The couple, Ailene, 45, and Edgardo, 48, both from Barangay Langgao Cabucgayan in Biliran, have three children. Gladys Mae is 24 years old, Harold is 22, and Ailene Joy is 18 years old. Edgardo engages in many jobs such as fishing, fish vending, and driving a motorcycle while Ailene works as a Barangay Health Worker to meet their daily necessities. However, back in the day, their income was insufficient to meet their family’s rising needs, and they have decided that two of their children will no longer attend school.
Providing the chance for children’s education
When the family became a beneficiary of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), it helped guarantee that their children continued their education. It was no longer a problem for the couple to supply the school needs of their children because of the cash grants they received from the program.
Livelihood intervention
The couple was also grateful for the livelihood intervention to their family; Ailene was able to be a recipient of the Sustainable Livelihood Program of the DSWD. The livelihood of rice and agriculture reselling has been a big help to Ailene because she uses it to earn extra income until this present.
Maximizing the opportunity to learn from FDS for the children’s well-being
Ailene actively engages in community activities as one of the Parent Leaders in their locality. She is also thankful since she used what she learned from attending family development sessions for her children’s upbringing.
Triumphs in the family
Now, Ailene and Edgardo produced two college graduates. Gladys Mae is currently working as a public school teacher, and Harold graduated as Magna Cum Laude and is now working at the Philippine Statistics Authority.
Harold shared that he is a witness of the hard work and sacrifice of her parents so that they will finish their education. He is forever indebted to the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) that helped them as augmentation support to sustain their needs at school and at home.
Harold mentioned, Harold mentioned, “Bilang isang miyembro ng 4Ps napakalaki ang naging tulong nito sa aking pamilya. Dahil isa ito sa naging alalay upang makapag aral kami ng aking kapatid..
Dahil sa [tulong ng] programa ang panganay kong kapatid ay isa ng Guro na nagtuturo ngayon dito sa aming barangay. Sa kasalukuyan noong May 2024 Result ng LET Exam ay isa ako sa mga pinalad na nakapasa. At minimithi ko ngayon ang makapag turo sa Paaralan. Sa ngayon ako ay nagtatrabaho bilang isang Enumerator sa Community Based Monitoring System (CBMS).”
Meanwhile, Ailene Joy, the youngest, is now a college student.Ailene and Edgardo believed that with their continued perseverance and help from their elder children, Ailene Joy would be able to graduate from college.
The Rosete family has exited from the program in the year 2022. The family expressed gratitude for the transformation brought by the program to their family. During their most trying times, the 4Ps was one of the government’s programs that assisted them until they could stand on their own feet.
(credits: DSWD 4Ps ML Maricar Riza Gaviola)
