“Don’t be content to be just an audience member; be a performer. Wag mong hayaan na ikaw ang laging pumapalakpak, hayaan mo rin na ikaw naman ang pinapalakpakan. At the end of a bumpy road, there is success.”

These are the words of a former Child beneficiary of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and now a degree holder of Bachelor of Science in Office Administration, Khent Dave Carique, of Barangay La Libertad, Santo Tomas, Davao del Norte. 

Life after college was a dream come true for Khent. Despite the challenges of poverty, he didn’t let it hinder his dream of completing his education, when he thought he could never finish it.

There were many challenges to face, but his family became his inspiration to cut the shackles of poverty. “I was also challenged by the government, which expects us, the vulnerable and disadvantaged people, to rise from poverty. This is a challenge for us to show our Diploma, that we completed four years of college and that the money given to us by the government was not wasted, and to be a source of pride for our parents who will see us get good jobs.” Being a 4Ps monitored child, Khent is grateful for the opportunity that the program gave him for his education. 

“The government, through 4Ps, supported us with financial needs by providing us with conditional cash grants every two months. 4Ps gave me hope to push through with my education” said Khent Dave. 

As a “Proud Anak ng 4Ps” and a “Batang 4Ps”, Khent Dave’s degree opened doors of opportunity. It was the key to lifting them out of their situation and he is now thriving as an accountant in a private company. 

This is a testament that determination paired with tangible support from programs of the government can lead to prosperity and social transformations.