Testimonya ni: Jomari C. Galvez

4Ps Beneficiary

Magna Cum laude

NUEVA VALENCIA, Guimaras- Just like other kids, I have dreams too – to finish college and to have a stable job but reaching them required sacrifices and perseverance.

Life back then was tough. We were so poor that even the word “poor “felt like an understatement. We lived in a tiny house with no electricity, and it was so fragile that a simple gust from a storm could blow it all away.

I recall the nights when the light from candles for studying was what kept the path to my dreams. It was dim, but it was steady. My parents barely made ends meet but did their best to provide for us. There were many times we have no baon and had to walk with my packed lunch, wrapped in plastic or an old container. Rice, salt, or cooking oil as my meal. But I carried it with pride because I knew it was love and the sacrifices my parents made.

As we walked to school every day, under the scorching sun or through muddy paths, our slippers wore thin yet they kept us walking despite the hardships, because we believed that education was our only hope. Then came the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), where we were listed as beneficiary. For others, it was small, but for us, it was our lifeline. The financial support we received made a difference in our lives.

My mother spent every peso of it wisely. She made sure we had school supplies, uniforms, and food. Through the program, we managed to finish high school, even though college felt out of reach, yet someone believed in me. Someone saw potential in a poor student walking barefoot to school with nothing but hope in his pocket. That motivated me to keep going. I held on to that, especially when life tested me the most. And yes, the journey wasn’t always smooth.

There was a time I got hospitalized twice for major surgery and even though 4Ps grants didn’t cover most of my college expenses, it was still significant. Our family may not be financially stable, but it was our biggest motivation.

I am proud to say that I graduated Magna Cum laude in Bachelor of Science in Cooperative Management at the West Visayas State University. This degree isn’t just an achievement; it’s my emblem to keep going when it would’ve been easier to stop. And it’s not just a milestone I’ll cherish, it’s something that built my identity. Slowly, I am reaching my goals, goals I thought was far from reality. I owe it to my family, especially to my parents who sacrificed a lot and to everyone who aided me along the way, and to those who believed in me, especially to the 4Ps.

Lastly, I hope that 4Ps beneficiaries will make the program their bridge to reach their goals and dreams through determination and sacrifices, because sometimes all we need is a little help to rewrite the story of our lives. /Revised and Edited by: Paul Andrie A. Farrol, WVSU Intern/mgc