More than offering immediate assistance, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) strives to empower individuals toward sustainability and stability through its menu of programs and services.

The journey of Maricris Novelas, a mother of eight children from Tondo, Manila, has shown the importance of a comprehensive social protection in providing a long-term impact in the lives of DSWD’s program beneficiaries.

Facing the daunting task of single-handedly raising her four young children, then 33-year-old Maricris, was given hope through the assistance of the DSWD which aims to uplift the lives of the poor and vulnerable, one family at a time.

Maricris became the sole provider for her children when her husband was imprisoned from July to December 2023.

“Nawalan ako ng ano sa buhay dahil hindi ko po nakayanan na mag-isa lang. Wala kaming bahay, wala  rin akong trabaho nasunugan ang pinagta-trabahuhan ko,” Maricris narrated. (I lost everything at home. I couldn’t manage alone. We had no house; the place I worked at was burned down.)

Abandoned by her common-law partner after his release from prison, Maricris then had to navigate the challenges of single parenthood.

“‘Yong totoo po unang-una ang problema namin ay titirhan, food, tapos iyong pangangailangan namin tulad ng gatas at diaper,” Maricris recounted, reflecting on the hardships she faced during this period, when they had to take temporary shelter at the Pritil Market.

(Truth be told, first and foremost, our problems were shelter, food, and then our necessities such as milk and diapers.)

After struggling to make ends meet and feeling the weight of her husband’s absence, Maricris somehow saw some hope when she became a beneficiary of the DSWD’s Food Stamp Program (FSP).

Introduced by the Marcos administration in July 2023, the FSP provided Maricris with essential support, including access to nutritious food items through the Electronic Benefit Card (EBT) loaded with Php3000 food credits, which can be used during redemption day.

Aside from alleviating hunger and addressing the food needs of beneficiaries like Maricris,  the FSP aimed to empower them through skills training and participation in government-organized job fairs.

In November 2023, Maricris attended the redemption day for food stamp beneficiaries, where she was introduced to a broader spectrum of DSWD’s initiatives.

During redemption day, Maricris, who had just given birth to her eighth child, met Lorlie Oable, a DSWD social worker who recognized the deeper vulnerabilities that Maricris and her children were facing.

Lorlie referred Maricris to the Pag-Abot Program which is designed to assist homeless families.

“Since ang programang ito (Pag-Abot Program) ay naglalayong bawasan ang mga nakatira sa kalsada lalong lalo na po at bago siyang panganak na kung saan at risk po talaga at bulnerable ang kanyang mga anak doon sa lansangan,” Lorlie said.

Recognizing the urgency of Maricris’s situation, the Pag-Abot team swiftly intervened to reach out to Maricris and her children and provided them with temporary shelter and basic necessities. After the reach-out operation, they were taken for temporary shelter at the Haven for Women, a DSWD-run residential care facility in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

Under the care of the DSWD-run center, Maricris and her children found stability and support. Beyond material assistance, the services at the center instilled essential life skills and values in Maricris and her children.

“Dito sa Haven, lahat po binibigay sa amin sa tamang oras. Natututo po kami sa mga tamang gawain. Malaki po ang tulong sa amin lalo po sa mga anak ko dahil nag-aaral po sila, napapa-checkup, saka nakakakain po kami,” Maricris explained, highlighting the holistic approach of the Pag-Abot Program.

(Here at the Haven, everything is provided for us at the right time. We learn the right practices. It’s a big help, especially for my children’s education, check-ups, and meals.)

She added: “Tinuturuan kami ng tamang asal at kung anong oras po iyong gising namin. Iyong pagpe-prayer po bago at pagkatapos kumain,”  (We are taught proper behavior and what time to wake up. We also say prayers before and after meals.)

Currently, Maricris and her children are waiting for the actual reintegration as a family in their hometown.

Through its holistic approach, the DSWD not only offers a lifeline to families in need but also empowers them to realize their full potential and achieve lasting change.

As a beneficiary of Food Stamp and Pag-Abot Programs, Maricris and her children stand as a testament to the commitment of the agency to creating a more equitable and inclusive society for all. #