“Napamahal na sa akin ang programa, bahagi na sa pang-araw-araw na buhay ko (I have learned to love the program and it has already been part of my everyday life),” said Maritess Jovellano, 47, a Pantawid Pamilya Parent Leader in Dagupan City, Pangasinan but is no longer qualified as a beneficiary (NQB) since her youngest, Julie Pearl, 18, already finished high school last 2013.
Maritess was a Parent Leader since she was included in the program four years ago. For a very long time, she considered Pantawid Pamilya as part of her daily routine as she always monitored her members. This was how she also gained self confidence and learned how to socialize.
NQB is NQV (Now Qualified Volunteer)
She volunteers to continue her duties and responsibilities as a parent leader but not because of future cash grants to receive. She believes that she can still guide her members to be compliant to the Program conditionalities.
Her members are still pushing her to be their Parent Leader because they are inspired by the way she leads them and her activeness and passion to the Program.
According to her, she loves to listen to Family Development Sessions (FDS) because she gains new knowledge so she still keeps on attending. “Marami po akong natututunan sa FDS na maaring gamitin sa pang-araw-araw na buhay ko, na siyang nagdadala sa akin sa pagiging mabuting mamamayan (I learn so many things in the FDS that I can apply in our everyday life, directing us to become better citizens),” she said.
Prolonging the contentment and pride
Maritess gratefully uttered, “Hindi na kami umaasa pa sa Pantawid Pamilya pero pursigido kami na iangat ang kalagayan ng aming pamilya at dahil sa tulong ng Programa, nakapagtapos na ng high school ang bunso ko (We are no longer dependent to the program, but we are determined to uplift our family’s condition and because of Pantawid Pamilya, my youngest child was able to finish high school).”
She is currently working as a Job Order Employee at the Dagupan City Hall for one year and 4 months now while her husband, Louie, 48, is a tricycle driver. All their five children are high school graduates who have their own work now except the youngest.
“Sa gabay ng Diyos, kami ay nagtutulungan. Naniniwala ako na makakaahon kami sa hirap dahil tinuruan kami ng Pantawid Pamilya magkaroon ng tiwala sa sarili at maging responsable sa aming maliit na paraan. Makikiisa ako sa implementasyon ng Programa hangga’t makakaya ko pa (We help each other with the guidance of the Lord. I believe that we will get out of poverty because Pantawid Pamilya taught us how to become self reliant and responsible in our own little ways. I will extend my assistance to the Program implementation as long as I can,” Maritess asserted. (by: Jaesem Ryan A. Gaces, Information Officer II/Pantawid Pamilya)
