Amidst the threat of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), some 4Ps beneficiaries choose not to stay home to serve the community in their own simple initiatives while still observing precautionary measures to protect themselves from being infected.
Roselle Fernandez (in pink) together with her fellow Parent Leaders harvests fresh produce in their vegetable garden, packs them, and delivers them to their co-beneficiaries.
“Mayaman man o mahirap, matuto tayong tumulong sa kahit anong paraan dahil apektado tayong lahat. Ito ang aming munting ambag para matulungang maitaguyod ang kanilang pamilya sa panahon ng krisis na ito (Rich or poor, we must learn to help in our own little way because we are all affected. This is our humble contribution in helping our fellow beneficiaries to sustain their family during this crisis),”said Roselle Fernandez, Parent Leader and President of Brgy. Leon Angat Leonisians Group in Balungao, Pangasinan.
The group decided to bring half to one kilo of fresh string beans and eggplants to the doorsteps of 20 beneficiaries under survival level of well-being as the priority. “Sa pamamagitan ng aming Family Development Session, naturuan kami ng pagtatanim ng mga gulay. Ngayong kami ay nabiyayaan ng sariwang mga ani, naisip naming ibahagi ito sa mga nangangailangan naming mga kapwa benepisyaryo (Through our Family Development Session, we were taught of growing vegetable garden. Now that we are blessed with fresh produce, we thought of sharing these to our fellow beneficiaries who are in need),”Roselle added.
Meanwhile, Parent Leaders of Caba, La Union volunteered themselves to extend help to the local government unit in distributing relief goods to other residents. Parent Leader Jacquelyn A. Henson uttered, “Habang naka quarantine na ang ilan sa aming mga opisyal sa barangay, naisipan naming magboluntaryo kasi nangangailangan ng
tulong ang aming barangay ng mga taong maghahatid ng mga relief good. Bilang mga mamamayan na may malasakit sa kapwa, bukal po sa loob namin ang pagsilbihan ang aming mga kabarangay lalo na sa panahon ng krisis. Ito po ang panahon ng pagtutulungan at pagbabayanihan (Since some of our barangay officials are already under quarantine, we decided to volunteer to assist in the distribution of relief goods in our barangay. As concerned residents, it is our pride to extend our service especially in times of crisis. This is a time to help each other and have cooperative endeavor).” Aside from assisting in the relief distribution, the 4Ps beneficiaries of Caba, La Union are also sewing washable face masks to be given for free in their community.
On the other hand, 11 non Pantawid Pamilya families also received relief goods full of approximately two and a half kilos of rice, one canned sardines, two noodles, three eggs, and vegetables from a group of Parent Leaders in Santa Cruz, Ilocos Sur. The Parent Leaders whole-heartedly contributed cash out of their own pockets and in-kind donations. Their recipients were families with persons with disability members, households with no income, social pensioners living alone, poor families with pregnant woman, former 4Ps households due to no qualified beneficiaries, and extended families of 4Ps beneficiaries. The beneficiaries in Brgy. Villa Garcia, Santa Cruz, Ilocos Sur also delivered free eggs to all non Pantawid Pamilya families in their barangay. They decided to contribute PhP100.00 each from their emergency subsidy from the Social Amelioration Program to buy 25 trays or 750 pieces of eggs.
Just like the beneficiaries in Caba, La Union, Marife Pidot, a 4Ps beneficiary in Pinili, Ilocos Norte (left photo) gave free washable face masks to their community. Anne Marie Castañeda, President of the Masagana Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) Cooperative from Bayambang, Pangasinan (right photo) shared that their organization never ceases to produce washable face masks because they believe that their simple effort can save lives. These acts are manifestations that compassion, unity, and discipline make us live and get through this crisis. (by: Jaesem Ryan A. Gaces, Information Officer II/Pantawid Pamilya)
