The family of Porferio & Porferia Fortuito from the municipality of Sibulan, the regional winner of Huwarang Pantawid Pamilya, was awarded the Best Salaysay ng Buhay audio-visual presentation during the recent National Family Congress in Manila.
In the AVP, the Fortuito family presented their experience as beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the Department of Social Welfare & Development.
The Fortuito family recounted how they struggled to make a living to feed their seven children, and send them to school.
Regardless of the challenges, their family served as an example of how “resilience and solidarity” can overcome adversity.
“Kay pobre man mi kay wala sab makatapus og eskwela akong parents, naningkamot jud sila na maka-graduate mi aron dili mi ka-experience sa kalisud na ila naagian,” said Elaine, the 5th child in the family.
(Since we are poor because our parents did not graduate from college, they really tried their best for us to obtain a degree so that we would not experience the hardships they had gone through.)
In an interview with the media, Elaine shared that five of them graduated from college, and are now working, while two are currently enrolled in college.
“Busa nagpasalamat mi sa 4Ps sa DSWD kay nakatabang kaayo og dako especially sa financial [aid] na makuha namo every two months,” said Elaine.
(Thus, we are thankful to DSWD’s 4Ps because it really helped us a lot, especially the financial assistance that we receive every two months.)
For over 10 years now, the Fortuito family has been benefitting from the 4Ps.
In a congress held in October 2024, Social Welfare Sec. Rex Gatchalian led the awarding of the 16 Huwarang Pantawid Pamilya regional winners, including the Fortuito family.
The families received a plaque, and a cash incentives of P10,000 each.
“I am pleased to know that 4Ps is more than just a social safety net; it is a testament to our collective belief that by investing in families, we are also investing in the future of our country,” said Gatchalian in his inspirational message.
He added that 4Ps empower families to break free from the intergenerational cycle of poverty, enabling them to create better opportunities for their children and fostering an environment where every family member can thrive.
The NFC is in line with the 4Ps annual celebration of National Family Week, which recognizes model families who belong to the 4Ps and maintain strong family ties, demonstrate positive Filipino values, and create positive impacts in their communities despite the challenges they experience due to poverty.
The theme for this year, Pamilyang Pantawid: Matatag sa Hamon, Patuloy sa Pag-unlad, captured the spirit of every 4Ps family that continued to persevere with the help of 4Ps.
Part of the activity includes parent-child seminars and workshops to provide 4P beneficiaries with the tools and knowledge they need to build a better life for their families.
The families participated in sessions such as Promoting Gender Equity in the Family, Sustaining the Interest of Children and Youth in School, Prevention of Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children, Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials, and workshops on crafting the family vision and commitments.
4Ps is the government’s major poverty alleviation program, which invests in the health, nutrition, and education of poor households eligible for the program.
Together with the psychosocial and educational components provided through the Family Development Session, the beneficiaries will have improved and sustained well-being.
Implemented through DSWD, the program was institutionalized in 2019 by Republic Act 11310, or the 4Ps Act. (Jennifer Catan Tilos/PIA NegOr, with reports from DSWD7)
