VALDERRAMA, Antique – “My only dream is to serve and help the people especially those in need because I was once a monitored 4Ps child who was blessed to receive cash grants,” said Renel B. Olido, 25 years old of Brgy. Manlacbo of this municipality.

Renel, a former 4Ps monitored child now a Licensed Professional Teacher and currently working as the Beneficiary Data Management (BDM) Focal of the 4Ps Antique Provincial Operations Office. He chose to serve the general public rather than to teach schoolchildren because, for him, he could teach even if he was serving the Department.

He is the 5th child of the six children of couple Rex and Nelly. His mother works as a Child Development Worker at their Barangay, while his father is a farmer. Back then, Olido emphasized that their life was a complete struggle. Though his parents were working hard to make ends meet, there were still days that they just had to eat once or twice a day. At an early age, he realized that they were poor and unprivileged because they couldn’t even afford their basic needs if his mother wouldn’t borrow money from other people.

He also added that during his high school at St. Luke’s Academy, he had to walk for an hour and a half and cross a river just to get to school. He also remembers that he had to submit promissory notes several times so he could take the examinations.

When they were identified as a 4Ps beneficiary, it was a breather for their family. They were able to go to school with full stomach and money that could suffice their needs at school. The grants they received were a great help even if it was for a short time. They entered the program in 2008 (Set 1) and exited in 2013 due to his mother’s occupation in the government. Still, he was truly grateful.

By the end of his high school days, he feared that there was a big possibility that he couldn’t go to college because of financial constraints. Fortunately, his older sister saw his dedication and willingness to study, and she committed to support him, with the help of their mother. He entered college in 2015 at the University of Antique- Main Campus, and at that time, there was no free tuition. He never complained about whatever hardship he was experiencing at that time and just silently hoped that the universe would be on his side.

As if the universe heard him that during his second year, free tuition in college was implemented. He also saw an opportunity to be a working student at his boarding house near his school. He worked as a cleaner to free his boarding until the most awaited part came to reality. He graduated and got his Bachelor of Science in Information Technology in 2019. He is the pride of his parents, the first degree holder in his family.

After graduation, he started working as an LGU link at Valderrama 4Ps Municipal Operations Office. There, it deepened his knowledge about the program, its conditions, how case management works, and its goal for the beneficiaries. It was also the time when his will to help and serve the people ignited.

After two years, he decided to look for another job opportunity because of financial constraints and he has other plans to pursue. He then worked as a Data Analyst at Savant Technologies Inc., San Jose (2021). At that time with his little salary, he still managed to support himself by enrolling and studying at the same University because he was dedicated to pursuing his father’s dream for him – which is to become a teacher. He got his Certificate in Teaching in 2022 and took his first board exam in the same year, unfortunately, it wasn’t his time yet.

At the beginning of 2023, he resigned from Savant and went back to his hometown to work again at LGU Link. Later that time, there was a massive hiring for DSWD 4Ps – Project Development Officer II. His colleagues – Jeanen Segunla and Anna Marie Trabado, encouraged him to apply, but the thing that encouraged him the most is, that it’s one step closer to realizing his dream to help the people, especially the 4Ps beneficiaries in a wider scope and to give back the opportunity given to him when he was a child.

\In July 2023, he was hired and to his surprise, he was designated as Beneficiary Data Management Focal at the 4Ps Antique Provincial Operations Office. He is honored and pressured at the same time. He expected to be hired as PDO II/ML which he is most familiar with, given his experience as an LGU link. However, he had no choice but to take the opportunity and adjust to it. In one year, he gained a lot of experiences that enhanced his skills and expanded his knowledge, especially in analysis and data verification.

Despite challenges at work, and slowly achieving his dreams, he doesn’t want to set aside his father’s dream.

In March 2024, he took the Licensure Exam for Teachers for the second time and in God’s grace, he successfully fulfilled his promise – to be a professional teacher. At this time, he is ready to take charge and navigate the life he wants.

For Olido, it was never easy working under the DSWD 4Ps. There were days that you were thorn between deadlines and being empathetic to the field staff, there were also days that just burned you out, and the days that you had to sacrifice your weekends but at the end of those days, you are just grateful of the job you have, that you are serving a purpose. A purpose to give back, a purpose to help other people, and more importantly, a purpose to live the reality of his dream.

At first, working at DSWD wasn’t really in his plan, but God is so good that he brought him exactly his heart’s desire. Now that he is working under DSWD 4Ps, his dream for the beneficiaries of the program is for them to reach their goals, and elevate their lives, and may his story be an inspiration to everyone.

Currently, Olido is helping her older sister in supporting their youngest who is now in 4th year college. Slowly, their family is breaking the chains of poverty. With determination and strong will, together they will achieve greater heights.

“I just want to share this line that my parents would always tell us”, “Agwanta gid permi kag mag-eskwela ka asta maka tapos, ky wala kami it manggad nga mapamana ka ninyo” (Sacrifice always and study well so that you can finish your studies because you don’t get any inheritance from us). It is true because education is indeed the key to success.

To the people behind my success, I would like to say thank you so much for everything, to my parents and Manang April who’s always there from the start, to Lola Lucy Tongson, my boarding house owner, thank you for being so kind. To MSWDO Valderrama and the best MLs and CF of MOO Valderrama, thank you for shaping me as a good worker, thank you for instilling the purpose of the 4Ps which I used as my motivation to work under the program.

To the 4Ps, thank you very much. I hope the program will continue to touch the people who need it most. As one of the implementers, I will always give the best that I can offer to help our beneficiaries. (Written by: Maybel Esparagoza, SDA Focal, Antique POO)