By: Diody P. Fadullan
“A parent-leader since five years po. Natulungan din po kami sa 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program). Ako po ay mahirap lang po. (A parent-leader since five years. We were also helped by 4Ps. I am just a poor fellow.),” Nita Castillo-Talavero, a resident of Brgy. Bagacay, Ibajay, Aklan and a mother of three shares her story.
“Ang naitulong samin ng SLP (Sustainable Livelihood Program) ay malaki po dahil sa cash-for-work na binigay sa amin dito po sa NIA (National Irrigation Administration) Canal. Ako din po and nagsusupervise sa kanila. Mga 20 persons po, kasama po akon dun. Ngayon po ay nagma-manage na rin po ng ACBMC (Aklan Community-Based Maintenance Contracting) under PEO (Provincial Engineer’s Office) po. Funder po niyan is Australian Aide. Tatlong bidding na po akong nanalo. Canal yung naisipan naming project kasi po sa aming mangunguma dito sa aming Brgy. Bagacay, hindi po na-aabot ng tubig. (The SLP is of great help to us because of the cash-for-work given to us for the NIA Canal. I am also the supervisor. Now, I am also managing ACBMC under PEO. I’ve already won three biddings. We are on the average of 20 persons, including myself. We thought of the canal as a project because the farmers here in Brgy. Bagacay were barely reached by water.),” Nita explains.
“Kaya po yung cash-for-work sa canal namin ay okay na po. Talagang masayang-masaya po sila. Yung pagdaloy ng tubig eh okay na okay po. Nagpapasalamat po ako sa lahat ng DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) for giving us the priority, the NIA canal. (That is why the cash for work for the canal is already okay. They are really happy indeed. The water flow is very good. I am very thankful to DSWD for giving us the priority, the NIA canal.),” Nita continues.
Despite all the hardships that one may have, Nita exemplifies that raising three children with a husband who could barely find a stable employment is never a problem but a challenge to overcome. Nita shows great passion in serving her community through several leadership roles.
Skills Training for Employment
Not only did the DSWD, SLP help the community through the irrigation system but also through skills training with partner agencies.
“Sa ngayon po meron din po akong members na naka-avail ng security guard (training). Kinagagalak ko po na merong na po siyang trabaho ngayon. Kapit-bahay po namin siya. Ok lang po kasi gusto ko po silang matulungan magkatrabaho. Mayroon din pong welder po. Ngayon pumunta po sila sa Roxas para kumuha ng license. (To date, I also have members who availed of the security guard training. I am pleased that he is already employed. He is my neighbor. That is okay because I want to help them to get employed. There are also welders. They went to Roxas to get a license.),” adds Nita.
A Mother’s Hope
Nita continues her story with gratefulness and hope, not only for her own personal success and her community but to each and every one in need.
“Yung mga farmers dito sa aming barangay ay nagpapasalamat po sa tulong na ibinigay po sa amin na cash-for-work. Inaasahan ko po. At hopefully po more projects pa ang dumating sa amin para makatulong sa aming barangay sa ka-member ko po na 4Ps, sa lahat-lahat po. (The farmers in our barangay are very grateful to the cash-for-work program. I am hoping that more projects will come to us to help our barangay and my fellow 4Ps members, to everyone.),” says Nita.
“Sabi nga po nila, sana po may darating pang cash-for-work. Sabi ko antayin natin baka hindi natin alam na sa susunod na taon mayroon ding cash-for-work at ako din ang mag-aano sa inyo. Kasi po yung tao ko pag ako ang magmamanage, wala po yang ano. Talagang trabaho lang po yan. (They said that hopefully, another cash-for-work will come. I told them to wait because we just don’t know if maybe next year, we can avail of another cash-for-work and I will also be the one to manage them. It is because work is work if I’m the one who manages.),” Nita says with pride.
“Marami pong salamat sa SLP under DSWD sa pagbigay po sa amin sg proyektong ito. Ito po ay malaking tulong po sa amin na mahihirap to uplift our economic crisis and then to give us the sustainable program para sa amin pong pamilya. Mabibili po namin ang aming kailangan, ang aming needs and wants. (Thank you so much to SLP under DSWD for giving us this project. This is a great help to us, underprivileged to uplift our economic crisis and then to give us the sustainable program for our families. We can now afford our needs and wants.),” Nita concludes.
Despite all the hardships of raising three daughters with a husband who could barely find a stable job, Nita shows everyone that no struggle is a hindrance to ones passion to serve the community. Nita exemplifies the love of a mother that goes beyond boundaries. Nita Castillo-Talavero, a mother of three daughters, a mother of one united Brgy. Bagacay Sustainable Livelihood Program Association.