CITY OF ILAGAN, Isabela (PIA) -- A total of 4,333 family-beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in the Cagayan Valley Region were recently declared as “self-sufficient” and will no longer be considered as among the “poorest” who require government’s help.

According to Department of Social Welfare and Development Regional Director Lucia Alan they conducted 50 graduation ceremonies dubbed “Pammadayaw Na Paggradua na Pantawid Pamilya” in different municipalities in the region as a tribute to their success in overcoming extreme poverty. 

She said the ceremonies were also a venue to recognize the efforts of various partner government agencies, local government units, and civic organizations for their contributions and support in helping the 4Ps beneficiaries transition from survival to self-sufficient living status. 

"We have witnessed the impact of the program not just in the improvement of their well-being but also in the successes of the 4Ps children who have made a mark in their studies and careers. It shows that 4Ps is not just a dole-out program, it has been a transformative tool in uplifting lives and eradicating poverty," Alan said. 

During the graduation exercises, 611 4Ps children, who were beneficiaries of the Expanded Student's Grants-in-Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation of DSWD, were also recognized after completing their tertiary education. 

"They are now professionals in their respective fields. Some of them were also passers of licensure examinations so we are very proud of them," Alan said. 

Aaron Santiago, a beneficiary from Peñablanca, Cagayan, shared his struggles in the middle of his college education to the extent that he stopped for a while to give way to his younger siblings to also study, but with the scholarship program of the government, he was able to graduate. 

"The support I received through the 4Ps scholarship has been more than financial. The program did not only pave the way for my academic success, it also instilled in me the sense of responsibility to give back to my community," said Santiago, who is now working at the Land Bank of the Philippines as a loan operations assistant.  

"His success is a testament to the government's investment. It also proved the power of education to unlock doors of opportunities," Alan added. 

Meanwhile, the Local Government Units vowed to continue monitoring the families who have exited from the program and prepared some poverty alleviation programs to ensure that the 4Ps graduates will no longer return to the survival stage. (OTB/MGE/PIA Isabela)