TABUK CITY, Kalinga – During the recent “PUGAY TAGUMPAY 2024” for beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), 1,104 members had been able to successfully exit said program on April 18, 2024.
All graduates were members of the first beneficiaries of the first ever 4Ps grant to the city back in 2012.
The 4Ps is a program started by the national government that provides cash grants to those living below the poverty threshold with the hopes of improving their health, nutrition, and education of their children aged 0-18 years old.
In their testimonials, one graduating beneficiary said that living in a household where her husband is the only provider while she takes care of their children is hard, and that through 4Ps, they not only managed to get by but also had their children graduate, not just in any college but in the University of the Philippines Los Baños.
She then compared the 4Ps as a cane where the program helped her and her family walk and that as time goes by, it transformed into a bridge, helping them cross the turbulent waters of life.
Another beneficiary said that prior to the initiation of 4Ps, she observed that there were many malnourished and sickly children, however, since the program had been launched, there were now less children needing to be hospitalized.
City Mayor Darwin Estrañero lauded the graduates saying that by exiting the program, it means that their lives have changed for the better.
Estrañero also said that they should be happy because much like the city, their lives are getting better.
“Tatta nga pimmintas kasasaad tayu, kayat na sauwen ket pimmintas ekonomiya iti Tabuk. Aggraduate tayu metten idiay kunkuna da nga ‘napobre a siyudad’ ta agsasaruno dagituy investors nga umay dituy Tabuk, umadu iti pagtrabahuan tattao,” he underscored.
(Now that our manner of living has improved, it means that the economy of Tabuk is also better. We will also be able to leave behind the reputation of being a “poor city” because of the new investors coming to our city bringing with them more jobs.) By Edward Joseph Gacuya
