A twelve-year-old child from Barangay Nagerong, Lazi, Siquijor is this year’s winner for the Search of Exemplary Pantawid Pamilya Children.
Seventh-grader Rhenalyn Joy Perez was declared winner in the regional search.
She will receive a cash prize and a plaque of recognition during the awarding ceremony on Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas’ (DSWD-7) Panaghiusa Festival on December 7, 2017.
She will represent Central Visayas in the national search during the National Children’s Congress (NCC) in November.
Aside from Rhenalyn, three other Pantawid Pamilya children-beneficiaries represented their own provinces during the regional search.
They were Reygine Escabas of Cordova, Cebu, second place; Diana Lorena Datoy of Alburquerque, Bohol, third place; and Mary Joy Soneja of Ayungon, Negros Oriental, fourth place.
Ma. Evelyn Macapobre, regional director of the DSWD-7, said this search is a good avenue to recognize children beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program who set excellent examples at home, at school and in the community where they live.
Rhenalyn is the eldest among the three children. Her father, Ricky, is a fish vendor and her mother, Arlene, is a homemaker.
At a young age, Rhenalyn already experienced life’s difficulties especially in her studies.
“Kaniadto sa akong pagtuon matag gabie, motago ko sa ilalom sa among katre aron dili mapalong ang suga sa lamparilya inig huros sa hangin (Before, when I had to study my lessons at night, I would hide underneath the bed to keep the lighted kerosene lamp from being blown out by the strong wind),” Rhenalyn said.
Things changed when her family became one of the partner-beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilya.
She said that her father used to be a habal-habal driver, but because of the support of Pantawid Pamilya, her father was able to save up money.
He stopped being a habal-habal driver and used the savings to start his fish-vending business.
Now, her father sells fish in the market regularly.
At her young age, Rhenalyn understands the situation of her family and promised to herself to help her parents by studying hard.
Rhenalyn is a consistent honor student and active in various school activities.