For a 26-year-old mother who started a family early, finally being able to afford a set of plastic table and chairs for their home is already a great accomplishment.
“Naaawa na kasi ako sa mga anak ko na sa sahig na lang kumakain o nag-aaral. Gusto ko naman sana may maayos kaming mapagkainan at sila ay makapag-aral nang mas maayos (I pity my children because they just eat and study on the floor. I wanted to have a proper place where we can eat and where they can study well),” narrated Edna Villalobos, a partner beneficiary of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, the country’s flagship poverty reduction program implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Edna related that when her family became a partner beneficiary of the program in 2012, she saved enough money to buy a plastic table and four chairs needed for their small home in Brgy. Halayhayin, Pililla, Rizal Province.
However, when she and her husband Joel got into a fight one day, she was hit with the table and the chairs. She later saw her investment in broken pieces, and felt pain over her frail body.
This was not the first time that Edna experienced physical violence from her husband. She endured similar abuses several years back, especially when her husband was drunk.
The end of violence
Since she only finished grade school, Edna admitted that her lack of education made her a passive victim of her husband’s violence. She just kept all these abuses to her herself and stayed silent to end the issue of domestic violence.
This was before she attended the Family Development Sessions (FDS) of the Pantawid Pamilya, where she learned so many things about her rights as a woman. The cycle of domestic violence ended when she was able to emancipate herself by asserting her rights.
The FDS is a venue where the beneficiaries of the program gather to discuss topics on effective parenting, husband and wife relationships, child development, laws affecting the Filipino family, gender and development, and home management.
Through the FDS, parents are also informed of their rights as individuals, and their obligations to fulfill not only as husband and wife, but also as parents and community members.
The knowledge she acquired from attending the monthly FDS opened her eyes to her rights.
“Natutunan ko sa FDS ang karapatan ko bilang isang babae (I learned from FDS about my rights as a woman),” Edna enthused.
On that day, when she saw her table and chairs broken, Edna became firm that the situation had to end.
She went to the police to finally file a report against her husband.
Upon learning about the couple’s situation, a social worker from the Local Social Welfare and Development Office (LSWDO) mediated and provided the family a series of counseling sessions, which positively changed their lives, especially Edna’s husband.
Through the counseling sessions, Edna realized that she should give her husband a second chance to keep their family intact. Hence, she did not pursue the case she earlier filed against him.
Peaceful home
Whereas before, Edna used to live in fear of her husband’s violent outbursts, she confirms that their home is now peaceful.
Joel’s behavior in treating his wife and children changed a lot. He now shows concern over the future of their children. He is no longer involved in vices.
“Dati, balewala lang sa kanya kung pumasok o hindi ang mga anak namin. Ngayon, siya pa ang nagpapaalala araw-araw na gisingin nang maaga ang mga bata para makapasok sa school. Lagi niya na ring sinasabi sa kanila na pumasok sila para may bago silang matutunan (Before, my husband did not care whether our children went to school or not. Now he is the one reminding them to wake up early and go to school so they will learn something new),” Edna narrated.
Both of them are now doing their best for their children. They also realized that creating a good family mainly lies in nurturing their children well. With the Pantawid Pamilya, Edna is positive that they are off to a good start. They are convinced that without the program, their children will never have the opportunity to attain a better life.
“Puhunan namin ang pagpapalaki nang maayos sa aming mga anak para di sila maghirap ‘pag sila ay nagkaroon ng kanya-kanyang pamilya (We are investing in raising our children well, so they won’t experience hardships when they have their own families),” Edna added.
“Dati, itong bahay namin ay plastik lang ang bubong. Kapag malakas ang hangin at umuulan, nababasa kami. Gamit ang ekstrang pera na naipon namin sa pagbebenta ng saging, nakabili kami ng yero para maayos ang bubong ng bahay namin. Ako mismo ang nag-ayos nitong bahay para hindi na kawawa ang mga anak namin (Our house used to have plastic roofing and when the wind and rains were strong, we got wet. Using the extra money we saved from selling bananas, we were able to buy galvanized iron sheets to fix our roof. I fixed it myself so our children will no longer be miserable),” teary-eyed Joel recalled.
“Sinisikap naming mapagtapos sila ng pag-aaral, kahit hanggang high school man lang para hindi na ganitong hirap ang maranasan nila (We try our best to send our children to school, even until high school, so they will not experience the hardships we are going through),” Edna said.
For Edna, Pantawid Pamilya opened a lot of opportunities for their family. As she looks around her house and sees the wooden table and chairs her husband has built himself, she can never be more satisfied.
Edna’s plastic table and chairs may have been broken, but the wooden furniture inside the couple’s home now signifies their more concrete desire to strengthen their harmonious and peaceful relationship. It is now a perfect home to secure their children’s future. ###
