Every day, Maria Crispina de la Fuente, 27, of Barangay Anao, Cabagan, Isabela, and Marichu Amarillo, 40, of Mauban, Quezon, like their children, go to school.

Maria Crispina is a second year college student at Isabela State University in Cabagan taking up Bachelor of Science in Information Technology while Marichu is pursuing BS in Education.  Both are elated when they passed the Accreditation Equivalency Test to qualify for the Department of Education’s Alternative Learning System (ALS).

The ALS is a free education program implemented by the DepED which allows those who have not finished their schooling to continue studying in their own free time.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) also adopt the ALS for children-beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilya like the indigenous peoples who have no access to schools in their area. It is also used in the Modified Conditional Cash Transfer for Homeless Street Families.

Maria Crispina and Marichu are both thankful for the ALS which opened an opportunity for them to finish their education.

Inspired by Pantawid Pamilya

Maria Crispina has three children, Marian, Grade 4; Rhea, Kinder; and Henry Jr., a daycare pupil. All her three children are covered with the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. Marichu, on the other hand, has five children and three are beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilya.

The families of Maria Crispina and Marichu are among the 3,924,157  (as of July 24, 2013) beneficiaries of  Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program of the DSWD.

The Pantawid Pamilya is a human development program that invests in the health and education of children 0-14 years old. It provides cash grants of as much as P1,400 to a family with three qualified children provided they comply with the program conditionalities.

The conditionalities are: pregnant women must avail of pre- and post-natal care and be attended by a trained health professional during childbirth; 0-5 year-old children must receive regular preventive health check-ups and vaccines; 3-5 year-old children must attend day care or pre-school classes at least 85 percent of the time; 6-14 year-old children must enroll in elementary or high-school and must attend at least 85 percent of the time; 6-14 year-old children must receive deworming pills twice a year; and parents must attend Family Development Sessions (FDS).

Both mothers claim that their regular attendance to the FDS was the turning point in their lives.

The FDS is a regular gathering of parent-beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilya.  It 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. Topics discussed during FDS include effective parenting, husband and wife relationships, child development, laws affecting the Filipino family, gender and development, and home management.

“Tinalakay din po sa FDS ang kahalagahan ng edukasyon. Kaya’t  naisip ko na hindi pa naman huli ang lahat. Hindi naman hadlang ang edad pag-gusto mong makatapos ng pag-aaral ( FDS also taught us the value of education. I believe that age will not deter anyone to finish school),” Maria Crispina related.

“Napakalaking pagbabago ang naidulot ng FDS sa akin, di lang yung tulong pinansyal, kundi lalo na sa pagpapaunlad ng aking tiwala sa sarili at mga paniniwala sa buhay.  Isipin mo, 27 years old na ako pero hindi pa pala huli ang lahat para sa akin (The program brought a lot of changes in my life, not only in the financial aspect, but more so in developing my self-confidence and beliefs.  I am 27 years old, but everything is not too late for me),” Maria Crispina added.

For her part Marichu said, “bumalik po ako sa pag-aaral para maipakita ko sa mga anak ko ang kahalagahan ng edukasyon (I went back to school to inspire my children to go to school).”

Marichu further said, “Tinuruan ako ng FDS na maging mas responsable. Hindi lamang ako kundi ang mga kasamahan ko. Dito ko natutunan ang tamang pagbubudget ng pera at kung anong direksyon ang dapat susundan (FDS taught me and my fellow beneficiaries to be responsible. I learned from FDS the proper way of budgeting).”

Marichu said that with the lessons from FDS, she manages her time studying and earning at the same time. At night, she prepares “siopaos” and sells them to her professors and classmates in school the following day. She reviews and studies her lessons during her vacant time.

Devoted wives and mothers

Maria Crispina and Marichu also shared that the FDS is a life changing experience for them after attending the FDS. They are now able to cope with their daily responsibilities as mothers, students, and wives.

Despite their busy schedules, both mothers are determined not to become remiss in their responsibilities as wives and mothers. Maria Crispina narrated that she got married when she was only 14 years old and was just in the second year of high school. Faced with the daunting responsibilities of married life, Maria Crispina stopped going to school. She worked hard, instead, at becoming a caring wife and mother.

To ensure that her children will not suffer the same fate, she nurtures them with knowledge and values that they should live by, while fulfilling her dream to finish her education. Maria Crispina’s efforts undoubtedly contributed to the excellent performance of her children in school. Both Marian and Rhea were honor students last school year and continue to get good grades.

Marichu, on the other hand, also understands the importance of education and believes that life could have been better for her family if she finished her studies. Hence, she keeps on encouraging her five children to go to school.

For Marichu, her way of raising her family today is her preparation for their future. She said that even without assistance from the program, she is determined to keep her children in school. The value of education for her is unquestionable. In fact, she cannot wait to be a teacher herself someday so she can change the lives of children by educating them.

Learning about Maria Crispina and Marichu’s desire to finish their education, DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman said that they are an inspiration to other Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries. They are proof that when you aspire for a better life, it will never be too late to achieve it. ###