Growing up in a remote community, far from school, meant that going to class was already a challenge.

There was no public transportation, and even when one was available, paying the fare was something their family could not afford. So, like many Filipino students living in far-flung barangays, they walked to school, whether under the scorching heat of the sun or through pouring rain.

For most Filipino students, this may sound like a familiar story. But for Juvilyn Razo Epondo, it was not just a story. It was a big part of her life as a student.

Every school day, Juvilyn walked around seven kilometers from Sitio Palali, Barangay Exciban, Labo, Camarines Norte, to Bagong Silang I National High School. The journey would take her nearly an hour on foot.

But for Juvilyn, those seven kilometers were more than just the distance between home and school. They became part of the long journey toward a dream she refused to give up on.

Today, she is a graduate of Bachelor of Secondary Education, Major in Filipino, and a Licensed Professional Teacher.

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

For Juvilyn, these words became more than just a favorite saying. They became a reflection of her own journey, one shaped by poverty, sacrifice, perseverance, and faith.

Juvilyn is the eldest daughter of Evelyn Razo Epondo, a beneficiary of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) under Set 7A since 2013.

Growing up, she witnessed how her parents worked hard just to put food on the table and send their children to school.

Their main source of income was coconut farming and copra production. Her father worked as a copra laborer, while her mother, Evelyn, helped whenever she could to earn additional income.

But despite their hard work, what they earned was often barely enough for the family’s daily needs.

There were days when Evelyn had to look for ways to provide their next meal. Still, she and her husband held on to one goal: to give their children the education they themselves were not able to have.

For Juvilyn, poverty was something she understood at an early age.

Before their family became beneficiaries of 4Ps, she often went to school without an allowance because there simply was no money for it. But even with the difficulties, she continued to walk those seven kilometers to attend her classes.

The long walk never became a reason for her to stop.

Instead, it became part of the story of how she learned to keep going.

At Palali Integrated School, Juvilyn found another reason to dream. She admired her teachers and the way they guided and inspired their students.

She began imagining herself in their place someday, standing in front of a classroom and becoming a teacher who could also inspire children, especially those who came from families facing the same struggles she experienced.

Her parents also constantly reminded her of the value of education.

Among the lessons they passed on to her was one that stayed with her throughout her journey:
“Kapag may gustong marating, kailangang maghirap at magtiyaga.”

When the Epondo family became beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program in 2013, the assistance they received helped ease some of the financial burden of sending their children to school.

The educational grants helped them with school supplies, contributions, and other educational needs.

For a family whose income was often only enough for their daily necessities, even this support meant something.

It gave Juvilyn and her siblings an added opportunity to continue their education.

But the road to her dream was far from over.

After Senior High School, Juvilyn had to postpone college for a year because of financial difficulties.
Instead of giving up, she decided to work as a saleslady in a grocery store. She saved whatever she could from her earnings, knowing that every peso would bring her closer to the college education she had been waiting for.

Eventually, she enrolled and pursued a Bachelor of Secondary Education, Major in Filipino.

Even while studying, she continued to find ways to help provide for her own educational needs. During weekends, holidays, and whenever classes were suspended, she accepted various sidelines to earn extra money.

There were times when studying meant balancing school, work, and the financial realities of everyday life.

But she kept going.

In 2023, Juvilyn finally graduated from college.

For many graduates, receiving a diploma marks the end of a long journey. For Juvilyn, it was the beginning of another challenge.

She wanted to take the Licensure Examination for Teachers, but once again, finances became a concern.
Without enough money to enroll in a review center, she chose to review on her own.

While working to support her daily needs, she dedicated her Saturdays and Sundays to reviewing. She made use of free learning materials available online and studied whenever she had the time, even after long hours of work.

It was exhausting, but she held on to another belief:
“Kapag may gustong marating, hahanapan ng paraan.”
Her perseverance paid off.

Juvilyn passed the Licensure Examination for Teachers in 2023.

The moment she learned that she was now a Licensed Professional Teacher was one of the happiest moments of her life.

But for her, the achievement was never hers alone.

It was also for her parents, who worked through difficult days just to keep their children in school. It was for her mother and father who continued to believe in her even when their circumstances made the dream seem difficult to reach.

Today, Juvilyn is not yet in the Department of Education’s teacher ranking process as she is currently caring for her young child. She continues to work in the private sector while preparing for the next chapter of her professional life.

Her dream remains the same: to eventually become a public-school teacher and serve Filipino learners inside the classroom.

As the eldest among the siblings, she also carries another dream, to help her younger brothers and sisters finish their education and build better lives for themselves.

Her journey has already inspired her family. One of her siblings has also completed a degree in Education, following a path that Juvilyn once dreamed of taking herself.

For Juvilyn, success is not only about becoming a professional. It is also about helping her family move forward and giving her parents the better life they worked so hard to provide for their children.

Looking back, she believes that poverty taught her lessons she could carry for the rest of her life: patience, perseverance, humility, and gratitude.

Instead of allowing hardship to define her, she used it as motivation to keep moving forward.

If she could speak to her younger self, the girl who once walked seven kilometers to school because there was no money for fare, she would simply say:

“Magiging proud ako sa sarili ko dahil hindi ako sumuko sa kabila ng lahat ng pagsubok.”

To young people who are also facing poverty while pursuing their dreams, Juvilyn has this message:

“Huwag kayong susuko. Kapag may pangarap, kailangan itong samahan ng tiyaga, sipag, at pananampalataya sa Diyos. Ang kahirapan ay hindi hadlang para makamit ang tagumpay.”

She also believes that family support and faith in God can give a person the strength to continue, especially during the moments when giving up seems easier.

For her mother, Evelyn Razo Epondo, seeing her daughter become a Licensed Professional Teacher is the fulfilment of a dream she carried for many years.

There were days when even putting food on the table was already a struggle. But despite this, Evelyn never stopped hoping that all her children would finish their education.

For their family, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program became one of the partners that helped them along the way by supporting the educational needs of their children.

It may not have removed all their struggles, but the assistance helped make the road a little easier for a family trying to give their children a better future.

Today, Evelyn continues to encourage her remaining monitored children to finish their studies and pursue their own dreams.

She also reminds fellow Pantawid beneficiaries to make the most of the opportunities provided by the program, especially by prioritizing their children’s education.

For parents who may feel discouraged because of poverty, she offers this reminder:

“Ipagpatuloy ninyo ang inyong mga sakripisyo para sa inyong mga anak. Darating din ang panahon na makakaraos kayo sa mga pagsubok ng buhay. Huwag kayong mawalan ng pag-asa.”

From a young girl who once walked seven kilometers just to attend school, Juvilyn has come a long way.
The road was not easy. There were financial struggles, delayed plans, sideline jobs, long walks, and moments when the dream seemed difficult to reach.

But she kept walking.

One step after another.

Today, those seven kilometers no longer represent how far she had to go just to reach a classroom. They have become a reminder of how far she has come.