Despite the COVID-19 threat, Parent Leaders of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in Caba, La Union volunteer to distribute relief goods from the Local Government Unit (LGU) right at the doorsteps of their neighbors not minding the scorching heat, fatigue, and increased risk of the COVID-19 together with the Barangay Health and Emergency Response Team (BHERT).
4Ps Parent Leaders volunteer to deliver relief goods through house-to-house distribution.
Caba is one of the municipalities in Region 1 with reported positive cases of COVID-19 as early as April 2020. With this, residents were strongly advised to stay home to prevent further spread of the disease.
According to Jacquelyn A. Henson, Barangay San Carlos Parent Leader, “Naisipan naming magboluntaryo kasi nangangailangan ng tulong ang aming barangay ng mga taong magbibigay ng relief goods sa mga kabarangay namin. Ang ilan po sa mga opisyal ng barangay ay naka-quarantine. 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 (We decided to volunteer because the people in our community need relief goods. Some of our barangay officials are under quarantine. It is our duty to serve our countrymen especially in times of crisis. This is a time to help each other and have cooperative endeavor).”
Aside from assisting in the distribution of relief goods, the 4Ps beneficiaries in Caba distributed washable face masks in their community. These face masks are personally sewn by 4Ps members and are given to the community for free.
Ronnie Banayos, Parent Leader of Barangay Las-ud shared, “Sa panahon ngayon, pagtulong sa kapwa ang aming iniisip. Sa munting gawaing ito, alam naming malaki ang maitutulong sa bayan. Tuwing kami ay namamahagi, natatakot din kami para sa aming sarili kasi may mga pamilya rin kami, ngunit ang mapagsilbihan ang mga kasama namin ang inuuna namin (In times like this, our focus is to help others. This small act of kindness contributes a lot to our town. We are also anxious for ourselves whenever we go out and distribute goods because we too have families, but serving others is our priority).”
Parent Leader Ronnie Banayos shows their free washable facemasks that are distributed during pay-out.
Jacquelyn and Ronnie have both called for unity in the government’s goals against COVID-19 and are calling on everyone to pray that we may overcome the challenges and difficulties brought about by the pandemic.
Social responsibility is one of the program’s goals to be inculcated to 4Ps beneficiaries. Through the Family Development Session, 4Ps beneficiaries are edified on the importance of helping others; solidarity and support to the government’s goal; and becoming a responsible citizen of the country. These were manifested from the volunteer acts of the 4Ps Parent Leaders in Caba. (by: Arlem Kenneth R. Areola, PDO II- NGA Focal Person/Pantawid Pamilya)
