For years, Christmas meant uncertainty for Glenda De Luna. The season of light and hope was often spent on a sidewalk near a busy crossing, where she sold whatever little she could, sometimes with her children beside her, just to put food on the table.

Nights were long, earnings were small, and exhaustion was constant– yet amid the hardship, Glenda carried a quiet resolve to keep going, no matter how heavy life was for her.

That resolve was tested daily. She recalled how her children, including her daughter known as Angelica, had to help her sell on the streets, sacrificing rest and sometimes even school.

Opportunities were limited, and dreams felt distant. But everything began to change when their family became a beneficiary of the Pag-abot Program, one of the innovative programs of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

“Binigyan po ako ng Pag-abot Program ng malaking halaga na naipagpatuloy po namin ng maayos ang aming negosyo, maliit na negosyo, malaking tulong po…,” Glenda De Luna said.

With the assistance she received, Glenda was able to stabilize her small business, food on the table became sufficient and her children no longer had to miss classes because of financial constraints.

Dignity replaces desperation

“Naging maayos po lahat yung mga pagkain (namin), naging sapat na po yung pagkain sa kinikita ko po dito. Nakakapag-aral na po yung mga anak ko, di gaya dati na nagliliban sila dahil kulang po sa financial,” Glenda shared.

The transformation did not end there. Through discipline and persistence, Glenda managed to save enough to purchase a tricycle—an asset that further strengthened their livelihood and completely freed her children from street vending.

For her child, this meant something even greater – a time to rest, and a time to dream.

“Hindi na po siya nale-late at lagi na po siyang nakakapasok. Naging maayos po at ngayon naging athlete na po siya dahil syempre wala na rin po sigurong sagabal. Kasi dati po napupuyat kami na sinasama ko na nagtitinda,” Glenda narrated.

Angelica went on to become a track and field athlete, winning multiple gold medals at the division level, including first place in the 100-meter dash in Pasig–Rizal, before advancing to compete at the National Capital Region (NCR) level.

For a mother who once worried about her children’s next meal, seeing her daughter offer medals instead of loose change was an overwhelming moment, often bringing Glenda to tears.

The contrast between then and now is most felt during the holidays.

“Malaking diperensya po yung Pasko po namin noon. Kapos po kami. Hindi kami makapag-handa nang maayos kasi kulang po sa pinansyal. Hindi gaya ng ganitong darating yung Pasko. Alam mo na nagkakaplano na kayo ng bonding bonding,” Glenda shared.

Touched by hope

Glenda’s story mirrors that of many others, including Editha Deduque, who also once lived and worked on the streets with her children.

For Editha, being reached-out by the Pag-abot Team marked the end of a painful chapter and the beginning of safety and stability.

“Nagpapasalamat ako na na-reachout ako nila [Pag-abot Program]. Nagpapasalamat ako kay President [Ferdinand] Marcos at tsaka kay Sir [Rex] Gatchalian. Masayang-masaya dahil sa wakas, mayroon din sa akin na tumulong na hindi na ako babalik doon [sa lansangan],” Editha said.

Now given a chance to restart her life through a livelihood assistance, Editha holds on to a renewed sense of hope, proof that age and circumstance are not barriers to change, and that a helping hand can pull a family away from the dangers of living in the streets.

Sustaining compassion

At the heart of these stories is a broader commitment to uplift individuals and families who once called the streets their home.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian has assured that the Pag-abot Program will continue to deliver interventions aimed at restoring dignity and providing sustainable pathways away from hardship.

“Sa tulong ng ating mga mapagmalasakit na mamamayan, ngayong taon, tuloy-tuloy ang ating maagap na serbisyo para sa ating mga kababayang naninirahan sa lansangan, upang mabigyan sila ng tamang tulong at pagkakataong makapag simula ng bagong buhay,” Secretary Gatchalian emphasized in his Facebook post on Tuesday (January 6).

The Pag-abot Program, which was started by the DSWD in 2023, was institutionalized through Executive Order (EO) No. 52 in January 2024.

The Pag-abot program has provided interventions to help the FISS begin life anew, with a number reintegrated with their families and communities of origin. (KI)