10,000 Pantawid Pamilya High School Grads Demonstrate Success Amid Poverty Anew

In an effort to prove further that determination and perseverance coupled with a little help from the government are the key to success, more than 10,000 beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program who have graduated from high school in the National Capital Region will participate in the second post-graduation event at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Cubao, Quezon City today, April 23.

The event with the theme, “Pagtatapos Niyo, Tagumpay ng Pilipino,” is being organized by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to recognize the beneficiaries for working hard to fulfill their dreams of finishing high school.

It can be recalled that the first event was held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) on April 9 with 4,000 graduates from the National Capital Region.

“The activity is our way of expressing our appreciation for the Pantawid Pamilya students who never wavered in their determination to improve their lives,” DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman said. “I am proud to say that these students are among the first high school graduates of the Pantawid Pamilya.”

Pantawid Pamilya is a human development program that invests in the health and education of poor families, primarily those with children aged 0-18. It provides cash grants to partner-beneficiaries who comply with the conditions of sending their children to school, bringing them to health centers for checkups, and attending the monthly Family Development Sessions (FDS).

In 2013, the DSWD expanded the coverage of the program to include the 15-18 age bracket to ensure that the children-beneficiaries will graduate from high school, and have a higher rate of employability.

The Secretary also shared that the post-graduation event will serve as the venue to give citations to those who graduated with honors.

She added, “These students are proof that given the little assistance, they too can excel.”

Graduating valedictorian from Maligaya High School in Novaliches, David Louie Manansala, will give a valedictory address to inspire his fellow graduates.

Furthermore, partner agencies, business sector, and civil society organizations are also expected to participate in the event to present their programs and services which the graduates may avail of.

To give the students an orientation on academic and career opportunities, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Secretary Joel Villanueva, and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chair Patricia Licuanan will share their respective programs and services.

As the event is a celebration of the students’ accomplishment, selected Pantawid Pamilya graduates will also showcase their talents and will share their inspiring stories.

“The more than 300,000 graduating high school children of the Pantawid Pamilya are a confirmation that development can indeed be achieved. All we need to do is help them continue dreaming and striving for a better life. It is important to tell these children to never give up,” Sec. Soliman enthused.

The Secretary said that whether in academic, technical skills, or other talents, the Pantawid Pamilya youth show that, “Kaya din nila ang pagbabago (they too can achieve change and development).”

Source: www.dswd.gov.ph