“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
True to these famous words of South African President Nelson Mandela, the world of the David family has changed with the power of education made possible through the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
For Nicole David, a former 4Ps monitored child, the program was pivotal in changing his life and that of his siblings, as they succeeded in overcoming obstacles in pursuing higher education.
“Kung hindi dahil sa tulong ng 4P’s siguro hindi ako nakatapos, hindi nakatapos ang pangalawa kong kapatid at hindi rin makakapag-aral yung pangatlo at bunso namin. Kasi I believe, kung ang isang miyembro ng pamilya, especially ang panganay is hindi nakapagtapos sa series ng generation nila, hindi rin sila makakatapos kaya sobrang laki ng tulong ng 4Ps,” Nicole told the team of #Kwento ng Pag-Asa at Pagbabago (#KPAP), the DSWD’s award-winning online documentary.
Nicole is the eldest among the four children of Olimpia and Leonardo David of Magalang, Pampanga. Leonardo worked as a tricycle driver to support his family and send the children to school as best as he could. To make ends meet, Olimpia helps by working as a house help in their neighborhood.
Olimpia narrated to #KPAP: “Noon hindi pa po kami nakasali sa 4Ps, ang trabaho po ng asawa ko nagta-tricycle driver po siya, at kada pag uwi niya po, pinabibili ko yung kailangan namin. Pinapadalhan ko pa po siya ng listahan noon, nilalagyan ko ng (lista) sa bigas, sa ulam.”
Both Nicole and his younger sister, Nica Mae who was also a former 4Ps monitored child, attested to the struggles they experienced as a family and of being part of a poor household.
“Growing up, walang-wala talaga. The term is wala talaga, napakahirap in a way na may gusto kang kainin, hindi mo makain. May gusto kang bilhin, di mo mabili, may gusto kang mapuntahan, hindi mo mapuntahan. So, kumbaga, sakto lang na kung ano yung mapo-provide nila (Olimpia and Leonardo), yun ang pagtiyagaan mo. Kapag may sakit hindi mo alam kung saan ka pupunta para magamot,” Nicole further narrated.
The David couple did not finish their schooling, with Olimpia stopping upon graduating from elementary. They dream of seeing their kids graduate. A dream which was realized through the help of 4Ps, with their two children already college graduates and the other two still studying.
DSWD Field Office III Municipal Link (ML) Team Leader in Magalang, Clarita De Guzman, told #KPAP that the David couple has four children.
“May apat na anak sila (Olimpia and Leonardo) sina Nicole, Camille, Zyra Mae, Kylie Mae. Si Nicole ang kauna unahang nakareceive ng Expanded Student Grant In Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation (ESGPPA). Sila po ang first batch na nakakuha po nun sa Pampanga State University (PSU) at ang nakukuha nila is P40,000 kada sem,” ML De Guzman said.
Nica Mae was a recipient of the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) subsidies.
These scholarship opportunities were made possible to Nicole and Nica Mae as 4Ps monitored children who were priority target beneficiaries for such programs.
Leonardo happily stated “proud po ako sa kanila lalo na nag-graduate sila puro Cum Laude, lalo na yung isa nagtapos ng masteral. Ngayon naghahanap pa ng doctoral.”
Aside from the educational component of the program, the David couple also attributed their success in guiding their children to the lessons that they gained from the 4Ps Family Development Sessions (FDS).
“Sabi ko sa asawa ko ayusin namin ang buhay namin. Magtanim kami sa mga anak namin kasi wala kaming lupang tataniman hanggang ngayon po. Natatandaan po ng mga anak ko na mag-aral silang mabuti kasi lagi kong sinasabi sa kanila wala kaming ipapamana sa kanila kasi wala kaming pera,” Olimpia said.
Having graduated from college, Nicole is now a faculty member of the Blooming Field Academy Foundation Incorporated, and a supervisor for the junior high school department. He also holds the position of supervisor for the student affairs and services, as well as the supreme school council and faculty association consultant.
Nica Mae is also working at the Blooming Fields Academy Foundation as a primary school teacher.
Their academic achievements became their stepping stones in getting viable employment, and now, their current everyday life is so different from the days that they were struggling to have simple food on the table.
The David family is thankful to DSWD and 4Ps for the opportunity accorded to them. In finishing their studies, Nicole and Nica Mae have detoured from the path that their parents took. With good jobs, they have also broken their family’s poverty.
With a bright future ahead for the David family, Olimpia joyfully said: “Maraming-maraming salamat po dahil hindi po sayang yung binigay nilang tulong sa amin kasi nakapagtapos yung mga anak ko.”
Nica Mae also expressed her gratitude to the Lord for making the DSWD an instrument to help them finish their studies through the 4Ps program.
For his part, Nicole reminded children to never stop dreaming and striving for a better life, saying: “Gawin mo kung ano yung kaya mong gawin, magsumikap ka, mag aral ka ng maayos, kung kaya mong tumulong para sa mga magulang, tumulong ka pa, magpursige ka lang. Tandaan mo na hindi hadlang ang kahirapan para ikaw ay makapagtapos sa pag-aaral.”
The #KPAP is a joint production of the Traditional Media Service (TMS) and the Digital Media Service (DMS), which are under the Strategic Communications group. It is hosted by TMS Director Aldrine Fermin and is posted every Tuesday on the DSWD’s official Facebook page. (GDVF)