The streets can be an unforgiving place for the vulnerable, yet they often serve as the only source of survival for those with nothing else.

But for two beneficiaries of the Pag-abot Program, the pavement is no longer a dead end– it is instead the starting point of a fresh chapter.

Leaving the streets behind, they are now having a safer and more stable lives. This fresh start became possible after the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)’s Pag-abot Program provided them with their own small businesses.

Grandmother finds peace

Before the intervention, Potri Marangit carried the heavy burden of seeing her grandchild work to supplement their daily needs. The young child would weave through traffic to sell rags, hoping to earn enough so the family would not fall short on food and basic necessities.

“Ah kasi nagtitinda siya ng ‘yong mga basahan. Eh nahuli siya doon sa kalsada. Kasi ‘yong ang dagdag ng hanap buhay namin na magtitinda siya para hindi kami masho-short araw-araw,” Potri said.

Everything shifted when the child was reached out by the Pag-abot social workers during a routine street operation. Recognizing the family’s dire situation, the Department immediately provided capital for a sari-sari store to keep the child safe indoors.

“Masaya, excited kasi binigyan kami ng DSWD ng puhunan na para makapag hanapbuhay ng marangal. Maraming-maraming salamat sa program, magpapasalamat ako na binibigyan kami ng tulong para ma-ano, ang mga anak ko, na hindi sila maligaw na mga apo ko, na hindi sila makasama sa naligaw ng landas,” Potri said.

Potri’s sari-sari store now serves as their primary source of income. It secures not only their daily meals but also the educational needs of her grandchildren.

“May mga baon sila, may makakain kami araw-araw, may pambili ng ano-ano at saka para makatapos sila pag-aaral. Gagawin ko talaga ang kaya ko na mapalago ko ‘yon para may isusuporta ako sa mga apo ko,” Potri said

Mother finds security

A completely separate but equally moving reality unfolds in the life of Anne. For a long time, her child and a friend roamed the busy areas near a hypermarket in Monumento just to sell candies.

Without a steady income, Anne had no choice but to accept the reality of her child roaming the streets– but this changed when the Pag-abot team reached out to her child and stepped in to help.

Like Potri, Anne was given the opportunity to manage her own sari-sari store. The livelihood package gave her a profound sense of security, lifting the heavy anxiety of knowing her child was out wandering the streets.

“Masaya kasi start na ng business namin. May mapagkukunan na kami totally ng pag araw-araw ng anak ko, pangangailangan niya sa pag-aaral, saka yung maiiwasan na din po niya yung pamamalimos, pagtitinda kung saan-saan kaya laking tulong na rin po talaga sa amin,” Anne pointed out.

With the business now running, Anne no longer has to worry about her child begging or selling out of desperation. The store sustains their daily expenses and funds her child’s education, proving that with the right support, families can successfully rebuild their lives away from the streets.

“Nakakataba ng puso, di ko akalain na may tutulong sakin na ganito na kahit kailan di pa ako nakaranas. Malaking pasalamat ko sa livelihood tsaka sa Pag-abot program dahil kung hindi sa tulong niyo, hindi ko mauumpisahan ‘yong negosyo na binabalak ko noon, ang magkaroon ng sarili kong tindahan,” Anne said. (KI)