From Survival to Self-sufficient, A Scavenger’s Family Thanks Pantawid Pamilya

A scavenger’s family who used to live in Barangay Whiteroad Inayawan, Cebu City has already waived from Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program four years ago but the family remained thankful to the program because it has helped them achieve what they have now.

Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program is the conditional cash transfer of the Philippine government that invests in the health and education of poor children aged 0-18.

Leonardo and Gemma Magalona who are now residing in the town of Pres. Carlos P. Garcia, Bohol used to live in Barangay Whiteroad Inayawan, Cebu City along with their eight children Leogem, Mary Gem, Melisa, Eleonor, Genard, Honey Jay, Lemuel and Leonard.

The said barangay host the city’s dumpsite which is why Leonardo, aside from working as a laborer in a shellcraft company is also a scavenger.

Melisa who now works as a Pantawid Pamilya cluster compliance verification officer emotionally shared that her father did all the “dirty job” just to send them to school.

Dirty job means literally collecting empty plastic bottles and tin cans in the dumpsite. The collected items are then sold per kilo and converted into cash, which Leonardo used to buy food for his large family.

The Magalona couple did not finish elementary education, Leonardo who was a smart student stopped schooling in grade two while Gemma reached grade four. They were both dedicated students but their parents were poor and could not sustain sending them to school let alone graduate.

However despite this shortcoming, they strived to send all their children to school.

Melisa recalled that there were several times her parents would starve because the food they have was not enough.

“I couldn’t forget how much they have sacrificed for us,” she said.

She added that her parents’ greatest achievement will be seeing all of them graduate from college and have a better life far from what they had in the dumpsite.

It was Melissa who decided to transfer their family in Bohol because aside from the unhealthy environment in the dumpsite, it is also unsafe for her younger siblings as drug addicts abound in the community.

Meanwhile, Leonardo and Gemma did not forget how the Pantawid Pamilya cash grant they received from 2008 to 2012 helped them.

“Gamay rato nga kwarta para sa uban pero para namu nga pobre daku na kaayo to nga tabang. Other people consider the cash grant small but for us it was already a big help,” shared Gemma who misses attending the Family Development Session (FDS).

Gemma served as a parent leader when they were still grantees of the program.

She recalled that for the first time in her life she was chosen as a leader, in her mind how an uneducated person like her would became a leader.

The mother of eight misses the FDS monthly gathering, the discussions and the trainings she attended.

At present, the couple is busy attending short classes to make up for their lost time, just recently they finished a soap making seminar.

The Magalonas income is now generated from their small business that includes a fishing boat and a recharging station since their area has no power supply.

Their children are also sending them financial support. Four of their children finished college with flying colors and are now respectively employed.

The rest of the siblings are consistent honor students.

Melissa who graduated Cum Laude last 2012 stressed that her parents is a living inspiration and that no amount of poverty could stop them from achieving their goals.