Mangatarem: A family in Barangay Pampano, Mangatarem, Pangasinan, a former Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiary, is now paying back the community in their own ways. The parents of the de Vera family, who were once struggling financially to support the children’s schooling and their basic needs, now have their own house and are active members of the community. Three of their children are now working as teachers and security guard, respectively, and the last sibling is among the representatives of the youth in their village.
According to Philippines News Agency, part of their giving back to the community is the establishment of a mini-pantry and the conduct of gift-giving activity for students in need, as stated by the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 1- Ilocos Region (DSWD-FO1). The family graduated from the program this year.
‘Balang araw, kami naman ang tutulong sa iba. Hindi kami magiging 4Ps habambuhay (Someday, we would also be able to help others. We will not be 4Ps members forever),’ couple Ernesto and Marilyn de Vera said. Prior to being 4Ps members, the couple recalled their inability to make ends meet despite their hard work.
Ernesto is a farmer, while Marilyn used to work as a laundrywoman and vegetable seller. Both of them were struggling to pay off their hefty loans while providing for their family’s needs, including children’s schooling. ‘Marami pong pagkakataon noon na pumasok sa paaralan ang aking mga anak na walang baon o pamasahe. Ang mapagtapos sila ng pag-aaral ay parang pangarap na napakalayong maabot (Many times in the past that our children would go to school without school money or even transportation allowance. Sending them to school and finishing their studies was a dream seemed out of reach),’ Marilyn said.
In 2009, they became part of the 4Ps household beneficiaries, and their children, Ernie, Jennifer, Elmer, and Princess, were able to have enough budget for their education with the cash grants. The family said the monthly Family Development Session (FDS) has also helped them as it taught them the importance of education, health, family planning, disaster preparedness, and financial literacy.
The family’s patriarch was also a beneficiary of the DSWD FO1 Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) for Quail Egg Production in 2020, which became an additional livelihood to the family. Jennifer and Elmer are now both licensed teachers, working at Pampano Elementary School and Cabaruan Elementary School, respectively. Both have a Master’s degree in School Administration and are taking up their doctorate. Ernie works as a security guard while Princess is an honor student in her school.
The family is just among the 92,490 household beneficiaries that graduated from the program in the Ilocos Region as of Oct. 6 this year. Of the total number, 7,204 are in Ilocos Norte, 12,862 in Ilocos Sur, 11,333 in La Union, and 61,091 in Pangasinan. “Ang 4Ps ay pantawid lamang, hindi panghabangbuhay. Itinatawid lamang kayo ng pamahalaan sa oras ng inyong pangangailangan (4Ps is just a bridging program and it is not for a lifetime. The government is just assisting you in your times of need),” DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said in a statement.
