To continue the learning process among household beneficiaries despite the community quarantine and absence of face-to-face set up, the Regional Program Management Office initiated the Family Development Session (FDS) from home dubbed as Pantawid Pamilya Komiks by providing easy-to-grasp materials which contain thematic topics with easy-to-follow assignments that can be accomplished in the comfort of the household beneficiaries’ own homes.

For the months of August and September 2021, the household beneficiaries enjoyed reading the Komiks on Budgeting. The household members worked together to finish their task which is to make their own coin banks “alkansya”, a simple application of their learnings on the topic.

Using indigenous and recycled materials, the beneficiaries come up with colorful and unique alkansya coupled with few realizations. Some household beneficiaries in Rosario, La Union expressed their appreciation to the value of saving money especially during this pandemic. According to Criselda De Guzman, “Mag-ipon tayo para hindi mangamba kapag dumating ang matinding pangangailangan (We must save money so that we will not worry in times of extreme need).” Her family made a house-inspired alkansya out of cardboard, eggshells, and coconut husks. She shared that their alkansya serves as an inspiration to the whole family. “Dahil sa bahay alkansyang ito, balang araw ay makapagpatatayo kami ng bahay sa pamamagitan ng sipag at tiyaga (With this house-inspired alkansya, we can build our own house in the future through hard work and patience).”

Meanwhile, Ryan C. Enaje, a Pantawid Pamilya child beneficiary, shared that it is a must to prioritize needs over wants. In his young age, he now understands that his wants as a teenager cannot always be granted because his family must prioritize their daily needs to make it through the day. (by: Jaesem Ryan A. Gaces, Information Officer II / Pantawid Pamilya)