Some beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) from Sta. Fe municipality and Bogo City distribute goods, such as rice and other food items, to neighbors and others. | Contributed photos
CEBU CITY, Philippines—They may belong to the lower income class, but some beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) did not consider this as a hindrance to their desire to help others.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) describes the 4Ps program as a human development measure of the national government that provides conditional cash grants to the poorest of the poor, to improve the health, nutrition, and the education of children aged 0-18.
While they, too, need assistance from the government, these 4Ps beneficiaries decided to share their blessings to others amid the difficulties faced by low-income families due to the coronavirus 2019 outbreak, according to a news release of the DSWD in Central Visayas.
Read: Over 250,000 4Ps beneficiaries in Central Visayas receive cash grants
“Kabalo ko unsay gibati sa usa ka nanginahanglan ug mao nga i-ambit nako kini sa uban (I know how it feels to be in need and that is why I have to share this to others),” said Zenitha Ocampo, a 4Ps partner-beneficiary from Santa Fe town in Bantayan Island, Cebu.
According to Zenitha, she and 22 other 4Ps beneficiaries in Barangay Talisay, Sta. Fe contributed at least P100 to buy food items, which they would share to others.
“Sa pagkakarun, napulo pa ka mga tawo among gitagaan kay nag-agad man sad mi sa among gi-amot ug gipili namo kadtung mga Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) ug Senior Citizens nga wala pud panginabuhian (As of now, we only provided to ten people based on the total contribution of the group and we chose those who are PWDs and Senior Citizens who does not have income),” added Zenitha.
The PWDs are close to her heart since her eldest daughter, Jane Marie, is a PWD, Zenitha explained.
She and her husband, Rey, work as caretaker in a rest house and most of the time they brought along Jane Marie to their work.
“Dako gayud ang tabang sa Pantawid sa pagpaeskwela sa akong mga anak sama nako nga ang lima niini gaeskwela ug adunay mag college na sunod tuig (The Pantawid has helped us send our children to school especially that my five children are all studying and one of them will be in college next year),” said Zenitha.
Another group of kind-hearted 4Ps beneficiaries from Bogo City, Cebu also distributed goods to their neighbors who are non-4Ps beneficiaries.
Joy Lucero, one of the parent leaders in Barangay Odlot, headed her group in a relief drive.
“Gikan sa among gi-amot nakapanghatag mi bugas, kape, monggos, mga de lata nga sardinas ug sabong pangligo (From our group contribution, we were able to give rice, 3-in-1 coffee, monggo, canned sardines and bath soap),” said Joy.
Joy said that initially they agreed to contribute rice only but they decided to give a small monetary amount so they could buy other food items.
She said that this was not the first time their group shared blessings to others.
“Sa kadtong naa pay klase ang mga bata ug human namo makadawat sa among cash grant sa Pantawid kay mag-lugaw mi ug magpafeeding sa eskwelahan (During school days and after we received our cash grant in Pantawid, we cook porridge and conduct feeding in the school),” said Joy.
After she received her regular 4Ps cash grant and the emergency subsidy under the Social Amelioration Program (SAP), Joy said she secured the daily food consumption of her family by buying two sacks of rice and one sack of corn. She also bought viands and other essentials like bath soaps. /bmjo