As a student, going outside the four (4) walls of the classroom is one of the best ways to get ready for the real world. The Cash-for-Work Program (CFWP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) gave 21-year-old Maria Angela Orberta, a fourth-year Bachelor of Secondary Education major in Values Education, her first glimpse into the working world.

Angela was deployed in Guinobatan, Albay, under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). For someone accustomed to the school life routine, the shift to field work was an unknown path.

“Kasi nasanay lang po ako na nasa school setting and mga estudyante lang po yung nae-encounter ko or kaya nakaka-interact po,” she explained.

(I was only used to the school setting, where I would mostly encounter and interact with fellow students.)

She added that in the field, it was different because she could connect with the parents as well as the 4Ps beneficiaries. With constant interaction with other people, her communication skills were further enhanced, which is applicable to her teaching profession.

Angela also learned a lot throughout her work experience with the program, such as compiling files, organizing case folders, encoding data, and processing documents. Learning to use Excel, which she had struggled with at first, was one of her greatest gains.

Besides administrative tasks, she also assists the 4Ps staff in conducting surveys for existing beneficiaries as well as the Family Development Sessions (FDS).

Angela also confessed that there were times she made mistakes in carrying out her tasks. However, she discovered that errors are stepping stones rather than dead ends with the help of her co-workers and the guidance of her supervisors.

“Sabi po kasi sa amin is okay lang po magkamali basta gawin mo itong parang lesson para maging okay na po sa susunod. So, nahubog po talaga ako ng sobra po sa CFW kasi hindi ko po talaga alam ang mga gagawin,” she said.

(They told us that it’s okay to make mistakes as long as you treat them as lessons, so you can do better next time. That’s why I was really molded by the CFW experience, because at first, I honestly didn’t know what to do.)

With the salary she has received amounting to PHP 10,375.00, Angela viewed it as an opportunity to use it for her school books, family support, and other school expenses. Beyond the financial reward, she also gained personal transformation.

“Very thankful po talaga ako dahil madami po akong nagi-gain na knowledge everyday na magagamit ko po to be an effective teacher someday. Kasi po ‘di ba, to be an effective teacher kailangan natin ma-transmit yung mga bagong learnings na natutunan natin sa mga estudyante,” she stated.

(I’m really very thankful because I gain so much knowledge every day that I can use to become an effective teacher someday. Because, as we know, to be an effective teacher, we need to be able to transmit the new learnings we acquire to our students.)

As Angela prepares her path towards the teaching profession, she carries the valuable learnings she gained through the program, which she hopes to pass on to her future students.

“Parang nakikita ko yung sarili ko na someday may mga estudyante ako na tuturuan. And parang magkakaroon po ako ng remarkable na [impact] sa kanila,” she said.

(It’s like I can see myself someday having students of my own to teach. And I feel like I’ll make a remarkable impact on them.)

Her involvement with the Cash-for-Work Program served as a reminder that real-world experiences, mistakes, and connections may teach us some of life’s most valuable lessons.