Judging from first glance one might doubt if Nida Roa, 44, is a Pantawid Pamilya beneficiary because she’s well-dressed coupled with confidence and a bubbly personality.

“I maybe poor but it doesn’t mean I have to dress like a scratch, I dress good because it gives me dignity and more importantly I have a reputation as a beautician in our community,” said Roa grinning.

Nida shared that as a beautician she always does an effort to look good so that people will believe in her.

“Isip usa ka beautician dapat makita sa akong mga customer nga makapagwapa ko nila mao ng ako mismo dapat gwapa. (As a beautician my customer should see that I can make them look good by looking good),”she said.

A mother of nine, Nida works as a barangay worker on weekdays and a beautician on weekends. She also does home service after office hours.

Nida disclosed that she has to do work extra daily as she single-handedly takes care of her children after she broke up with her husband seven years ago.

Despite her tremendous efforts to augment her income, Nida admitted that what she earns is not enough for the entire family.

“I work hard every day but it is never enough. So, when I became a grantee of Pantawid Pamilya I felt blessed because the program aided me just when I badly needed help,” she said.

Nida has been a Pantawid Pamilya grantee since 2008.

Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program is the conditional cash transfer of the Philippine government that invests in the health and education of poor children aged 0-18.

The program provides P500/month for high school and P300/month for elementary grantees. Another P500/month is also allocated for health and attendance to Family Development Session (FDS).

Three of Nida’s children Shanon, Shari and Shina are Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries.

McFritz and McFrenz are already married but Nida remained a doting mother to them and is also helping them raised their children.

Shian Michael and Shalako are currently in college.

Aside from juggling her time between work and motherhood, Nida is also active in attending FDS and is also a member of Gabriela, a women’s group.

Her good friend Rowena Turiacao calls Nida as the Tanging Ina of Lapu-Lapu City because she does everything to provide for her children.

Turiacao added that almost everyone in Barangay Pajo knows Nida, they call her Nida mestiza. ###

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