A mother of 11 kids from Agusan Sur survive through DSWD's 4Ps
By Jennifer P. Gaitano
BUTUAN CITY -- The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Caraga revealed and recognized the 2024 Huwarang Pantawid Pamilya Awardee, during the ALAYON 2024: Regional Partners' Summit on March 17, at Balanghai Hotel and Convention Center, this city.
Mr. Jimmy and Mrs. Luzviminda Casamayor from La Paz, Agusan del Sur, who as a family was hailed the Huwarang Pantawid Pamilya Awardee, shared how the 4Ps helped them as parents, that they were able to send their kids to school and support their daily needs despite life's challenges and difficulties.
"We have 11 children, three are currently in college while five have already graduated and the rest are still in high school. Sending our children especially these three to college is very challenging. Our family has to deal with our daily expense for food and other needs. But being a member or beneficiary of the DSWD's 4Ps, it has helped ease the burden and somehow helped us alleviate our lives from poverty," Luzviminda Casamayor, a wife and a mother shared [in vernacular] during the said event.
"The 4Ps does not only provides financial assistance but also provides family beneficiaries with the necessary skills enhancement through the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) to also support and give us the opportunity to have our own livelihood," she added.
She further elaborated that the family is currently managing a poultry business in their barangay in the municipality of La Paz and is able to sustain the day-to-day expenses.
As a woman and a mother, she also called on other women who face the same struggles in the family, to stay strong, determined and strive hard to achieve what they hoped and dreamed of for their children.
"I'm happy that in this Women's Month celebration, we, who serve as women and mothers in our society are not alone in our daily struggles, as we have the government to help us in our endeavors," she added.
Also, Blair Enterio of Agusan del Sur was recognized as the 2024 Pantawid Pamilya Exemplary Child Awardee under the 4Ps program of DSWD Caraga.
"I extend my heartfelt gratitide to DSWD for creating programs intended for children like me. To my family, mentors, teachers, and everyone who supported me, thank you for believing in me. Tungod sa DSWD, first time ko nakaadto sa Cebu; first time nakasakay og plane," he shared.
"I will do my best in advocating my rights and the rights of the children," Enterio added.
Meanwhile, DSWD Caraga Regional Director Mari-Flor Dollaga stressed that through the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and DSWD Sec. Rex Gatchalian, the department will continue to strengthen its good working ties with its partner stakeholders in the region and will improve its services to better serve the Caraganons.
"Today's celebration signifies our partnership - buiding a brighter future for our Caraganons. With your help, naging posible ang tila mailap sa realidad nuon; ngayon ay unti-unti nang nabibigyan ng sapat, wasto at karapat-dapat na serbisyo ang Caraga. On behalf of 4Ps Caraga, nais ko pong magpasalamat sa inyong walang tigil na suporta [sa lahat ng aspeto] sa pagpapatupad ng nasabing programa. Sisikapin po namin na mas pagbubutihin pa ang aming serbisyo at mas marami pa kaming mapaabot na tulong sa mga pamilya," underscored Dollaga.
In her keynote speech, Undersecretary for National Household Targeting System (NHTS) Vilma B. Cabrera, highlighted that there are so many entities from other regions of the country which try to imitate how the DSWD Caraga Regional Office implements the 4Ps and the NHTS but failed.
"Caraga still leads in having the most awardees under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program," she said.
The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), launched in 2008 and institutionalized in 2019 by Republic Act No. 11310 or the 4Ps Act, is the national poverty reduction strategy and human capital investment program that provides conditional cash transfer to poor households for a maximum period of seven years, to improve health, nutrition and education. (JPG, PIA Caraga)
