TYPHOON Yolanda may have destroyed houses and buildings, uprooted trees and knocked out electric posts but it was not able to cripple the spirit of Filipinos. The Parent Leaders of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program in Mambusao, Capiz for instance, looked after the beneficiaries under their cluster when they all experienced the rage of the typhoon.
Forty-three-year old Annaliza Ambrosio of Brgy. Calidquid made sure that the beneficiaries under her cluster were all safe during the disaster. She is a Parent Leader with 19 members, all of whom she advised to evacuate before the typhoon made a landfall.
Annaliza narrated, “Tinawagan ko yung ibang miyembro ng cluster ko na hindi pa nag-eevacuate na maghanda nang umalis sa bahay nila bago pa bumagyo. Mahirap na baka lalo silang mapahamak lalo na yung mga anak nila.”
Together with her four children, Annaliza left her house to stay somewhere safe. The Head Teacher of Tongatong Elementary School entrusted to her the keys to the facility so she can lead the evacuees inside the classrooms.
“Nagpapasalamat naman ako at ipinagkatiwala sa akin yung susi ng eskwela. Mas madali kaming nakapasok at naging safe naman kami noong umulan na nang malakas,” she said.
While she acted brave and in control during the disaster, Annaliza could not help but to get teary eyed as she related the challenges she has encountered.
“Napakahirap talaga noong panahon na bumagyo. Mahirap magtawag ng mga miyembro sa cluster ko at kumbinsihin sila na mag-evacuate na. Tapos nagkasakit din ako at yung dalawang anak ko. Pagbalik pa namin ng bahay sira-sira na pala,” she related. She and her children now reside in a makeshift hut they built, just outside their tattered house. They stayed at the evacuation center for two weeks.
Being a Parent Leader requires leadership skills to mobilize people and disseminate correct information to members. Apart from their responsibilities at home, Parent Leaders are also expected to check their members’ attendance during meetings and Family Development Sessions and to lead in the conduct of other activities in their community. Nevertheless, Annaliza said that being a Parent Leader is a challenging yet fulfilling job.
“Hindi madaling maging Parent Leader pero masaya na rin ako dahil nakakatulong ako sa kapwa ko benepisyaryo,” she explained.
Pantawid Pamilya is the national government’s flagship program on poverty alleviation. It is implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in partnership with the Department of Education and Department of Health. (DSWD)