Ang kahirapan ay dapat gawin nating motibasayon sa kung anu mang pagsubok na dumarating sa ating buhay. Naniniwala ako na hindi ako nag-iisa sa pagtupad ng pangarap ko dahil alam ko na nandiyan ang Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) ng Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) na tutulungan ako at aagapay sa pagtupad nito. (Poverty should serve as our motivation for whatever obstacles life may bring. But now, I am convinced that I am not alone in turning my dreams into reality through the help of SLP”. Mary Anne Dela Cruz said.

Mary Anne Dela Cruz, 35 year old, is the parent leader and president of the Dela Paz Quail Egg Producers Association. She lives with her five sons and are staying at Barangay Carangcang,

Magarao Camarines Sur. Her eldest child is a 16-year old Grade ten student while her second child is a Grade nine student.  As a mother and breadwinner of the family, she believes that SLP plays an important role in their lives.

With tears in her eyes, Mary Anne narrated that life was so difficult after what happened to her family.

“Dati nagtitinda ako ng isda, may malawak na taniman kaso nagkasakit ako at nadiagnosed na may valvular heart disease. Sa mga sandaling iyon, para akong pinagtakluban ng lupa at langit, nawala lahat ng mga kinaiingatan ko sa buhay.  Zero balance talaga ako. Wala akong nagawang iba kundi ang magdasal.” (I used to be a fish vendor and a farmer until an unfortunate event happened. I was diagnosed with valvular heart disease. During that moment, I felt so devastated. I lost all the possessions I’ve been treasuring all my life and I had nothing else to do but pray. Valvular heart disease is characterized by damage or a defect in one of the four heart valves: the mitral, aortic, tricuspid or pulmonary. The main causes of heart valve disease are being born with an abnormal valve or valves (congenital heart disease), rheumatic fever, cardiomyopathy – a disease of the heart muscle, damage to the heart muscle from a heart attack, getting older and a previous infection with endocarditis). Mary Anne shared.

Because of her positive attitude in life, many blessings came to her family. DSWD through SLP came in their barangay and included qualified residents with entrepreneurial skills. She was considered as one of the recipients of Seed Capital Fund (SCF) assistance amounting to Php 125,790.00 and venture into quail egg production.

SCF is a capacity building grant given to an eligible SLP participant belonging to an SLP Association. The grant is intended to support the establishment of a community-based credit and savings facility, and to provide start-up or additional financial capital for participants who wish to engage in other income-generating projects.

“Masayang-masaya ako ng napasali ako sa Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program lalo na sa SLP ng DSWD.” (I am very happy for I was chosen as beneficiary of  Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and SLP of DSWD) Mary Anne happily shared.

The association elected officers among themselves to manage and operate the quail egg production and Mary Anne was chosen to lead the group. The Dela Paz Quail Egg Producers Association is one of the successful Quail farms in the Municipality of Magarao, organized in 2016 and dream of improving the quality of life of the members.

They were very excited to start the project. Last December 9, 2016, they started to deliver quail eggs to their village.  They built a small house made of light materials and concrete flooring with quail cages. They also made daily schedule that will make daily cleaning and harvesting of eggs.

Her greatest legacy as a president of the association is to be positive in life despite of financial shortcomings and other challenges. Amidst of her Valvular disease she was

able to lead the group and pursue her dream of alleviating to poverty.

Not only Mary Anne benefited from the project but also its other members. Antonieta and Mary Jane Postrado , the treasurer and secretary of the said association, respectively, shared that having this kind of project or business helped their children in fulfilling their dreams in life.

 “Malaking tulong ang pagiging member ko ng Pantawid at SLP dahil napraktis ko ang mag manage ng business,  makipag usap at makihalubilo sa ibat ibang klase ng tao na mag kakaiba ng ugali at pananaw sa buhay.” (As a pantawid and SLP member, it helps me a lot for it gives me the opportunity to manage a business, talk and immerse to different people having different attitudes, personalities and perspective in life.) Mary Jane shared.

Quail layering project was one of the micro-enterprise funded projects of Magarao, Camarines Sur from SLP GAA 2016. The fund covered the two-cycle operation of the project which made the project financially stable.

“Hinding hindi na kami mag-aalala na sa susunod na mga panahon mayroon na kaming negosyo na dadagdag sa aming kita araw- araw”. (We will never have to worry again for the coming days because we already have a business to augment for our daily income.) Aling Mary Anne added.

The members of the Dela Paz Quail Egg Producers Association also learned to value their hand earned money by depositing their funds at a local bank.

Aside from managing the Quail Egg production and actively participating to pantawid pamilya program activities the SLP association members also advocating gender equality by encouraging other women in the barangay to earn and venture in business like them.

De la Paz Quail Egg Producers Association continuously operating the business given by SLP to them, they further believe that through their small ways, they can still improve their life. DSWD-SLP serves as a guide in reaching for a better life with hard works and sacrifices. #MPDORRamos#FSNPOJ02/14/2018