Despite lacking formal education, Mario and Lilibeth Ampoloquio are committed to instilling the value of education in their children. They believe that education is a priceless treasure that cannot be taken away, and they want their children to have every opportunity to succeed in life.

“Sa bag-o pami minyo ni Mario, lisud gyud ang among kahimtang sa una kay wala gyud mi regular nga income apan naninguha kami pinaagi sa pagpanguma ug pamuhi og mga hayop aron mabaligya namo kini ug magamit aron mapaeskwela among mga anak (When we started as a married couple, things were tough because we had no steady income. However, we never lost hope and worked tirelessly by farming and raising livestock to support our children’s education),” Lilibeth shared in dialect.

“Kadtong gagmay pa ang among mga anak, naa rako sa balay gaatiman nila ug nagpuyo sa among simple nga panimalay. Samtang akong bana nagtrabaho sa umahan (I have gone through a lot taking care of our toddlers in our simple house while my husband worked in the farm),” recalled Lilibeth.

By tilling the farm in Barangay Caluasan, an upland barangay in the town of Dagohoy, Bohol, which they planted with rice, corn, and coconut, the couple strives to make ends meet to sustain their daily lives.

Motivation

The couple believes that opportunities do not happen by chance. They believe one needs to set goals and act on them. Mario and Lilibeth considered success is not necessarily about luck; it comes from hard work, frugality, integrity, responsiveness to change, and the boldness to dream. They encourage their children to dream big, and these dreams can be achieved by finishing their education.

4Ps beneficiary

In 2010, the Ampoloquio household was among the first batch of beneficiaries under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), a poverty alleviation program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

During this time, Lilibeth’s role was not confined to their home but also to their community, as she extended her care and service to her co-4Ps beneficiaries in Dagohoy.

As a trusted 4Ps Parent Leader, she actively attends the monthly Family Development Sessions (FDS), which enhance her knowledge and skills to become a more responsive and responsible parent.

She underscored that the monthly session teaches them to have a dream and how to reach that dream through different topics like enhancing their entrepreneurial skills, calculating their savings rate, maintaining good health, and many others.

“Nakahatag gayud og dugang kahibalo ug kahanas ang FDS. Ang binulan nga panagtapok ug pagtudlo sa mga Municipal Link maoy naghatag dugang lamdag ug kadasig kanako (The FDS provided additional learnings to me. The monthly gathering at which the Municipal Link painstakingly shared their knowledge provided additional insights),” she recalled her experience.

Five years later, her leadership skills were first recognized when she was elected as one of the barangay councilors to serve her community.

She then later joined and became one of the board of directors of the Irrigators Association, a people’s organization organized and supported by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA). The association provided skills training to its members, such as sustainable agriculture and livestock training.

Balancing her roles as a mother, a servant leader, and an agent of change was not an easy feat to achieve.

“Dili siya dali buhaton pero kung supportive imong partner sama sa akong bana ug akong mga anak, dali ra gayud ang mga trabahuon (It was not easy to do, but having a supportive partner, like my husband and my children, would make the tasks much easier),” she said.

To manage the household chores, she revealed that her children take a proactive role in their tasks. They know how to do house cleaning, do laundry, and help raise their livestock, like pigs and cattle, on their backyard farm.

As the years went by, Lilibeth’s reminder to value education and dream big didn’t go in vain because her three (3) children successfully graduated from college.

The eldest son, Julius, is now a seafarer, the second son, Lemar, works with the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the fourth child, Ma. Lee works in a store that sells wooden and steel furniture, and three (3) of them are supporting the financial needs of the family.

The third child, Rose Ann, helps her parents at home and is a reliable partner for their family’s farm. The two (2) remaining children, Julaica and Mario Jr., are now studying in college.

As the family gradually earns income, Lilibeth makes sure that she only buys the essentials, giving importance to saving the family’s hard-earned money and saving some money in the bank.

Graduating from 4Ps

“Dako akong pasalamat sa programa nga nakahatag dakong tabang kanamo labi na sa panginahanglanon sa mga bata sa ilang panglawas ug pag-eskwela. Wala nausik ang cash grant sa gobyerno alang kanamo kay kini gigamit namo og tarong ug nakatabang namo sa panahon nga wala pay kita sa among umahan (I am grateful to the program because it assisted our family, especially with your children’s health and education needs. It is important to use the cash grant wisely and not waste it. In our case, it helped us because we use it while waiting for our farm’s income),” she underscored.

Lilibeth happily recalled their family’s journey and how far they had reached their dreams. The Ampoloquio family is a living testament to how the program helped them rise on their own two feet and become productive and self-sufficient members of society. ###

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