For any mother, seeing her child suffer is one of the heaviest pains to carry. This was how Ressa Manalo from Brgy. San Miguel, Puerto Princesa City in Palawan, tries to endure every day because of her child’s serious heart condition.

In their humble home, Ressa continues to stand strong for her child, who was diagnosed with severe rheumatic heart disease, a condition that weakens and enlarges the heart and is considered a disability.

Before the diagnosis, Ressa’s child was an active and determined learner who excelled in school

“Before po na-diagnosed po ang aking anak, siya po ay active na bata. Siya po ay nag-eexcel sa school, kaya nagtataka po kami, unti-unti po syang nananamlay. Six years old po sya, kaya lang, that time po ay pandemic, Grade 4 po sya, apat na beses po akong napatawag sa school. Dun na po nag-start, nagpacheck-up po kami hanggang sa nakita nga po sya na may diprensya sa heart, bukod sa rheumatic heart enlargement din po,” Ressa narrated.

Accepting her child’s situation was very painful for Ressa. It was not only because of the diagnosis, but due to the challenge of seeing her child go through tough medical procedures and treatments.

“Sobrang sakit po sa loob na makita po na maranasan nya po yun kasi ang laki po talaga, akalain nyo po No. 18 po yung needles na kailangan itusok sa kanya,” she said, recalling the challenges her child faced during medical care.

The Manalo family’s struggle was not only emotional but also financial. With the continuous need for medication and medical support, Ressa worried about how they would provide for her child’s needs.

But their situation changed when they became beneficiaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Project Aruga, a community-based initiative that supports children with disabilities and their families through financial assistance and other support services.

Project Aruga aims to establish holistic quality care and support to children with disabilities and their families by providing disability allowance to the parents of children with disability as an augmentation support to their basic needs, health care, and education.

Through the help of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) of Puerto Princesa, the Manalo family received support that greatly eased their burden.

“Malaking tulong po talaga ang Project Aruga sa pamilya ko dahil dati po namomroblema kami kung saan kukuha ng pambili ng gamot ng aking anak. Ngayon po, kahit papaano mayroon nang nakalaan para sa kanyang gamot,” Ressa said.

Beyond financial assistance, Project Aruga also became a source of emotional strength for the family. Through home visits and the support of volunteers, Ressa and her family felt that they were not facing their challenges alone.

“Sobrang laki po ng naitulong sa pamilya ko ng Project Aruga dahil po, una, talagang namomroblema po kami kung saan po kami kukuha ng pambili ng gamot ng aking anak. Ngayon po, kahit papaano mayroon na pong nakalaan na pambili ng gamot. Ganun din po, emotionally natulungan din po kami ng Project Aruga, through dun sa mga volunteers na nagbibisita po sa aming bahay,” Ressa said.

Ressa also explained that Project Aruga became a source of support, which lightened their family’s difficult journey. While her child continues to face the challenges of living with a disability, Ressa now carries a renewed sense of hope.

“Malaking bagay po sa amin na may project po kayo na ginawa, ito po yung Project Aruga, malaking tulong po talaga sa amin,” Ressa stressed.

Aside from Puerto Princesa City, Project Aruga is currently being pilot implemented in the municipalities of San Jose de Buenavista, Antique in Region 6 (Western Visayas); Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur in Region 11 (Davao Region), and Laoag City, Ilocos Norte in Region 1 (Ilocos Region). (AKDL)