Masbate City –Beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program surged at the Nursery Plaza of the said city in the Province of Masbate, for a unity walk conducted last April 14 to plea to the Legislators to pass the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Bill.

Around 5,000 Beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilya from the Municipalities Milagros, Mobo and Masbate City participated the unity walk which started from Nursery plaza walking through the streets of Quezon, Tara and Barangay Bapor.

These beneficiaries held signs reading “Ipagpauloy ang 4PS para sa mahihirap,” “Magtulungan tayong lahat na maisabatas ang 4Ps,” “CCT bill dapat ipasa nang mahihirap magkaroon ng pag-asa,” and shouted “Isabatas ang CCT Bill.”

According to Lerah A. Medina, 39, of Barangay Bacolod, Milagros, Masbate, a beneficiary of the program, they (beneficiaries) are united together to appeal to institutionalize the Pantawid Pamilya. “Dako na bulig ini na programa sa samong pamilya, kaya kami naga unity walk para ipasa sa Senado ang CCT Bill at kung si-isay man na Presidente na matukaw suportahan na ipatuloy ang programa, [The program is a huge help to our family, that is why we join the unity walk to appeal at the Senate to pass the CCT Bill and whoever will be the next President will support to continue the program],” she said.

Lerah and her husband earns through fishing which only suffice to bring food on the table. “Uru-adlaw po kami naga kayod, nung nagka-Pantawid po, nakatabang ang programa sa pagpa-eskwela kan sa imo na mga anak, may pambakal pa na medisina para sa sainda, [We are working everyday, when Pantawid came, it helped us for the education of our children, more so we were able to buy medicine/vitamins for them],” she added.

Also, several testimonies from a number of beneficiaries were held during the activity which demonstrated the positive changes brought by the program.

One parent leader Marites M. Vallecen of Barangay Umabay, Mobo, Masbate gave her testimony over a crowd and shared how the program helped her family.

“Ako man po sarong Parant Leader, dati po nung wala pa ang programa, may pa liko-liko pa kita, pero nun sa Pantawid na kita, nagpirma kita, nagsumpa kita, asta nawara su pagsugal, pag-inom alak ta nangako kita na pakarayun ta ang buhay sa satong pamilya at pataposun ta an mga aki ta. Ang pantawid napakaray an satong buhay kaya hinihiling mi sa mambabatas na ipasa ang CCT Bill, ta gabos kami makasabi na dakula ang tabang an program, dako na impact sa satong buhay, [I am a Parent leader, before the Program came, our life has no direction, but when we become a beneficiary of Pantawid, we signed a contract and promised not to continue our vices like gambling, and drinking alcohol, we promised to make our life, our family better and continue to send our children in school. Pantawid helped our life better so we asked the support of the legislators to pass CCT bill since all of us can testify that the Program is a big help and made a big impact in our life],” she firmly stated.

A similar unity walk was also held simultaneously in the Municipalities of Cawayan, Butuan, Aroroy, Dimasalang and Mandaon in Masbate province attended by over 3,000 individuals per Municipality. ***G.Lindio, IO-Pantawid