

Nais ko pong ibahagi ang pagbabagong naganap sa buhay ko at ng pamilya ko simula ng tumanggap ako ng tulong mula sa programa ng ating mahal na pangulo ang Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program sa ahensya ng Department of Social Welfare & Development.

Noon, isa lamang akong simpleng may bahay, taga-laba, taga-luto, taga-linis at taga alaga sa anim naming anak at sa aking asawa na isang magbubukid. Ako’y hinahamak, kinukutya, nilalait dahil mababa lang ang aking pinag-aralan, tinatawag na tanga at kung anu-ano pang mga masasakit na salita pero nanatili akong mapagpakumbaba. Sa halip, sumasama ako sa bukid para magtanim at mag-ani ng palay, gumagawa ng walis tingting at naghuhugas ako ng mga bote at kahit napakahirap nagtitiis ako, umaasa, dumadalangin na sana balang araw buksan ng Diyos ang bintana at pintuan ng langit para sa amin, para sa kinabukasan ng aking mga anak para hindi sila matulad sa akin; at salamat sa kanya dininig nya ang aming dasal at mga hiling.

Noong December 9, 2011, natanggap ko ang panunumpa at kumpirmado na isa akong benepisyaryo ng Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, napatalon ako sa tuwa. Inisip at ipinagdasal ko sa Diyos na gabayan at ituro sa akin kung ano ang dapat gawin. Sa awa ng Diyos, June 8, 2012, grumadweyt ako ng High School sa pamamagitan ng Alternative Learning System o ALS, sa pangangasiwa ng butihing ina ng aming bayan, si Gng. Asela B. Sacramed. Pangalawa ako sa 22 na pumasa sa aming bayan.

At kasunod nito, dahil sa masipag naming Mayor Napoleon Sacramed at sa tulong at suporta ng anak nila na si Major Darwin Sacramed at ng LGU Sanchez Mira, sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon nagkaroon ng TESDA sa aming bayan. I grab the opportunity, I ENROLLED, ASSEST, GRADUATE AND CERTIFY sa kurso na COMMERCIAL COOKING NCII, now thanks God, I’m employed. Kahit hindi pa kalakihan ang kita, at least nakakatulong ako kahit papano sa gastusin ng aming pamilya lalo na sa mga anak naming nag-aaral at higit sa lahat may diploma ako at nagkaroon na rin ako ng konting tiwala sa sarili ko.

Sa susunod na mga araw, buwan at taon, nananalig ako na may bukas pa na puno ng pag-asa sa pamamagitan ng tamang desisyon at paggabay, pagkakaisa at pagmamahal ng bawat isa sa pamilya mababago rin ang buhay ng aking mga anak tungo sa magandang bukas. Kasama kami ng pamilya ko na nananalangin at nagsasabing “KAYA NG PINOY TUMAWID SA KAUNLARAN”.

Paalala ko lang sa mga tulad kong kapus-palad, huwag mawalan ng pag-asa at kung tayo ay tutulungan ng pamahalaan o sinumang may mabubuting kalooban, huwag tayong umabuso, gawin nating sundin ang lahat ng alituntunin at payo ng mga namumuno sa atin dahil ang lahat ng ito ay para sa ikabubuti natin. Higit sa lahat, gamitin ang tulong sa atin para sa ikabubuti rin natin.

Napakalaki ang naitutulong ng programang ito. Lubos akong nagpapasalamat at napabilang ako bilang isang benepisyaryo. Salamat sa inyo. At hihit sa lahat, salamat sa Diyos! ### MARICEL L. BADDU, 35 yrs. old/ Pantawid Beneficiary from Sanchez Mira, Cagayan (written on April 12, 2013)

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