LARENA, Siquijor (PIA) – A total of 2,053 household beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in Siquijor province have graduated and exited from the program.
Social Welfare Officer and Provincial Link Jeric Taranza said the graduates are mainly from Client Status-3, which refers to 4Ps household-beneficiary tagged in the Pantawid Pamilya Information System (PPIS) as having achieved Self-Sufficient status for two consecutive assessments and ready to exit the program.
The households include those with no children aged 0-18 or those whose children have already graduated from high school.
A series of ceremonial graduations, dubbed “Saulog,” were conducted by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in six municipalities.
The municipality of Enrique Villanueva had 76 Client Status-3 household graduates and 60 exited households.
Larena town had 64 graduates and 48 exited households.
In Lazi, 306 graduated and 367 exited, while Maria had 140 graduates and 172 exited.
San Juan had 280 graduates and 181 exited, and Siquijor, the capital town, had 208 graduates and 151 exited.
Maryjen Suan, 47, a Barangay Kagawad and 4Ps graduate from Catulayan, San Juan, Siquijor, shared her inspiring story of perseverance and transformation.
She reflected on the hardships she and her family faced before the program and how it has significantly improved their lives.
Maryjen, whose family relies on fishing as their primary source of income, admitted that their situation was challenging.
“Panagat ra among trabaho, wala mi kaugalingong pump boat. Mouban ra akong bana sa lahi nga panagat. Gamay ra gyud ang among kita ilabi na kay naa mi upat ka mga anak nga nag-eskuyla, dili igo ang among income sa pang adlaw-adlaw, igo ra nga makakaon ikatulo sa isa ka adlaw,” she said.
(Our family relies solely on fishing for income, but we don’t own a pump boat. My husband uses other fishermen’s boats. Our income is minimal, especially with four children in school. It’s not enough for daily expenses, just enough for us to eat three times a day.)
Maryjen is thankful for the 4Ps program, which she credits for the improvement of her family’s living situation.
The training and opportunities for enrichment through the program have not only improved their financial situation but also strengthened their family bonds.
Thanks to 4Ps, Maryjen now looks forward to a future filled with hope and confidence, determined to secure a better future for her children, free from the challenges she once faced.
“Daghan kaayo ming nakat-unan tungod, bisan pa man sa atoang naagian nga kalisod, gapabilin gihapon ang paningkamot nga makapa-edukar sa mga kabataan sa limpyo nga pamaagi aron ang ilahang pagpuyo puhon dili masunod ang mga naagiang kalisod,” Maryjen added.
(We’ve learned a lot despite our struggles. Our determination remains strong – to educate our children in an honest way, ensuring they won’t face the same hardships.)
“Makabarog na gyud ko, kay dili na lisod tungod sa mga kaalam nga akong nasinati niining programaha,” she said.
(I can now stand on my own, as life has become easier for me because of the knowledge I gained from this program.)
Meanwhile, DSWD-7 Regional Director Shalaine Marie S. Lucero, in a video message, emphasized that the graduation of 4Ps beneficiaries should not be a cause for sadness, but rather a celebration of the success achieved through government support.
Lucero encouraged the beneficiaries to continue supporting the program and contributing to their communities.
San Juan Mayor Wilfredo J. Capundag, for his part, urged the 4Ps graduates to continue caring for their children and thanked the national government for the support they received.
“Pasalamat ta sa national government….. tungod sa tabang sa atong pangobyerno sa national, maayong pagkadala ilahang mga anak, nakapaeskwela, nakagradweyt gyud sila sa college. Atong palanggaon ang atong mga anak, atong ipahiluna sila sa insaktong pag-eskuyla,” said Capundag.
(Let’s be thankful to the national government… because of its help, we were able to raise their children well, send them to school, and they even graduated from college. Let us love our children, and make sure to guide them to the right education) (RAC/PIA7-Siquijor)
