The Dionisio family, from the Kabihug tribe of Labo, Camarines Norte, emerged as the grand winner of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) National Search for Huwarang Pantawid Pamilya 2018,  beating the other 16 finalists from different regions in the country. The awarding took place during the Pantawid Pamilya National Family Day on October 14 at SM North Skydome.

The Dionisio family stood out with their mission  to promote and protect the rights of indigenous peoples (IPs), end the discriminations against them, and prove to the world that IPs like them can become successful, too.

“Bilang mga benepisyaryo ng Pantawid Pamilya, priority natin (dapat) ang education. Maayo sa kulay, maayo sa buhok, maayo sa katauhan ung sa tao. Kung gusto niyo talagang maging successful, go and go lang po. Go nang go!,” said Marites Dionisio, an Alternative Learning System volunteer, as she encouraged the family-beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilya to improve themselves amid the challenges that come with being poor.

Marites’ husband, Wenceslao,  is a tribal assistant for the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples and together they instill to their children and Kabihug tribesmen the importance of education in the development of IPs.

The annual search recognizes Pantawid Pamilya’s family-beneficiaries who maintain strong family ties, demonstrate positive Filipino values, and have a positive impact in their community. The Dionisio family received P30,000 and a plaque.

Other finalists were the Maraña family of Sta. Maria, Laguna (1st runner-up); Campugan family of Cordova, Cebu (2nd runner-up); Ramos family of Urbiztondo, Pangasinan (3rd runner-up); and, Bonite family of Capiz, Roxas City (4th runner-up). They all received cash prizes and special gift packs from the event’s partners.

Special awards were also given during the Family Day, including the AlaGAD (Affirmative and Laudable Advocacies on Gender and Development) ng Pagbabago Award to Maraña family for championing better gender relations in their home and community and the Most Innovative Family Award to Ramos family for their feeding program that aims to help alleviate  malnutrition cases in their barangay. Each family received a plaque and P10,000.

The search and Family Day carried the theme “Pamilyang Pilipino: Nagsusumikap. Nagtutulungan. Nagtatagumpay.”, highlighting the success stories of Pantawid Pamilya’s family-beneficiaries.

“Sa kabila ng mga hamon sa buhay, kaya ng Pamilyang Pilipino na magtagumpay sa pamamagitan ng kanilang sariling kakayahan at mga oportunidad mula sa iba’t-ibang ahensya ng gobyerno tulad ng DSWD. Nang dahil sa mabuting pagsasamahan at pagtutulungan ng mga Huwarang Pantawid Pamilya ay naging magandang ehemplo sila sa kani-kanilang komunidad at ibang benepisyaryo ng programa,” said Director Ernestina Solloso, OIC-National Program Manager of Pantawid Pamilya.

Pantawid Pamilya is a human development program of the national government that invests in the health and education of poor households, particularly of children aged 0-18 years old.

Patterned after the conditional cash transfer scheme implemented in other developing countries, the Pantawid Pamilya provides cash grants to beneficiaries provided that they comply with the set of conditions required by the program. ###