Outside the barangay hall in Antipolo City, a modest pop-up store has become more than just a place to buy everyday goods. For many Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries, it represents opportunity, hope, and a pathway toward self-sufficiency.
Displayed on its tables are fruits and vegetables, smoked fish, homemade dishwashing liquid and laundry soap, ukay-ukay items, bags, and newly sewn clothes—all produced and sold by members of the community.
Beyond helping beneficiaries market their livelihood products, many of these same families also actively participate in the Gulayan sa Barangay (GSB) initiative under the HAPAG (Halina’t Magtanim ng Prutas at Gulay) sa Barangay Project, which promotes food security, proper nutrition, and stronger community participation among 4Ps families.
At the center of these community initiatives is Lani Calvario, a dedicated 4Ps Parent Leader and community leader of the HAPAG Project, who has transformed her own experiences of hardship into a mission of helping fellow beneficiaries improve their lives.
“Nagkakaroon kami ng pop-up store sa harap ng barangay hall. Dito namin dinadala at tinitinda ang aming produkto. Dati tuwing unang Lunes lang ng buwan hanggang sa pinayagan kaming araw-araw na,” Lani shared.
(We have a pop-up store in front of the barangay hall where we bring and sell our products. Before, we were only allowed to operate every first Monday of the month, but now we have been permitted to sell every day.)
Today, Lani assists fellow beneficiaries in marketing their products and encourages them to participate in livelihood activities that can augment their family income.
However, years ago, she herself struggled to provide even the most basic needs for her family.
“May mga pagkakataon na wala kaming maisaing dahil walang kita ang asawa ko,” she recalled.
(There were times when we had nothing to cook because my husband had no income.)
Originally from Magallanes, Sorsogon, Lani and her husband Fernando raised their four children while relying mainly on her husband’s uncertain income as a fisherman and occasional tricycle driver. The responsibility of caring for one child with a condition further strained the family’s limited resources.
Determined to provide a better future for her children, the family relocated to Antipolo City in 2014. They subsequently transferred their 4Ps membership and, despite delays in receiving their grants, Lani remained committed to attending Family Development Sessions (FDS).
“Inayos ko na mailipat dito ang 4Ps ko dahil malaking tulong talaga sa amin. Medyo matagal din ang naging proseso, pero kahit wala akong natatanggap, tuloy pa rin ang pagdalo ko sa mga FDS,” she said.
(I made sure that my 4Ps membership was transferred here because it was a big help to our family. The process took quite some time, but even when I wasn’t receiving any grants yet, I continued attending the Family Development Sessions.)
As the national government’s flagship poverty reduction and human capital investment program, 4Ps invests in the health, nutrition, and education of children from poor households while equipping parents and caregivers with knowledge and life skills through Family Development Sessions. These interventions are designed to help families become self-sufficient and break the intergenerational cycle of poverty.
For Lani, the lessons gained through FDS inspired her to continuously improve herself and seize available opportunities.
“Sinubukan ko pong sumali sa mga livelihood ng barangay. Maayos kong tinatapos ang mga training at ginagamit ko na hanapbuhay,” she shared.
(I decided to join the barangay’s livelihood programs. I completed every training diligently and applied the skills I learned to earn a living.)
Lani actively participated in various livelihood and skills development activities offered by the barangay, including advanced hair coloring and English proficiency training. She later applied these newly acquired skills to generate additional income for her family.
More importantly, she encouraged fellow 4Ps beneficiaries to do the same.
As a Parent Leader, Lani became an advocate for self-reliance within her community. She motivated other beneficiaries to join trainings, develop livelihood products, and participate in community-based economic activities. Through the pop-up store initiative, beneficiaries are now able to showcase and sell their products, creating additional sources of income for their households.
“Dahil sa 4Ps, ang dami ko ring nakasalamuhang mga tao,” Lani said.
(Because of 4Ps, I was able to meet and connect with so many people.)
Apart from promoting livelihood opportunities, Lani also leads the HAPAG (Halina’t Magtanim ng Prutas at Gulay) sa Barangay Project in their community. As the community leader of the initiative, she encourages fellow 4Ps beneficiaries to actively participate in the Gulayan sa Barangay (GSB), mobilizing families to establish and maintain backyard and community gardens that help improve household food security and nutrition. Through her leadership, beneficiaries also strengthen their sense of volunteerism and shared responsibility, demonstrating that self-sufficiency begins not only with earning an income but also with ensuring that every family has access to nutritious food.
The growing participation of beneficiaries in the Gulayan sa Barangay initiative reflects its positive impact both locally and nationwide. Based on Program data, beneficiary engagement in GSB increased from 89.16 percent in November 2025 to 93.08 percent in May 2026. In Region IV-A (CALABARZON), 213,563 4Ps families are actively participating in the initiative, contributing to the nationwide total of 2,645,382 households engaged in Gulayan sa Barangay. These figures underscore the Program’s continuing efforts to promote food security, improve nutrition, strengthen community participation, and empower beneficiaries toward self-sufficiency.
Recognizing her dedication and leadership, local officials eventually offered her work as a utility worker before later entrusting her with the role of day care worker.
Today, the Calvario family has attained Self-Sufficient Level 3 under the Social Welfare and Development Indicators (SWDI) and is among the families identified as candidates for graduation from the Program in 2026.
Their remarkable transformation also earned them recognition as the Third Place Winner in the 2025 Regional Search for Huwarang Pantawid Pamilya in CALABARZON.
For Lani, however, the true measure of success lies in helping others succeed.
“Patuloy po kaming magtatiyaga at maghahanap ng solusyon upang umangat sa buhay. Patuloy din kaming tutulong sa kapwa at sisikapin pa naming mapalawak ang serbisyo sa aming komunidad,” she shared.
(We will continue to persevere and look for solutions to improve our lives. We will also continue helping others and strive to expand our service to our community.)
From struggling to provide daily meals for her family to leading fellow beneficiaries toward economic opportunities and championing the Gulayan sa Barangay initiative in her community, Lani’s journey demonstrates that when beneficiaries are empowered with knowledge, skills, and opportunities, they can become catalysts for change—not only for their own families, but for their entire communities. – ANDREA CHRISTINE N. AGAY