CARLES, ILOILO – What you’ve done today is what you become tomorrow. Your good future depends on your good deeds today. Despite all barriers that block along your way towards victory, if dreams paired with patience, sacrifices, and hard works, all those blockages will someday turn into blessings”, this is the mantra of the Villanueva family from this island.
For Shano, the eldest son of couple Ceferino and Sanafe, it’s not really poverty that hinders success, it’s the person actually who lacks motivation, losses courage, and less determined to continue pursuing his dreams in all the challenges he is facing.
OUR STORY
We, our family, are proud and happy that we did not quit and surrender. We dream, we sighed, we cried yet we fight and constantly winning. We were so determined to break those rocky roads, hills, and humps that hampers our way toward success.
We are an islander family. We lived on a remote island in the Municipality of Carles, the Island of Gigantes, at Purok 1, Brgy. Lantangan, Carles, Iloilo. My father is a part-time laborer while my mother owned a small fruit and vegetable store in our barangay.
I am the eldest of five siblings in our family. I am the only son and the four that follow next after me are all lovely girls. Though living in a small and simple house still our dream is as big as our place, it’s gigantic!
Way back in 2011, I stopped one year of schooling in college after graduated from high school due to serious circumstances. It was a big thing for me since I was one of the batch salutatorians when I graduated from high school.
These are the times when our family is in the midst of challenges highlighting monetary problems of course. I took my course at Estancia and need to adjust to my new environment. Financial constrain is a big matter for my dreams and my family’s ambition. How would I finish my chosen course? That’s my biggest question. We don’t have enough resources to supplement my needs, my sisters’ needs, and our family’s basic necessities.
My sister Shanara did not enroll in college after her high school graduation because our parents can’t afford to send us both to college for I am already graduating from college at that time.
To make our story short, through handworks, perseverance, and with the help of some family and friends, we surpass all those endeavors that our family had gone through. I and my sister Shanara graduated from the course we just dreamt to become.
To be an islander is not an easy life. You can’t predict when the great wind blows and where will it blow you. May mga panahon nga tam-an gid ka baskog kag wala mayad income ang mga taga pulo. In times of dilemma, Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program (4Ps) is one of the answers and aid to most of the islanders’ sufferings.
The 4Ps grant can actually lessen the burden and hardships of the poor island families. The program is a really big help to those who are badly in need. Makapahagan-hagan kag makatimbang gid sang kada pag pangabuhi sang kada pamilya ang ini nga programa.
The program is truly a very helpful program of the government to most of the poor and those who belong to the poorest of the poor Filipino families. Our family is one of those poor families who are grateful to be a member and a recipient of the said program, that had been lucky to have monthly financial assistance provided by the government.
We are forever grateful for the help and opportunity were given to us for our health and education care and security.
‘’Hay salamat kay manug-release na kmi sang amun nga grant sa 4Ps.” My mother would always utter joy when she hears the date of the release of grant in 4Ps. “May idugang na kita bayad sa mga balayran niyo sa Eskwelahan,” my mother added.
Not only financially but also my mother learned about how to be a responsible parent to us through active participation in the Family Development Session (FDS). The bonding of our family also becomes stronger and happier.
SUCCESS
Luckily, I am blessed to graduate at Nothern Iloilo Polytechnic State College with the degree of Bachelor of Education- Mathematics and currently working as a Mathematics teacher at Granada National High School –Ballesteros Extension here in Gigantes Island for almost a year already.
Shanara, the second child, has just graduated this year from her course Bachelor of Science in Criminology and now, patiently waiting to take the board exam after this COVID-19 pandemic.
My three younger sisters are still schooling and currently in Grades 11, 10, and 6, respectively. We are not that totally financially stable but we see a big difference from our way of living before compared today.
We are grateful and thankful for those people who had helped us build our golden ship and sailed with us towards a brighter and clearer destination, Our Good Future! (Prepared by Marvin S. Sedicol, ML Carles, Iloilo POO).
