Bernas Family

Gina L. Bernas is a housewife of five children, two boys and three girls. She lives with her husband Michael, 34, in a small wooden shanty in far-flung area in Barangay Mampirao, Caramoan, Camarines Sur.

The thirty-four year old mother and her husband were not able to finish her college degree. More so, they do not have a regular income so they needed to make both ends meet only to feed their children.

According to Gina, as she is fondly called-off by her friends, inch by inch they were able to attain progress when they become beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program of Department of Social Welfare and Development in Bicol.

“Sa tunay po, malaki po ang naitulong ng programa. Tios po kami ki maray. Maski singko dai ako nakatao sa mga aki ko paduman sinda sa eskwelahan. Pero, sa Pantawid Pamilya, nabudget ko su cash grant na nareresibe para sa pangurualdaw na pangangaipo nin aki ko sa eskwelahan, [Honestly, the program is a big help to us. We are living in dire poverty. Before, I cannot even provide a P5 coin for my children when they are going to school. But through Pantawid Pamilya, I was able to budget the cash grant we received and allotted money for their daily needs in school],” Gina said in teary eyes.

Keeping the family needs

In order to aid the needs of the her children, her husband works as a tenant in the farm while Gina would have to walk for hours and hop from her neighbor’s house to the other to sell repacked chlorine. She also do laundry job. Their earnings are a little more than P2,000 a month, barely enough to cover the family’s basic needs.

As a beneficiary of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program — a conditional cash transfer program that aims to improve the education and health of children aged 0-18, the family received cash assistance every month.

Under Pantawid Pamilya, family beneficiaries received assistance of P500 grant in health; and P300 (elementary) or P500 (high school) grant in education with a maximum of three children per family. In the said barangay a total of 67 pantawid pamilya households benefitted from the said program.

Gina says that receiving cash assistance has gone a long way towards helping the family to meet their needs. “At least po, diit na sana ang mga bayadan sa eskwelahan tapos su natatada pwede na matipon or pambakal pagkaon o ano pang pangangaipo [At least, it decreases our expenses in paying the tuition fees of our children and other school fees and the money can be saved or allocated in food and other needs],” she stated. Besides that, her children’s education and health gets better.

“Su mga aki ko desidido magklase kaya kami pursegido na patapuson sindang maabot pangarap ninda sa maski anong paagi, [My children are determined to finish their education that is why we will do everything to finish their education and attain their dreams],” she added.

More changes happen

Before Pantawid Pamilya came, Gina was a victim of physical abuse.

As she recalls, there are time that her husband get jealous to people close to her, and her husband would hurt her.

“May pangyayari na sinakal niya ako, hindi ako makahinga, hindi ko maalala na detalye pero puro pasa ako sa katawan. [There is an instance that he tried to strangle me and I got suffocated. Then, I cannot remember the full detail but I got bruises in my body],” she revealed.

It was a big challenge to her to face such trials but Gina did not stop to deliberately alter her husband’s character and point of view.

The Family Development Session (FDS) – a monthly activity being conducted to beneficiaries where educational, interpersonal, interactive and adult learning engagement are conducted aiming to empower and strengthen the relationship and ties among family members and the community enables her family to have a better communication and relationship.

During one of the sessions Gina was able to acquire knowledge on her rights as a woman and what she could able to do to protect herself and avoid such kind of maltreatment.

“Patuloy kong sinishare sa agom ko su mga naukudan ko sa FDS pag may oras kami mag-uron tapos minsan siya ang pipa-attend ko nin session kesa sako, [I continuously share to my husband what I have learned during FDS and when we have time to talk to each other. Sometimes, I let him attend the session instead of me],” Gina stated. On the latter, the relationship of the couple improved.

Currently, as to Gina, her husband is more understanding. They would also prefer to talk and discuss things before any arguments or misunderstandings would ignite.

Looking forward for better future

What Gina hopes for her and children is to finish their education. She does not want the same thing that happens to her instead she wants her children to attain their dreams to become professionals someday. She also has a dream to have a sustained living to continuously provide her children’s educational needs.

“Minsan po umiiyak ako sa gabi nagiisip kung paano ko tutulungan ang mga anak ko. Naisip ko na mag-aral ng vocational kung may oportunidad para kumita ng malaki o magkaroon ng regular na income. Pero sa ngayon ang focus ko ay gawin ang lahat na kaya ko para sa pangangailangan ng mga anak ko, [Sometimes I cried at night thinking on what would I do to help my kids. I thought of having a vocational class if there is an opportunity to get higher income or regular income. But now, my focus is to do the best that I can to earn to sustain my family’s needs],” she said.

Gina added that things are possible if we have determination in life. She may have a long way to go to continuously improve her family’s living condition but the face of hope and determination can be seen in her eyes to pursue her dreams to her family. “Aram ko po sipag at tiyaga lang makakamtan din namin ang ginahawa, [I know through diligence and perseverance we can attain a better living],” she ended.***G.A.N.Lindio, Information Officer, Pantawid Pamilya