For a family that is poverty stricken, their primary concerns is what to eat and how they will survive for the coming days.

Maricel Aguilar’s family is one among them. They are from Barangay Busing, a coastal barangay of San Pascual, Masbate whose main source of livelihood is farming and fishing. Mario earns P100 per day from fishing while Maricel was engaged in selling dry goods but the project failed. Obviously with five children to feed, the P100 daily income is not enough.Three of the five siblings are in school; two in high school while the youngest is attending day care service while the two older siblings have stopped schooling for financial reason.

Life was so tough for Maricel’s family so she then decided to work in Manila. She was employed as a domestic helper with 3,500 monthly conpensation. “Kahit papaano nakakatulong ako sa araw-araw na pangangailangan ng aking pamilya. Nakapagpapadala ako ng P3,000 bawat buwan.” (At least I can already help in providing the needs of my family. I am able to send P3,000 a month.) Maricel proudly shares. We are now able to support the education of the younger children.. (The two older sons did not anymore have interest in their studies. They are only able to complete their elementary education.) After three months stay in Manila; Maricel’s fate turned unfavourable. She to go back home since she received an information that her husband had conflict with the law. The crime committed was un- bailable that he was put behind bars.

“Ako ang tumayong Tatay at Nanay ng pamilya, Hindi ko alam kung paano itataguyod ang aking pamilya.” (I stood as a father and the mother of the family and I found it hard how I will be able to support the need of the family.), Maricel sighed.

Despite the poverty and hardships she experienced in life, Maricel did not give up. To support the family, Maricel started selling cooked food and render laundry services for her neighboor. After years of struggling to make both ends meet, change finally knock her door. Through the governments’ Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, she can now provide the basic needs of her children for health and education.

Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino is a program that invests in human capital that is contributing to poverty reduction. It provides cash grants of 500 in health and 300 (elementary) or 500 (high school) in education for a family that has three children ages 0-18 enrolled in the program.

Not only a grantee of Pantawid but she was also chosen as a Parent Leader at her area. From a typical housekeeper, she became actively involves in community activities. Maricel shared that as Parent Leader she is able to learn how to deal with people, handle meetings and also prepare minutes of the meeting, reports and updates. She also became the President of the Women’s Organization in their barangay.

To sustain and expand the socio-economic benefits of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, the Sustainable Livelihood Program entered the community. It provided capacity-building and technical assistance on basic business management or employment for Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries. Maricel was among those who had the opportunity to have their own business. With the 8,000 capital assistance received, Maricel invested the money for the hog raising project.

Despite the absence of her husband, through patience and perseverance, Maricel is slowly rising from poverty. She was able to support her families need. Aside from her hog raising project, Maricel continued selling cooked food. Her two older siblings are able to help augment the family needs as they are now employed as laborer in a construction firm in Manila. Both sends Maricel P2,000 each monthly.

The educational and health needs of the three children are now well provided. Maricel ensures that she is able to settle her children’s school obligations and regularly visit the health centers for the regular medical check-up.If before it was hard for Marticel to ensure hat they have sonething to eat for tomorrow, now the family is assured that they will have food on the table everyday.

Maricel disclsed that she keeps praying for good of her children because they are her inspiration. “I have dreams for my children ……. to finish their studies” , she siad Maricel believes that education could be her children’s armor in the forthcoming changes in life. # # # #eejerusalem