The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program at the DSWD Field Office XI annually acknowledges its Top Parent Leaders. Reflecting on the previous year, as the 4Ps celebrated its 15th anniversary, one particularly remarkable tale emerged – the inspiring story of Mrs. Modesta E. Sabanto, a dedicated 4Ps Parent Leader hailing from Barangay Matina Aplaya of Talomo B Sub-District.

Modesta, a 54-year-old housewife, has manifested her leadership skills and humble traits as one of the Parent Leaders in the 4Ps in Davao City. Furthermore, her participation in non-governmental organizations and Government offices enhanced her ability to lead whenever her skills are needed without expecting any return.

As a mother with six (6) children, she has been noted for her leadership skills even though she had a mild stroke in 1999. The effect of this health condition can be seen in her slightly uneven lips/mouth. However, with God’s blessings, this condition has been minimized and, sometimes, could not be that visible. Her health condition at that time has not hindered her from doing her tasks as a family-oriented woman and a community leader.

All her children have realized the importance of their studies and aim for the completion of their secondary education. Two of them have continued their studies in college despite their limited resources. Her daughter, Riza Mae Escobal Sabanto, is an academic scholar at CCSA with a 75% discount on her tuition fees. The basis of this is also the child’s 94% grade and a 2nd-year college student. Another son, Dennis Escobal Sabanto has continued his studies as a first-year college student at Cebu University. The two younger daughters (April Joy and Liezel Ann) are now studying as Grade 10 and Grade 8 students, respectively. The two oldest brothers are High School graduates and help with the family’s daily needs and their siblings’ educational expenses. Mr. Ernesto Sabanto Sr. also supports her wife’s volunteering tasks

Mrs. Sabanto also became an active Parent Board of Trustee (BOT) of the Hugpong sa Kalambuan- Dabaw Inc. HKDI) was affiliated with the World Vision Philippines in 2000 until the project ended. She served the said office as a Volunteer with no remuneration since one of her children is a sponsored child in the program on education. As a BOT of HKDI, she was chosen to be their secretary whose documentation skills were enhanced, including crafting a Board Resolution for the project’s implementation of services. Her position entailed participating in varied Training in Davao City and other provinces/regions. The training comprises Leadership and Financial Skills Management vis-à-vis the Training on implementing the Rights of a child.

She also became the Volunteer/Catechist of the Missionaries of Charity in their Barangay, which started when one of their neighbors tried to seek help from her in availing the medical services of the office. Their regular activities involve the weekly Mothers’ Class for Mothers and Sunday classes for the children.

Once again, her constant guidance in protecting the welfare of the children led her to become a Volunteer Leader of Talikala Incorporated. Talikala is a Non-Government Organization that engages in the protection of children and Women’s Rights.

Her being a Parent Leader of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program was stopped for a few months when she gave birth to her child. Still, her co-beneficiary’s request to be Cluster Amber’s Parent Leader made her decide to continue being a Parent Leader. She has continued to do so, especially since she does home visitations whenever she cannot directly contact the beneficiary. This is to ensure the participation/compliance of the Grantees in the program.

Lastly, the Barangay Captain identified her as their Purok Leader, with an initial constituent of 1,886 Households under her leadership before the Covid-19 pandemic, including the Badjaos in their area. This number has increased already even though there was a segregation into three (3) groups now, reaching more than 3,000 households. Being a Purok Leader, she recommended the approval of a Barangay Resolution prohibiting the operation of a Piso Net in their Purok to refrain school-age children from cutting classes that consume so much time playing games on the internet.

It cannot be denied that Mrs. Sabanto is genuinely an active Parent Leader of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and a committed Community Leader, whether with the Government or Non-Government Offices. A role that entails a lot of time for her but does not neglect her family’s welfare, too. One of her main goals is empowering her neighbors and co-beneficiaries in the tasks to be undertaken for the welfare of their respective families and communities. Promoting children’s and women’s rights and implementing it in her family and the community she serves. A feat that she has been doing voluntarily without expecting something in return.

The aspiration to continue being a Community Leader or a Parent Leader is something that she is grateful for since she can be of service to her fellow Pantawid beneficiaries or community residents. She always looks up to protecting their rights and alleviating their welfare through various training and services of the government and non-government offices.

Story by: 4Ps Davao City Operations Office – Talomo B- SubDistrict