“Ang 4Ps nakahatag og dakong kaayohan sa pagdumala sa pamilya ug pag-edukar sa mga ginikanan sa mga katungod sa mga kabataan pinaagi sa binuwan nga Family Development Session (FDS) (The 4Ps provided a positive impact on how to handle families and on how to educate parents on the rights of the children through the conduct of the monthly Family Development Session),” said Margie Estenor from Ginatilan, a southwest town of Cebu.

Although they have experience taking care of their children, Margie expressed that the FDS reminds them of the rights of children and their responsibilities as parents.

She shared that they struggled to make ends meet, as she had no regular job. Their income from farming could not suffice for their daily needs.

Margie and Virgilio Estenor had not finished their education because of poverty.

“Dili ko ganahan nga ipasa ang among kalisud sa among mga anak hangtud sa sunod pa nga henerasyon sa among pamilya (I do not want to pass this poverty-stricken life to our children and the next generation of our family),” underscored Margie.

4Ps Impact

In 2011, the family became a beneficiary of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), a poverty alleviation program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) that aimed to help poor families, overcome poverty, which gave Margie new hope for her family. She used the cash grant intended for education and health for her three (3) monitored children under the program – Florissa, Jerome, and Jezyl.

The family complied with the conditionalities of the program in helping them access education and health services for their children through the support and guidance provided by the program.

With a newfound hope, Margie and Virgilio were determined to use the resources and opportunities given to them to improve their lives.

They embarked on a journey towards self-sufficiency by gradually transitioning into hopelessness and now full of hope and vigor. With careful planning and dedication, they transformed their family backyard in Barangay Salamanca into a thriving organic garden, growing a variety of fruits, vegetables, and herbs and also raising livestock.

The children sustained their education and pursued their dreams, breaking the cycle of poverty that once held them back.

Aside from the 4Ps, Margie also received a Livelihood Assistance Grant (LAG) under the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) of DSWD, which helped her expand their hog-raising and provided an additional income augmentation for the family.

She joined as a community volunteer in the KALAHI-CIDSS program, another poverty alleviation program of DSWD. It helped her become a more active participant in their barangay in addressing their needs. The program employs a community-driven development (CDD) approach.

Gradually, Margie and Virgilio felt the impact of the program as they surpassed the challenges through hard work and perseverance with assistance from the different programs of the government.

Florissa, the second child, graduated with a Bachelor of Secondary in Education, majoring in Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE), and passed the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) in June 2022 and is currently a public teacher at Salamanca National High School. She already has her own family but still extends financial support to her parents.

“Andam na kami nga mobiya sa programa tungod kay nagtuo ko nga ang tabang nga nahimo sa programa sa among pamilya kay igo na ug gani nakagradwar na ang akong usa ka anak nga maoy nakarga sa programa ug karon usa na ka lisensyadong maestra (We are now ready to exit in the program because I believe the assistance provided by the program is already enough and in fact, one of my children who is monitored under the program is already a college graduate and now a license teacher),” Margie proudly shared.

“I am thankful to DSWD through their different programs because it addressed the family needs, especially in sending our children to school,” she added in dialect.

The three children have pursued their education. Jerome is a graduating student with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering; Jezyl is a Grade 12 student; and Remark is a Grade 11 student.

The impact of the 4Ps on Margie’s family has been profound and helped her dream of her family breaking the inter-generational cycle of poverty. The support from the government has empowered the family to improve their living conditions, pursue their dreams, and create a better future for themselves.

Today, the Estenor family has inspired other 4Ps family beneficiaries in their community. Their story shows that with the appropriate government support and opportunities, families can rise above their circumstances and break the intergenerational cycle of poverty. ###

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