DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman assured Pantawid beneficiaries of the continuing help to high school students even with the implementation of the K to 12.
“Hanggang hindi makakatapos yung mga anak ninyo sa high school, hindi sila maaalis sa programa (As long as your children have not yet graduated from high school, they will not be delisted from the program),” Soliman assured grantees during a dialogue with 275 Parent Leaders at Sarabia Manor Hotel recently.
Soliman said the program aims to give better chances to all the beneficiaries to improve their lives so that they will not suffer the hardship that the generations before them have experienced.
She said this was the reason why the age covered by the program before from 0-14 years old has been extended to 15-18 years,
“May nagbabago na. Kaya natin ito at dapat ipagpatuloy pa natin (We have already monitored changes. We could all do it and this should be continued,” she said.
Soliman encouraged every beneficiary to act as model in pushing for change and tuwid na daan.
“Dahil sa programa na ito, na improve ninyo ang self-confidence ninyo, naging matapang kayo sa pagharap sa buhay, masipag, at naging mabuting lider. Naging positibo kayo dahil sa pagtulong ninyo sa inyong kapwa at mamayan (Because of this program, your self-confidence has been improved, you have become courageous in facing life, industrious, and good leaders. You have positive minds because you’ve been helping your fellow and community), ” she said.
Nenita Barabona, for instance, a parent leader from Sta. Barbara, Iloilo, said that “because of the program, her personal life has been improved, she has more bonding time with her children and husband.”
Apart from these, Barabona said her self-esteem was improved.
“I religiously follow all the conditions set by the program and I attend Family Development Sessions. I am proud to be a Pantawid Parent leader,” she said.
Parent leaders are also beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilya but render volunteer work to monitor compliance to conditions of the program among their fellow grantees.
They work with DSWD workers in ensuring that the program is properly implemented./dswd//Montesa G. Caoyonan