How do you make the impossible so possible? How do you give so many things when you have nothing? How can a poor family inspire a society to make a difference now, to rise from great devastation, and to share with others a life that is far better from that of yesterday?

This is a story about Badion Family, a family beneficiary of the Pantawid Pamilyang PilipinoProgram from Brgy. Rizal La Paz, Leyte, who exhibits strong family ties and harmonious relationship, upholds Filipino values, promotes healthy living, actively participates in various community and environmental activities, strives to improve living condition while inspiring other members of the community, all amidst poverty and several devastating events such as the super typhoon Yolanda, typhoons Ruby and Seniang.

One family

The family of Charlito, a carpenter, and Gemma, Day Care worker, lives in the said barangay with five (5) children, namely, Gellie, Jelmar, Gesille, Charlito Jr. and Ma. Jenie. Even if Charlito and Gemma are busy finding means for a living, they see to it that they can still give quality time to their children. They always budget their time efficiently so that they can attend to their children’s needs. They always teach their children good manners and behaviors, especially to be disciplined and respectful, and more importantly, to become God-fearing individuals. They always remind and educate their children to study well and not to take their poor economic condition as hindrance to finish their studies. They always check their assignments and talk whenever their children have problems.

The couple are also thankful because their children are doing well in school. They are very active in extra-curricular activities and are consistent honors. Ate Gemma is actually a Parent-Teacher Committee Association President in San Victory Elementary School for 3 years. Her daughter Giselle, who is currently studying as college student in VSU Tolosa, Leyte, is a Dean’s Lister Top 1, while son, Jelmar, has graduated with a degree in BS Criminology and passed the board exam. The couple take their children’s achievements as their award for every hardship and struggle they encounter just to sustain their daily needs.

Charlito and Gemma won second runner up in Rizal Elementary School Most Popular Parents competition held last 2013. Many people would interpret that they have relatives abroad because they were able to let her two children, Gellie and Jelmar, finish college despite their low economic status but Gemma said, “Being able to let my children finish college, it’s because of our hardwork and perseverance between me and my husband, with the children. Poverty is not a hindrance to success. We want our children to finish college because it is the only treasure that we can give them. We do not have rich relatives to help us because they too are poor. Certainly, it is on how you manage your time and resources to become successful.”

She added with much enthusiasm, “We are thankful for becoming a beneficiary of the Pantawid Pamilya because it helped a lot in supporting my children to finish their studies. I utilize my cash grants well for my children and use it in their needs. On the other hand, my children understand our hardships. They too are helping us lessen the hardships we experience, they applied for scholarship in their university and fortunately they passed.”

The way to live

In their early marriage, Charlito was the bread winner, working as CAFGU and carpenter while Gemma was left in their home taking good care of their children and raising hogs and ducks as their passive income. The couple admits that being a parent with five children to feed is never easy considering their very limited income, and their children are growing so are their needs. Hence, the couple undertook other jobs to augment their income like tenanting a piece of land every Saturday and Sunday, gathering and selling coconut husks and firewoods. Gemma also engages in direct selling activities, while Charlito cooks for other people. They also engage in farming and have their backyard garden to lessen their daily expenses. The couple do whatever it takes to make both ends meet, just to send their children to school.

As a couple, Gemma said they maintain an open communication, as well as respect and understanding with each other. Such are the values they want their children to practice in life. She said that she did not regret to marry Charlito because her husband does not have vices.

The greatest challenge

In February 2011, son Charlito Jr. had an accident which left him lame so that he stopped schooling. The son was very eager to finish his studies and had strong faith and determination. His mother enrolled him then in an Alternative Learning System (ALS) of the Department of Education (DepEd). More to that, Gemma was the one who provided a venue for the ALS sessions and asked his husband to put up a long table and bench. Also, she was the one who looked for a possible teacher just so her son and some other children in the community can continue their education.

The couple is very active in their barangay. Their neighbors and barangay officials always appreciate their participation in every barangay activity. As reward, Gemma was appointed as Day Care Worker in and for twenty years already. She has been a federation president for eight years until now.

She is also a Secretary of the Coconut Farmer’s Association of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) for two years now. Gemma has been the treasurer of the KALIPI Women Organization for fifteen years already. Gemma too participated in the KALAHI-CIDSS as Barangay Subproject Management Committee Chairperson involved in the rehabilitation of streetlights and other barangay infrastructures. Also, Gemma voluntary serves as resource person in Family Development Sessions of the Pantawid Pamilya if she has the time. She always wants to share the information she learned from every Day Care Worker’s trainings.

The Badion family is thankful of the conditional cash transfer program because it taught them also to become more participative in their barangay, and help them augment their income. She is also grateful because her husband was able to avail of the Skills Training in Carpentry of Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) last November 2014 through DSWD’s sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP). With the certificate from the said training, her husband could already be employed. She feels all the more blessed because she is also involved in a livelihood activity of Sustainable Livelihood Program under the Bottom Up Budgeting fund. She was even hired by UNICEF to conduct Community Capacity Building Sessions to Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries on the topic R.A. 9262 or the Anti-Violence against Women and their Children Act of 2004 and the R.A. 8353 The Anti-Rape Law of 1997. She received an allowance from the said activity.

Gemma expresses her great gratitude to DSWD for the help given by the agency in her family and the impact of the programs on their lives during her testimonial last July 20, 2015. The DSWD Field Office organized a press conference in La Paz, Leyte. It is during this time also that Mayor Lumen disclosed that Ate Gemma is a member of the Municipal Planning and Development Committee for six years already. The media people actually asked how she manages her time in engaging those various activities. Ate Gemma replied, “My husband and I help each other in doing our daily chores; we prepare things at night so that we can attend to our children and other activities in the morning. We manage our time well so that we don’t leave things unattended.”

For the Badion family, a model family consists of members who love, support and help each other at all times, have discipline and faith in God. They also recognize the fact that positive change good things come to those who strive for it and that over and above their family is their responsibility to help other people.###