For over two decades, the marriage of Enrico Reyes Batac and Judith Maraon Batac was defined by sacrifice and the relentless daily grind of making ends meet.

Living in Apalit, Pampanga, the couple shared a single, unwavering dream: to see their three children finish school and secure a better future.

That dream slowly transformed into reality when their household became a beneficiary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) back in 2012.

Surviving daily struggles

Before becoming a member of the 4Ps, the family faced heavy financial constraints. Enrico worked tirelessly as a puto vendor, traveling all the way to Pasay City and renting a small space there just to earn a living.

The little income left after rent was sent back to Pampanga for household expenses and education.

Meanwhile, Judith stayed home to take full responsibility for managing the household and caring for their growing children.
The weight of their financial burdens began to ease through cash grants from the DSWD. Because of their inclusion in the 4Ps program, the couple no longer had to worry constantly about their children’s daily allowances and unexpected school projects.

The DSWD also empowered them through monthly Family Development Sessions (FDS), which reinforced the importance of education and supporting their children’s ambitions, no matter how hard life got.

“Ang masabi ko lang po, thank you po dahil naging isang member po ako ng 4Ps. Malaking tulong po talaga sa amin nung kasalukuyan pa pong nag-aaral yung mga anak ko. Ayun, tsaka dahil po sa pagsusumikap din, ito na po kami ngayon,” Judith recalled.

Reaping the fruits of labor

The couple’s resilience deeply influenced their children. Their eldest son, Jericho Maraon Batac—a former 4Ps-monitored child—showed exceptional grit early on.

During his second year in college, Jericho managed to establish a small computer shop using capital borrowed from a friend. This small business helped augment the family’s finances.

Jericho’s perseverance paid off immensely when he graduated cum laude with a degree in Information Technology. His siblings naturally followed this path of hard work.

Estiphane Maraon Batac is now in her fourth year taking up Accountancy, while their youngest, Maricris Maraon Batac, is a second-year college student studying Tourism—both of them former 4Ps-monitored children.

From 4Ps to 4PH

After earning his degree, Jericho landed a job as a Systems Administrator for a Japanese company in Clark, Pampanga. The exhausting commute from Apalit to Clark prompted him to rent a place nearby, but he always knew he wanted something permanent.

While scrolling through social media, he discovered the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development’s (DHSUD) Expanded Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino Program (4PH)—the flagship affordable housing initiative of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

Under the partnership between the DSWD and DHSUD, 4Ps beneficiaries who have achieved self-sufficiency may access the low-cost housing program of the Marcos administration.

Seeing an opportunity for long-term stability as he prepared to start his own family with his fiancée, Jericho applied for a 4PH housing unit and secured all the requirements.

His application was eventually approved, and the house, located in Magalang, Pampanga, was turned over to Jericho late last year.

The Batac family—led by father Enrico and mother Judith—moved in early this year, paying a highly manageable monthly amortization of less than three thousand pesos.

Judith is happiest for her son Jericho, who never wavered in his family’s ultimate dream of owning their own home.

“Mas komportable. Masaya naman po,” Judith said when asked how she feels now that they have a permanent home.

The story of the Batac family proves that government initiatives, when combined with a family’s sheer determination and hard work, can truly break the cycle of poverty.

Enrico and Judith started with meager earnings from selling rice cakes, and now they are celebrating the college degrees of their children inside their very own unit.

“Thank you po, President BBM. Salamat po. Malaking tulong po sa amin na naging 4Ps po kami. Nakapagpa-aral po ako ng mga anak po. Nakapagpatapos po ako. At saka, ayan po, nakapag-tapos po sila. Ito na po kami ngayon. Okay na po. Happy naman po,” a smiling Judith Batac said. (KI)