Coming from the farthest-flung and isolated area of the Municipality of
Palanas, Deosan Abenir Monacillo, 45 years of age, ex-parent leader,
volunteer, and Barangay Secretary, was finally able to get her degree in
Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education in 2017. She was able to
achieve self-sufficiency in terms of the social and economic status of her
family in the 2019 SWDI Results before exiting the program. However,
before she achieved what she has now, she went through so many trials
and sacrifices for her family.

Deosan’s journey on pursuing her higher education has never
been tougher. Challenges in all aspects hindered her road to her
Bachelor’s degree, but her intense desire to learn and help her family
was stronger and bigger than those challenges. At her age, she was
not excluded from being bullied and belittled by some people. This led her
to begin doubting herself and her capability. She felt different among her
classmates. Oftentimes, she thought of just going home since she had
difficulty adjusting to her new environment. On the verge of her emotional
and financial burden at school, Deosan found a different outlet where she
continued to pick herself up and continue to bring the pieces of confidence
that she was about to lose. It is through being a parent leader of the
Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program (4Ps).

After 4 years of hard work in college, her perseverance paid off. Whenever
Deosan was asked what she would do after graduation, she would always
respond “gusto nako magtukdo sa Miabas tunggod kay ang kasingkasing
ko adto bisan pa diri pa ko kapasa sa pag kamaestra” (I wanted to teach in
Miabas because my heart for children is there even though I haven’t passed
the Licensure Exam for Teachers yet). Anyhow, Deosan has been working
as Barangay Secretary of Barangay Miabas while waiting to pass the
Licensure Examination for Teachers.

Being the Barangay Secretary, she helps Pantawid family members apply
for late registration of their child’s birth certificate. Her initiatives in doing so
are also part of the endeavor of the Local Civil Registry. Most Pantawid
families became acquainted with the process of applying for birth
certificates of their children. Deosan also plans to teach through the
Alternative Learning System to those who are not attending school (NAS)
to give them the chance to learn despite difficulties. Through this, she
believed that it would improve the lives of other people in the community as
what happened to their lives. As of now, she is waiting for the reopening of
items for the Instructional Manager, or mostly known as the Alternative
Learning System (ALS) Teacher for Barangay Miabas.

Deosan was not only an active Parent Leader before, but she was a Parent
Leader who appreciated and learned to connect herself with everyone.
Through the help of the program that helped her to become more confident
in dealing with other people, she was always invited as a Resource Person and co-facilitator in discussing Early Childhood Care and Development
topics, Stress Management, Kahalagahan ng Pag-iimpok, Pagiging
Mabuting Mamamayan, Keeping the Surrounding Clean, Pagpapatatag sa
Kagalingan ng Pamilya, Pangarap ko sa aking Anak, Solid Waste
Management, Retriggering Level 2.0, Pagsusuri sa Kalagayan ng aking
Pamayanan and many more. According to her, she was very grateful to be
invited to talk and discuss certain topics because she could inspire others
as well as practice her speaking skills and share her knowledge with
everyone.

In addition, Deosan was able to participate in MAC MIAC Meetings as a
representative of BLGU of Miabas, attend seminars about Waste
Management, Agriculture Workshops, and other special seminars of
MSWDO. Her realization in all the seminar workshops she attended helps
her to share her acquired learning with other Pantawid members.
Her grit in education became an inspiration to everyone, especially to the
younger ones. Every time she was invited to be a Resource Person in
Family Development Sessions and a co-facilitator in Youth Development
Sessions, she would always emphasize that education is important. It opens
the door to different opportunities.

Furthermore, as a mother of two and a loving wife, all the knowledge
acquired in the Family Development Session (FDS) was applied and shared
to her family. She ensures that they have open communication where they
discuss family and personal issues. In parenting, she believes in
highlighting what is good without reprimanding what is wrong. With her
determination and character towards her family and towards other people,
this made her a good example to her co-grantees in the Pantawid Pamilya
Pilipino Program.

Nevertheless, a lot could happen in just a short time. When the pandemic
arrived, it affected everyone’s lives. It caused fear in their entire family and
community. According to her, she had many shattered dreams, such as
taking the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET), her son’s ambition to
study in Manila, and being reunited with her husband, who works at a
bakery in Manila. The pandemic was a big challenge for their family. They
felt fear for her husband who was away to work. However, she said she
could not give up as a wife and mother to her family; they needed to be
tough to make their communication and financial needs even more resilient.
Deosan always communicates with her husband to somehow alleviate their
sadness that they have not seen each other for almost 2 years. When it
comes to the financial aspect, her husband works hard to send money every
month and does not stop working in the bakery. While Deosan also did not
stop as Barangay Secretary in their area, sometimes she also sold ukay-ukay or pre-loved items to supplement their needs.

Indeed, her yearnings to succeed has been a series of detours, especially
at the time of pandemic, but these have all been learning curves which
helped her become what she is today. Graduating from college is the
product of her perseverance and hard work. She may not have the
professional license yet, but her efforts to help her co-Pantawid members
and her community are a manifestation of her victory. Achieving her goals
may take time. It might be delayed in the eyes of others. Nonetheless, little
wins everyday will prove how success should not be measured with
another’s timeline.

Now that they have already graduated from the program with a self-sufficient level of well-being, they are still striving for the best. They will
continue to inspire other people and be a catalyst of change in their
community.