Conner, Apayao –She does not know how to read and write but through hard work and perseverance she successfully fulfilled her dreams.

Intan was born into a poor family from Jolo, Sulu. She never had formal education and, at an early age, had to work to support her family. At 15, she married Hiyawata Agcon, with whom she now has 10 children.

She promised herself that she would build a home for the family and send all the children to school.

“Ayoko na maranasan ng mga anak ko ang naranasan namin, gusto ko makaahon sila at maganda ang kanilang kinabukasan (I do not want my children to go through the same experience I had. I want them to move up and have a better future), she says.

Intan and Hiyawata relocated to different places wherever job opportunities were available. They lived in makeshift houses or lived with relatives. Hiyawata worked as a security guard in Tawi-Tawi, while Intan took odd jobs to help with the expenses.

The couple eventually migrated up north and settled in Apayao, willingly going through all the difficulties to provide a brighter future for their children.

Receiving help from DSWD

In 2008, after finding a home in Conner, Apayao, Intan’s family was included in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. As a beneficiary, she eagerly complied with the conditions set by the program, actively participating in Family Development Sessions conducted in their municipality.

Eventually, she received a P10,000 loan from DSWD when the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) was first implemented.. Without any hesitation, Intan grabbed this chance to continue her existing small enterprise – selling snacks near the Apayao Stage College. In addition to the loan she received, Intan underwent various capability building activities for entrepreneurs.

With help from the DSWD, she was able her to sell more food products like cooked meals for lunch. According to Intan, her earnings peak during school days. Hiyawata, who is now retired, and the children are her partners in operating their small carinderia.

Participating in the Pantawid Pamilya and SLP gave Intan an opportunity to send her children to school. At present, four of her children have already earned college degrees. The other two finished short courses, while the seventh, Annie, is now in college taking up Education. The eighth, Ay-ann, is in high school, while the remaining two are both in elementary.

Intan believes that her dreams are finally coming true. Aside from being able to send the children to school, the family now has two houses in Conner. Intan attributes the fulfillment of her dream to hard work and perseverance.

The secret is in saving

Aside from the positive attitude showed by the Agcon family, Intan said that another secret to their success is that she remembers to save.

“Importante mag-ipon,” (Saving is very important) she happily shares. “Dahil sa pag-iipon ko, napalago ko ang aking negosyo”( Because of saving, I was able to expand my business)

“Dahil sa tulong ng programa ng DSWD, malaya ko na nagagawa ang mga bagay para sa kapakanan ng kanyang pamilya (With the help of the DSWD programs, I am now more empowered to freely do things better for my family),” which she was not able to do before, she shared.

They no longer ask for help or financial assistance from any of their relatives. There is money saved in case of an emergency. Some of her savings were also used as capital to raise pigs and poultry, from which they gain additional income. Furthermore, the bond among the family built the foundation of a strong workforce, which resulted to the expansion of their business.

Intan believes that without DSWD, her children would not have been able to finish college. Moreover, she may not know how to read or write, but her hard work and perseverance have made Intan successful in her own right. Intan has proven that everybody has the chance to turn their dreams into reality.

SLP in figures

Intan’s family is one of 7,480 Pantawid Pamilya families from the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) provided with seed capital assistance through the SLP between January 2011 to June 2014.

Other Pantawid Pamilya families who ventured into micro-enterprises were served through micro-finance institutions, national government agencies, and local government units. Others were provided with physical assets such as infrastructure for their micro-enterprises, while others utilized their savings.

A total of 15,829 families from CAR were served through the SLP for the given period, including non-Pantawid Pamilya families. ###