Life is Better with Pantawid Pamilya- Ates Couple of Siquijor

“Ang kalisud namo karun, dili na pareha sa una nga wala pami na miyembro sa Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (Life is better now that we are recipients of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program),” said Robert and Jocelyn Ates of Barangay Logucan, Maria, Siquijor. Ates won second runner-up during the 2014 Regional Search for Huwarang Pantawid Pamilya.

The Ates family has been a grantee of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program since 2011.

Pantawid Pamilya is a conditional cash transfer program of the Philippine government that invests in health and education of poor households, particularly children aged 0-18. It was launched in 2007 under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

In Central Visayas, close to 260,000 households are beneficiaries of the program. Of the total, 4,020 are from the province of Siquijor based on the Beneficiary Data Management of DSWD Field Office VII as of December 2014.

Meanwhile, of the seven Ates children, three are currently covered under the program: Ruby Crislyn, Robert III, and Junnel.

Robert owns a small upholstery shop which is one of the family’s source of income. If there are no orders, the father of seven will either go fishing or drive a passenger motorcycle to make ends meet. He also does farming with the help of his wife Jocelyn and the rest of the children.

Despite their daily struggles, the couple is very thankful that their children understands their situation and find ways to help them. “They didn’t consider our situation as burden rather they study hard and proved to everyone that poverty is not really a hindrance to success,” said Jocelyn.

The family practices teamwork and treats household chores as the family’s bonding time. While the couple is out to earn a living, their children on the other hand help in feeding their livestock and maintain their backyard garden, which is also their source of food supply.

Ates family is proud of their backyard garden because it has significantly helped them in their daily food consumption. Jocelyn also takes pride that her learnings during her Horticulture classes with Technical Education and Skills Development Authority were applied at home.

Meanwhile, Robert and Jocelyn stressed that they don’t just “find” time, but they “make” time for their children. “We constantly remind our children the important value of respecting others, and fear of the Lord because we believe that these beliefs will greatly help them grow as responsible individuals,” the couple shared.

The couple also shared that their attendance in Family Development Sessions has strengthened their family relationship. Jocelyn disclosed that they make sure to treat each child fairly.

“Our involvement with the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program made us feel the presence of the government because the program supports our ultimate goal of sending all our children to school,” said Jocelyn.

She added that the cash grants they have received allowed her to buy all the school needs of her children. Aside from helping the family meet the childrens school needs, Jocelyn further added that the program has also harnessed her leadership skills.

Jocelyn is currently a Parent Leader in their village. She is also the Vice-President of the Parent Leaders Association in the town of Maria.

Aside from being a model Parent Leader, Jocelyn is also a Barangay Health Worker and the Team Leader of the Community Health Team.

Her active community involvements have also earned her a seat as the President of the Homeroom Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) in Logucan Elementary School.

Moreover, Rocelyn, the eldest of the Ates children, has recently graduated from Siquijor State College with a degree in management accounting. She is doubling her efforts to get employed as she hopes her other siblings would also finished college.  (Phoebe Jen Indino-Pantawid Pamilya Information Officer with Fritz Cruda, CTU-Intern)