“Bago kami naging miyembro ng Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), ang buhay namin ay talagang mahirap. Napakahirap sa tulad kong solo parent ang magtaguyod ng pitong  anak. Ngunit nagbago ang lahat nang kami ay mapabilang sa Pantawid Pamilya. Napagtagumpayan ko ang kahirapan at nakapagtapos ng pag-aaral ang aking mga anak” (Before becoming a Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiary, we were really poor. It is really difficult, especially for a solo parent like me, to support my seven children. But everything changed after our household became a Pantawid Pamilya beneficiary. I have fought and won my battle against poverty and had my children finish their studies).

Being a single parent has never been easy for Rosy Clave. To provide and support her family, she became a street sweeper for nine years in Caloocan and she used to sell breakfast in an LRT station. She supported her seven children by herself after her husband died in 2001.

 “Being a single parent of seven children ay talaga pong napakahirap. Ngunit hindi ko po ito sinukuan. Tinanggap ko po ang hamon ng buhay dahil alam ko po na kasama ko ang Diyos at kaagapay ko ang ating gobyerno” (Being a single parent to seven children is very difficult. But I did not give up. I accepted the challenge of life because I know that God and our government is with me), she shared.

The household of Rosy became one of the beneficiaries of 4Ps in 2013. During the first few months, Rosy had a hard time fulfilling the role of being a member of the program while being a mother and father to her children but she believed that this was a good opportunity for her family. She and her household eventually became one of the most active beneficiaries of the program in their community.

 “Taong 2013 nang ako po ay mapalad na mapabilang sa Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. At hindi ko po sinayang ang pagkakataong iyon. Sinamahan ko po ito ng panalangin, sipag, at tiyaga” (I became a Pantawid Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiary in 2013. I did not waste that opportunity. I embraced it with prayer, diligence, and perseverance), Rosy shared.

Today, Rosy is proud to say that four of her children have graduated from college and the other three are on their way to obtaining their college degrees. All of these became possible with the help of the Pantawid Pamilya.

“Ako po ngayon ay nakatayo sa inyong harapan bilang patotoo na ang ating gobyerno ay may ginagawang tulong para sa kagaya ko na masasabing nasa mababang antas ng lipunan. At ngayon po, ikinagagalak kong ibalita sa inyo na ako po ay nakapagpatapos ng apat anak. Mayroon po akong LET passer at mayroon na po akong (anak na miyembro ng) BFP dito sa ating lungsod. At sa kasalukuyan pa po, ako po ay may tatlo pang anak na nasa kolehiyo” ( I now stand before you as a testimony that our government is doing something to help the vulnerable and marginalized sector of the society. And today, I am happy to inform you that I was able to send my children to school. I now have a child who is a LET (Licensure Examination for Teachers) passer and the other one is now part of the BFP (Bureau of Fire Protection) here in our city. And my other three children are still in college), she narrated.

Aside from the cash grants and other assistance from the program, Family Development Sessions (FDS) are also being conducted. The FDS gave her the opportunity to learn more about spiritual, family, and community development. She learned to adapt and interact with different people and be aware of the problems of their community.

Because of her desire to help and serve other members of the program, Rosy was appointed to become the Parent Leader of her group. To further develop her skills and knowledge, Rosy actively attends monthly meetings with various Parent Leaders of Pantawid Pamilya from different barangays.

Today, Rosy can attest that their standard of living has improved and she now considers her family as successful and self-sufficient, after graduating from the Pantawid Pamilya.

“Bilang isang magulang, responsibilidad ko na palakihin ang aking mga anak ayon sa katuruan ng Biblia. Kasama na rito ang pagbibigay ng kaukulang pisikal at emosyonal na pangangalaga, pagtuturo, disiplina, at ang pagiging halimbawa ng buhay Kristiyano. Salamat sa Panginoon sa pagbibigay ng kalakasan at sa programa ng Pantawid Pamilya na aking naging katuwang sa buhay upang mapag-aaral ko ang aking mga anak at maging matagumpay sa buhay (As a parent, it is my responsibility to raise my children according to the teachings of the bible. This includes providing physical and emotional guidance, teaching, discipline, and being a role model of Christian life. I thank the Lord for giving me the strength and the Pantawid Pamilya program for being able to assist me in my children’s studies and therefore help me succeed in life.), she ended.

Rosy’s family is among the latest batch of 4Ps beneficiaries in the National Capital Region who have crossed over poverty towards self-sufficiency. These 4Ps household-graduates from Caloocan City were assessed to be self-sufficient families based on the latest assessment findings of the Social Welfare Development Indicator (SWDI). The household-graduates were recognized during a simple graduation ceremony in February. They will be provided with aftercare program and services by the Caloocan local government to sustain their self-sufficient status.

Rosy’s family and the rest of the household-graduates serve as living proof that through its various interventions, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has helped improve the lives of the poor and marginalized individuals and families.

Led by the DSWD, 4Ps is the national poverty reduction strategy and a human capital investment program of the Philippine government that invests in the health, nutrition, and education of poor eligible households. ###