When Manang Summa’s husband, Edgar who worked overseas, stopped communicating and sending them money, she felt abandoned and helpless.

Later, she learned that her husband abandoned her and their nine children for another woman.

“During that dark episode of my life, I cried every night. I wanted an answer, I wanted to find out where he is but I could not leave our place…I could not also work because I have my baby and eight other children to take care of,” sadly narrated by Manang Summa.

She felt hopeless until the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program came into their community and she became a beneficiary. Pantawid Pamilya is a conditional cash transfer program of the national government and implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).  It provides cash grants to poor households to improve their health, nutrition and education, particularly children aged 0 to 14 years old provided that they comply to certain conditionalities such as sending their children to school, undergoing check-ups in health centers, and attending family development sessions. The program has become Manang Summa’s partner and has helped her cope both emotionally and financially.

“I nearly gave my baby away because I was not able to provide for her basic needs,” confessed Manang Summa. She recalled how she talked to her relative about putting up her baby for adoption.

There were several times in the past when she felt so helpless seeing her children go hungry. Manang Summa’s life began to turn around when she started attending the family development sessions (FDS).

The FDS consists of three modules namely; Paglalatag ng Pundasyon ng Programang Pantawid Pamilya, Paghahanda at Pangangalaga ng Pamilyang Pilipino, and Partisipasyon ng Pamilyang Pilipino sa Gawaing Pang Komunidad. FDS serves as a venue where topics on effective parenting, husband and wife relationships, child development, laws affecting the Filipino family, gender and development and home management are discussed. Through the FDS, parents are also informed of their rights as individuals as well as the obligations that they need to fulfill not only as husband and wife but also as parents, and community members.

Manang Summa’s regular attendance to FDS helped her recover and heal from the trauma of being left alone to raise a family. Her fellow beneficiaries became her support system and provided her moral, spiritual and even financial support. Likewise, the FDS provided her with an opportunity to focus on her responsibilities rather than to indulge in self-pity. She actively participated in community livelihood projects like planting and selling vegetables along with other mother-beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilya. The sharing and lectures from the parenting sessions helped her gain courage and strength while her participation in livelihood projects complemented her cash grants.

Then, her husband came back into their barangay with another woman. Although Manang Summa felt angry and embarrassed, the lessons she learned from the FDS strengthened her resolve to lead a peaceful life with her children. Once again, the FDS became her therapy in coping with depression. Gradually, Manang Summa was able to put herself back together.

Meanwhile, the elders of the community decided to send Edgar and his girlfriend away from the community. A month later, her husband came back to ask for her forgiveness, and to see the children. Manang Summa allowed him to see their children but she was not yet ready to forgive him. “It will take time to heal the wounds that Edgar had inflicted to our family,” she related.

Edgar is back in the community and also attends the FDS to understand his responsibilities as a father and a husband. He makes considerable efforts to show his wife and children that he is truly repentant and will do everything to win them back.

Manang Summa has gone through a bitter experience, but in the end, it   strengthened her character. She is grateful to Pantawid Pamilya for coming into their life and for making her a stronger person and a better parent. ###