Norma Garcia, a Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiary is one of the recipients of Cash Assistance from Bottom-Up-Budgeting (BUB) under the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The Municipality of Apalit, Pampanga was allotted P1.7M BUB budget for 2014 which was used as Capital Assistance for 183 Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries, 11 non-Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries and 53 solo parents. The awarding, which was held on January 23, 2015 was led by Vice-Mayor Pedro Nucom with MSWDO Harley Cortez, Municipal Treasurer Elizabeth Bustamante, and Joana Timbol, DSWD SLP Field Project Development Officer.
Norma, 49 years old and married with eight children, is a Pantawid Pamilya Beneficiary since 2012. All her children were able to study with the help of the program. Her four children finished high school while the other four are still in school. The eldest, Norbert who is 27 years old now works abroad as a massage therapist and helps the family in their everyday expenses. Her second child, Zorren, 25, is already married while Robert, 23, works as a construction worker like his father. Maria Jane, 21, helps her mother do the household chores.
Norma’s husband earns Php2, 000.00 a week, which according to her, cannot support the basic needs of the family. She helps her husband by selling rice cakes in their barangay and earns from Php 1,000.00 to Php 3,000.00 when there are order of rice cakes which is on an irregular basis.
“Nagsimulang magbago ang buhay namin noong nakasama ako sa mga napahiram ng puhunan sa tulong ng BUB-SLP capital assistance. Nakatanggap ako ng P5,000.00 at ito ay ibinili ko ng oven na ginagamit ngayon sa pagluluto ng kakanin at hindi na ako napapaso sa uling na dati kong ginagamit,” Norma said.
Aside from being a housewife, mother and a vendor of rice cakes, Norma is also an active Pantawid Pamilya parent leader and treasurer of the Matapat Group under the BUB-SLP. She was also a Barangay Health Worker of Barangay Cansinala, Apalit, Pampanga. “Marami akong ginagawa para sa pamilya ko at bilang parent leader pero suportado ako ng aking pamilya,” she said.
Her son, Robert is also a beneficiary of the Skills Training program under the DSWD-SLP in partnership with Arayat Institute Technology and Trade (AITT). He was one of the first batch of graduates who studied Shield Metal Arch Welding NCII (National Certificate II) held in Apalit from January 21 to February 10, 2015 and graduated on April 16, 2015. Robert is now planning to work abroad to use his welding skills and help his family.
“Nagpapasalamat ako sa gobyerno lalo na sa DSWD sa lahat ng tulong na aming natanggap sa BUB-SLP at sa patuloy na suporta ng Pantawid Pamilya. Nakapag-aral ang aking mga anak na may baon at masustansyang pagkain at nagkaroon pa ako ng dagdag puhunan sa aking munting negosyo at gumanda ang aming buhay. Patuloy na nakakapag-aral ang aking mga anak at nakapagtapos pa ng pagwewelding ang isa kong anak na magiging daan upang magkaroon ng magandang hanapbuhay at makatulong sa kanya at sa aming pamilya,” Norma concluded. ###
