Bucay, Abra - Milagros Barroga was certain that taking up Commerce in a university in Pangasinan would pave the way to success. She dreamt of landing a good job to be able to provide for her family. Unfortunately, her heart disease got in the way during her second year in college. She felt her dreams crumble when she was diagnosed to have rheumatic heart disease. The doctor advised her to take a vacation from school so she could rest while she was under medication. Mila felt so helpless knowing that her family’s income and savings were not sufficient to improve her medical condition.

The doctor told her family that she needed to have the surgery otherwise she would have a slim chance to survive for five more years. The operation cost was around half a million. She knew that her family wouldn’t be able to generate the needed amount and so she was prepared to die.

“Ipinasa-Diyos ko na ang lahat. Kung mamamatay na talaga ako, ganoon talaga ang buhay,” Milagros recalls. (I offered everything to God. If death was inevitable, well then, that’s life.)

Mila miraculously escaped death. Now 32, she has three children and an industrious husband, Nazareth, who is a tenant in his relative’s farm. Nazareth is a fisherman and sells fire wood in the neighborhood for added income. Mila was thankful for the miracle of life, for the second chance to live though she couldn’t help but lament the wasted opportunity to finish a degree that could have probably offered a better future.

ila helps to support the schooling of her children. She sells tokneneng (boiled egg coated in orange-colored flour) and banana cue on school days and does laundry work during weekends. Despite their hard work, the combined earnings would not suffice for all their needs. The children would go to school without “baon” most of the time.

Whenever her children talk about their aspirations, she feels anxious that their poverty would be a hindrance to realizing their dreams. “Si Jonathan, honor student ‘yan. Gusto n’yang maging engineer. Si Gloria, honor student din, at gusto n’yang maging nurse. Naiiyak na lang ako kapag naririnig ko yung mga yun. Hindi ko alam kung mapag-aaral pa namin sila, pero masaya pa rin ako kasi at least, alam nilang mangarap at alam ko na ginagawa nila ang lahat para makapag-aral ng mabuti kahit na wala na talaga kaming pera,” Mila added. (Jonathan is an honor student. He wants to be an engineer someday. Gloria is also an honor student and she wants to become a nurse. I am brought to tears when I hear about their aspirations. I am not certain if we can send them through college but I am still happy because they have ambitions in life and they’re giving their best in school even if we don’t have enough money.)

When they were included in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), her drive to provide a better future for her children grew stronger. All negative thoughts dwelling on the futility of her endeavours are banished. 4Ps is a poverty reduction and social development program of the Philippine government that provides conditional cash grants to extremely poor households to allow them to meet certain human development goals in exchange of compliance to co-responsibilities. A household-beneficiary can receive as much as P1, 400 each month. The cash grant includes P500 per month for nutrition and health expenses and P300 monthly per child for a maximum of 3 children per household for educational expenses. They can receive cash grants up to five years as long as they comply with the conditionalities.

Mila was also chosen as a parent-leader. Her responsibility in the program brought change in herself, her family and the community of Banglolao, Bucay.  “Siyempre bilang president, kailangan mong maging modelo sa iba. Kaya pinapayuhan ko sila [other parents] na huwag sayangin ang ibinibigay ng 4Ps. Mabuti naman at hindi na sila nagsusugal at umiinom o tumataya sa jueteng,” she proudly shares. (As the president, it is important to set a good example. I advise them to use wisely the cash grant from 4Ps. It is good that they no longer gamble, play jueteng, or engage in too much drinking.)

As a parent-leader, she also becomes a counselor to fellow parents who have problems with their family. Mila also helps the 4Ps Municipal Link in mobilizing the community to join activities for the benefit of the barangay. They have launched clean and green program and seminars on responsible parenthood and other family development sessions.

The help that 4Ps has been extending to her family is what she’s most grateful for. “Hindi na ako nag-aalala sa kakainin ng mga anak ko. Nakakapagluto na ako ng arroz caldo. Naipapagamot ko na rin si Jonathan tuwing inaatake siya ng asthma niya,” she said.  (I am no longer worried that my children will not have food to eat. I am now able to cook arroz caldo. I can now bring Jonathan to the doctor whenever he has asthma attacks.)
Mila admits that she couldn’t sufficiently provide for her family’s needs because of the limited job opportunity for undergraduates like her. But 4Ps has been providing for her family and her fellow beneficiaries. She is even more inspired to help in organizing parents and building a more responsible community for the children.

Like what she always tells her children, the more challenges in life, the more reasons to strive for a better and peaceful future. Mila remained undaunted in the face of poverty. Her courage paid off when 4Ps came into their life. She maintains a positive outlook towards life and she has stronger faith that her children would reach their ambitions.

Poverty taught Mila to be more selfless and that everyone has something to contribute in their own unique way. Mila never thought that another miracle would come in her life until 4Ps arrived. 4Ps is a miracle felt and enjoyed not only by Mila but her community as well. ### (4Ps Social Marketing Unit)