Cleaning up. With perseverance, Alexander A. Biola, 31, of Barangay San Roque, Legazpi City, clears the drainage canal in Barangay Rawis, Legazpi City. Apart from helping maintain the cleanliness of the city, he said he is grateful of his job as he can now able to sustain the needs of his family.

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“Determination leads to success” these are the words that bounded his life to provide the needs of his family.

Alexander A. Biola, 31, of Barangay San Roque, Legazpi City, in the province of Albay was among the beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program who was absorbed by the Department Public Works and Highways (DPWH) as a regular road maintenance employee.

The doors of opportunity was opened to “Alex” as he fondly called by his friends when he was able to perform beyond what is expected to him during the Trabahong Lansangan Project- a joint project of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and DPWH providing employment opportunities to Pantawid pamilya beneficiaries.

Regional Director Arnel B. Garcia of DSWD said in the Trabahong Lansangan Project, beneficiaries are provided with livelihood opportunities for six months within a year, apart from receiving their stipend. “The DPWH, employ beneficiaries for road maintenance, declogging of drainage laterals, and street sweeping,” he added.

“Pasalamat ako nin marhay sa oportunidad na ini ta nagkaigwa ako nin trabaho, kung bako sa proyekto dai kutana ako magkakaigwang ngunyan na regular na income [I am thankful for the opportunity, If not with the trabahong lansangan project, I would not have a regular income now],” he said.

In maintaining the road regularly, Alex received a salary of P409 daily. “Dakulang tabang na po ito samuyang pamilya, [It is a big help to my family]” he said.

What he had gone through

Alex could not imagine how he was able to cope up with the challenges he had. “Trabaho ko lang kaidto sa construction, tapos problema ko po ang pagpapakain sa aking pamilya, pati gatas ni baby [I only worked in the construction before and providing food for my family and milk to my baby is a daily struggle], he utter in a soft voice.

It was even harder for him when his 10 months old baby Alynna was diagnosed with pneumonia. “Grabe ang paghadit ko sa aki ko, maray ngani ta nagamit mi su Philhealth na itinao samuyang mga benepisyaryo. Nalibre kami sa ospital. [I am so worried about my child. But I am thankful that we were able to use the benefits coming from Philhealth which was issued to Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries. We avail the medical service for free],” he related.

Beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilya can avail health insurance benefits through Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth). The Pantawid pamilya beneficiaries and their qualified dependents are provided with insurance coverage for hospitalization in PhilHealth accredited hospital and non-hospital facilities.

In addition, they are entitled to the No Balance Billing Policy when admitted in non-private accommodation beds of government hospitals for any of the 23 cases covered under case payment; when availing of outpatient surgeries, hemodialysis and radiotherapy in non-hospital facilities; when availing of outpatient packages for tuberculosis, malaria, HIV/AIDS; and when availing of the services under the Maternity Care Package and Newborn Care Package in accredited birthing homes and lying-in clinics.

A Dream to Pursue

Alex said it was his willpower, determination, and his family why he was able to little by little improve his family’s ways of living. “Maski mapagal pero kinakaya para sa pamilya. Abo ko na maranasan kan mga aki ko ang hirap ta wara sindang inadalan arog mi.  Ang pangarap mi man sana na mag-agom ay makatapos hangang college ang samuyang mga aki. Iyo sana ito ang mapapamana namuya sa inda, [Even though it is tiring but I am trying hard for my family. I do not want my kids to experience hardship because they had not finished their education, like us. Our dream for our kids is for them to finish college. It is the only treasure we can give to them],” he said.

Alex would not bother the sun’s heat or the awful odors of drainage canals while doing the clearing. He said he is proud of his job. “Maugma ako ta nakakatabang ako sa paglinig kan banwa. [I am grateful of my job because in this way I can help attain the cleanliness of my Municipality.],” he said. His areas of assignment are barangays of Cabangan, Padang, Bigaa, Arimbay, Rawis and Bunot in the City of Legazpi.

In addition to his living, Alex would sell lumpia to his neighbors during weekends. “Nung nagkatrabaho ako, nakaipon kami, kaya nagtinda ako ning lumpia pandagdag kita. Nakaka-P300 man ako sa sarong aldaw. [When I got hired, we were able to save money from my income. I earn P300 daily from selling lumpia] he said.

The cash grants that their family received also helps a lot in financing the education of his children and maintaining good health of his family members. “Nagpapasalamat po ako sa tabang na itinao kan gobyerno. Ang pangadyi ko lang po ay sana diretso na mapakaray an samong pamilya sa pagkaigwa kong trabaho ngunian. Gigibuhon mi man an gabos ming makakaya para maging maayos ang samong pamilya. [I am thankful of the help provided by the government. I prayed that our family will continue to improve now that I have a regular job. I will also do the best that I can to improve my family’s well-being],” he firmly said.

Alex may have a lot of problems to encounter along the way to pursue his dreams for his family but as he said “all is possible for a man with deep faith and determination.” ***G.A.N. Lindio, Information Officer Pantawid Pamilya.