Never too late: 42-year-old 4Ps mother graduates from senior high

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A 42-year-old mother and beneficiary of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in Getafe, Bohol proved that it is never too late to finish your education and pursue your dreams in life.

Chelia Suello just completed her senior high school studies from a high school in her hometown and is now aiming to enroll in college to earn a degree in midwifery.

Despite their financial situation and being a mother of four children, Suello managed to be a student, a wife, a mother, and an active 4Ps parent leader in her community at the same time.

“Ganahan ko makahuman og eskwela aron makatabang sa pamilya og panaminan sa akong mga anak nga bisan sa kalisod sa panahon ug trabaho, akong ipakita nga kaya nako ug pinaagi ani makabatun ko og respeto gikan sa uban,” she said in a statement.

Suello decided to finish her high school studies during the height og the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when remote and modular mode of learning was offered by the Department of Education (DepEd).

She said that rather than enrolling in college right away because she had already graduated high school, she decided to follow the K-12 and take the senior high school’s General Academic Strand (GAS) to refresh her mind on the lessons in classes.

Suello hopes to become a midwife someday in order to help more people in her community, which she sees as a place for her to perform duties once she obtains the degree.

She also wanted other parents and students who had dropped out of school to think about her and realize that it is not too late for them to pursue their dreams and complete their studies.

Chelia is also active in her community and serves as one of its barangay health workers (BHWs). At the same time, she is part of the barangay monitoring team of locally stranded individuals where she earns 3,000 pesos a month.

She is also a member of different organizations in their barangay, such as the Women’s Organization, Salog Farmer’s Organization (SAFARO) as a secretary, and Malungtarong Mag-uuma sa Salog (MAMSA).

“Sukad nga ako namembro sa 4Ps, adunay dakong kalambuan sa among panginabuhi og labi na kay usa ko na nahimong parent leader,” she said as she noted that the Family Development Session (FDS) of the 4Ps has helped them acquire knowledge on how to improve their life condition.

The 4Ps strategy is a national poverty reduction strategy and a human capital development investment program that provides conditional cash grant transfers to poor households in order to improve their health, nutrition, and education.

Republic Act 11310, which was implemented through the DSWD, established the program in 2019. | with PR

/bmjo

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