For many parents, raising children is already a demanding responsibility. As the cliché goes, “it takes a village to raise a child.” But for Diovick Barela, a 38-year-old solo parent raising four daughters, it meant carrying both the roles of mother and father while navigating poverty, uncertainty, and social judgment.

Yet through resilience, determination, and the support of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), Diovick has transformed adversity into opportunity—demonstrating how sustained social protection, like the government’s flagship human capital investment program, can help families move toward self-sufficiency.

“The program has helped sustain my children’s education and strengthened my capacity as a parent and community leader,” Diovick said.
In 2023, Diovick became a beneficiary of the 4Ps, which provides conditional cash grants to poor families to support their children’s health, nutrition, and education. Her family is currently among the more than 75,300 4Ps beneficiaries in Iloilo province, benefiting from financial assistance that helps ease the burden of supporting her children’s schooling.

Through the grants, she was able to purchase essential learning tools such as a laptop and mobile phone for her children and invest part of the assistance into small livelihood activities.

Beyond financial support, the program also reinforced the importance of investing in children’s education and health.
Today, her children are honor students and actively participate in school activities. Her eldest is currently a second-year college student taking up Tourism, while her second child is a Grade 11 senior high school student with honors. Her third child is in Grade 7, and her youngest is in Grade 4.
Equally impactful for Diovick were the lessons she gained from the Family Development Sessions (FDS), a key component of the 4Ps that equips parents with knowledge on responsible parenting, financial management, health, and community participation.

Through FDS, she learned effective parenting techniques, proper budgeting, and ways to maintain healthy family relationships.
Her active participation led to her selection as a Parent Leader in their barangay. She later served as Vice President and, in 2024, was elected President of the Parent Leaders’ Association.

As a Parent Leader, Diovick now helps guide fellow beneficiaries, assists in coordinating program activities, and works closely with local government partners in strengthening community participation.

She is among the more than 150,000 4Ps parent leaders nationwide who volunteer their time to help fellow beneficiaries comply with the program’s conditions on education, health, and nutrition.

Today, Diovick serves as the President of the Parent Leaders’ Association in her community in Batad, Iloilo, while also working as a Barangay Health Officer and volunteer at the Rural Health Unit.

But the road toward stability was far from easy.

“As a solo parent, I had to become both a mother and a father to my children,” Diovick shared.

Like many solo parents, her journey began with immense challenges. She raised her four daughters on her own after separating from their fathers.

“I raised my four children on my own after separating from their fathers,” Barela recalled. “It is not something I am ashamed of. It is a reality I accepted with responsibility and strength.”

Providing for her children meant working tirelessly and finding ways to earn income wherever possible.

She started small livelihood activities, selling snacks in schools, tricycle terminals, and public areas. She sold ice candy, grilled food, and various homemade items to maximize her earnings. During particularly difficult periods, she even drove a tricycle to earn additional income for her children’s daily school allowance.

Despite the odds, her determination to provide a better future for her children never wavered.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when many people struggled to keep their livelihoods afloat, Diovick chose to look for new opportunities instead of losing hope.

When modular and online learning were implemented, she decided to pursue a long-delayed dream—enrolling in college and taking up Bachelor of Technology and Livelihood Education (BTLED), major in Home Economics.

At first, she doubted whether she could succeed, especially since most of her classmates were much younger. But her determination to improve her family’s future pushed her forward.

“I told myself that this is my chance to fulfill the dreams I was not able to achieve before,” Diovick recalled.

While studying, she continued supporting her family through online selling. She sold cooked food, vegetables, fish, frozen goods, and Do-It-Yourself (DIY) flower pots, while balancing her responsibilities as a student, provider, and parent.

Her perseverance paid off—Diovick eventually completed her college degree while continuing to raise her children.

Her story, along with the more than 185,800 solo parent members of the 4Ps, reflects the struggles of many low-income Filipino families striving to provide for their children despite limited resources.

At the same time, it highlights how investments in human capital—through education, health, and community development—can empower families to break the cycle of poverty.

For Diovick, every achievement she has reached today is rooted in perseverance, faith, and love for her children.

Her journey stands as a powerful reminder that with determination, support systems, and the right opportunities—especially through social protection programs like the 4Ps—families can rise above adversity and build a better future for the next generation.

Indeed, it really takes a village, or a whole-of-nation approach, to raise a child and build a community where everyone can thrive. – Repackaged by Niño Mel Hayno Trinidad based on the Testament of Diovick Barela