Being a fisherman’s son has inspired 37-year- old Ricky Parcon of Brgy. Balaring, Ivisan, Capiz to strive hard to combat poverty since fishing is the only source of family income.

Ricky grew up in a household wherein making ends meet was a daily struggle. Their father’s measly income was only enough for their daily sustenance, oftentimes their educational needs of his siblings were neglected.

Despite of hardship, Ricky has completed his elementary education at Balaring Elementary School in 1994. After graduating from elementary, he was forced to stop schooling due to inadequate financial means. Shortly thereafter, he worked as a baker for three years earning P600 per month. Regularly, he sends his salary to his family to aid for the schooling of his older siblings.

In 1996, his father died from heart attack. It was one of the lowest point of his life. Because of grief, stress, lack of sleep, and exhaustion, he experienced total blindness. It was then, he thought, that everything’s over, but with the unyielding support of his family he was able to seek medical help and regained his vision on his left eye.

After three years of working in the bakery, he asked his mother and older siblings if he could go back to schooling. He entered as school boy in high school and juggled between studying and working in the bakery. He sometimes has to endure starvation in order to prioritize his educational needs. It was in high school at Ivisan National High School where he honed himself by actively participating in different school activities, choir, DSWD Youth Organization and Pag-Asa Youth Association of the Philippines (PYAP). All his sacrifices and efforts paid off when he graduated as Class Salutatorian and received a Pangulong Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (PGMA) Leadership Award.

In 2002, he was able to pursue his Bachelor of Arts in Community Development in Filamer Christian University through the Person With Disability (PWD) Scholarship Program of the Commission of Higher Education (CHED). He was an Academic Awardee from first year to fourth year college and was able to graduate in 2006 with flying colors.

It was during his growing up years, when his passion to serve deepened. Growing up in poverty made him realize the importance of education towards improving oneself. That as long as you have the passion, determination and drive, no dream is too big. He showed that no physical shortcomings can hinder him from achieving his goals.

WORK

 

Shortly after his graduation, Ricky landed a job as Community Organizer for Coastal Resource Management Program from 2006-2008 at Roxas City Local Government Unit (LGU). Then as Economic Project Coordinator for Abante Aklan Inc., an assisted project of World Vision Development Foundation wherein he was awarded as Most Outstanding Staff of the year 2009.

Ricky started working in the DSWD-6 last January 15, 2012 as Municipal Link assigned in Jamindan Municipal Operations Office. He is the appointed Municipal Action Team Leader since August 2014 up to the present.

Being one of the active MLs, he was chosen to be one of the recipients of Leadership for Convergence Program Scholarship of the Department in partnership with the University of the Philippines. He graduated last year. Not only that currently, he is also on his third year, taking up of Bachelor of Arts in Social Work at the Filamer Christian University in Roxas City.

For the past five years in service, he garnered numerous accolades and awards and brought honor to the Municipality where he is currently assigned. Two of his recent awards are Best Performing Municipal Action Team Leader and Model Employee of the month for July 2017. He is known for his passion to serve the poor and the vulnerable. Some of his significant contributions/initiatives in various community projects are:

• Establishment of 3 Day Care Centers- Upon seeing the lack of Early Childhood Facilities in far flung Barangays of Jamindan, Capiz. He immediately called the attention of the LGU and was able to secure the commitment of LGU and other key partner agencies. They were able to come up with enough funding to put-up three Day Care Centers in Sitio Masnang, Agambulong; Barangay Ganzon, and in Barangay San Juan, all in Jamindan. All these centers were operational since 2013 and dramatically increased school enrollment of beneficiaries. He was able to find solution to help beneficiaries meet the educational conditionalities of the program.

 

• Adoption of Community Managed Savings and Credit Association (COMSCA) – This Initiative was originated from the Community Savings Technology of World Vision Development Foundation. It aims to educate beneficiaries on how to properly manage their household cash flow and provide access to capital and useful lump sums for life cycle events. COMSCA was piloted in eight villages of Agambulong, Agcagay, Aglibacao, Baye-baye, Caridad, Milan, Pasol-o, and San Vicente with a total of 485 members both Pantawid and non-Pantawid. The initiative is in lined to the new directives of DSWD on Community Organizing wherein members of community and stakeholders converged to bring the programs and services to help uplift the level of well-being of the beneficiaries and respond some indicators in Social Welfare and Development Indicators (SWDI).

 

• Bloodletting Activity- Jamindan is one of the municipality with high record of dengue cases last year and majority of the victims were 4Ps beneficiaries especially the children. In coordination with the Municipal Health Unit, they organized an information drive/ bloodletting activity. This is to create awareness on Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever and encourage beneficiaries to donate blood to ensure sufficient supply of blood in time of emergencies.

AWARD

 

Ricky, 37, Has Exceptionally Rendered Oneself (HERO) in his own field as ML in Jamindan, Capiz under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, a national flagship program of the government to break the inter-generational cycle of poverty.

 

He was recognized and awarded as HERO Winner in the ML Category during the Pantawid Pamilya Regional General Assembly held at the Punta Villa Resort, Iloilo City last year. He received a plaque and cash prize of P5,000.//dswd6//Montesa G. Caoyonan