MIMAROPAhayagan 2018 1st Sem

ecame one of the grantees
of the Expanded Students’
Grants-in-Aid Program for
Poverty Alleviation (ESGP-PA)
of the Pantawid Pamilyang
Pilipino Program. Juda was
given P30, 000.00 for the
first semester to cover for her
tuition fees and other school
fees such as textbooks,
board and lodging, etc.
“Nagulat po ako noong
nakuha ko yung pera kasi first
time ko pong makahawak ng
ganoon kalaki. (I was shocked
when I was given the grant
since it was my first time
having such large amount of
money),” she exclaimed with
joy. With her grant, she was
able to buy all those books
that she needs.
“Pagkatapos ko pong bilhin
yung mga kailangan ko, yung
ibang natira po sa pera ko ay
ipinadala ko sa amin at sa isa
kong kapatid na nag-aaral,
(After spending the money
on the things I need, I gave
what’s left to my family and
some for my brother who is
also studying),” she said.
It was not only Juda who
has been supported by the
program. Her family became
a Pantawid beneficiary in
2010 and because of it,
Noah, one of her younger
brothers was able to go to
school through the cash
grants they receive. He is
now studying in Grade 3 at
Ransang Elementary School.
According to her, “napakalaki
ng pagbabago sa amin sa
Tau’t Bato noong dumating
ang programa. Nakapag-aral
ang mga bata kasi kailangan
at nakakapagpacheck-up na
sila (there are many changes
in our community when the
program arrived. Children are
able to go to school and take
regular check-ups because
it is needed).”
Juda’s father also became
the only Barangay Health
Worker (BHW) in Tau’t Bato to
monitor compliance of their
community in terms of the
health conditionality since
he was the only one who
knows how to read and write.
On the other hand, Jonathan
was able to get a job in the
program as a Social Welfare
Assistance (SWA) of the
Modified Conditional Cash
Transfer (MCCT) catering to
the Indigenous Peoples.