Donned with her red gala and cap with dropped swaying tassel, she stepped the stairway of the commencement venue with pride and honor. A Cum Laude has been conferred-to a student, to a mother and to a Pantawid Pamilya Beneficiary.

Life’s success is not yet too old to achieve. There are dozens of reasons why Susana Ricafrente, 35, from Brgy. Maso, Tungawan, Zamboanga Sibugay province described her life like a kaleidoscope- challenging, colourful bits of ups and down interplaying with one another.

Her life was a tale of humble and simple journey living with her three kids whose eldest was mentally challenged due to Meningitis. His husband works as a “Habal Habal” driver while she accepts laundry works with a merely weekly income of two hundred pesos (Php200).

She can no longer recount how many times she wept for her challenging and problematic life. Circumstances truly challenged her strength but her will to pursue things positively will always be her foot forward. As a mother of three, she wasn’t able to finish her high school degree due to her family’s perennial problem on Poverty.  Nothing has changed not until she decided to enrol herself in the Alternative Learning System (ALS). There are no signs of uncertainties, only flicker of rekindled Hope.

Susan shared that from 5:30pm-9:30pm she spent herself in ALS night classes to meet the 400 required hours prior to assessment and obtaining a diploma. She has to leave her child at home to pursue her studies. Her will to finish high school and to earn a college degree is genuinely hopeful. Time management played a crucial role on her aspiration; she has to be a mother, a wife and a student in one.

The assessment came when she finally passed and got her diploma from ALS. Another chapter has unfolded closer to her dreams but due to financial difficulties, she’s more uncertain this time if she can still pursue her college degree. She also shared that a municipal councilor sponsored her college study as a scholar where instead of paying full amount fees, she will only have to pay 50% less.

Her family became a beneficiary of Pantawid Pamilya under Set6-C on May 2013, she was already second year then. She thought life will be smoothly running good after blessings such as this came in, but trials are inevitable and even sometimes emotionally painful. Her husband suffered from Periodic Paralysis where it became bedridden for a month. With no income due to unexpected problem, she has to double her efforts in taking care her husband and their children while looking for means how to survive a living. She can recall how she asked for help from her relatives in order to sustain the medications. She stood firm for the family during these trying times coupled with her strength and prayers, but this never hinders her to excel in class.

In tears, Susan expressed her feelings of gratitude, “Ang Pantawid Pamilya siya yung nag open ng door ng opportunities, sabi ko Lord kung makakapasok man ako sa programa,promise tatapusin ko talaga ang pag aaral ko at magbabago na talaga ang mahirap na nakaraan naming Pamilya” (The Pantawid Pamiya opened its doors to opportunities, I said to the Lord, if I will be part of the program, I promise to finish my studies and change the history of our Poor Family.)”

Since her 1^st year college, she never failed to make it in the Dean’s List. Her passion and commitment is incomparable and inspiring. She even proudly shared that the Family Development Session of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program had an advantage in her studies because it advances her knowledge in some learning areas. “Ang FDS parang dagdag impormasyon , dagdag kaalamn bilang ina, ung mga topics every month na dinidiscuss naisheshare ko sa bahay at sa paaralan kung saan ako pumapasok, yung natutunan nagagamit ko rin sa school, Advantage un sakin ”(The FDS is an additional information and additional knowledge to us mothers, I was able to share topics discussed every month in our own household and in school. The learning is advantage to me)”, she said.

Susana graduated Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education at Western Mindanao State University-External Studies Unit, Tungawan as Cum Laude with recognition certificate from TESDA for obtaining an NC-II.

As an additional income for the family, she purchased hogs and chickens using some of the savings from Pantawid Pamilya grants. She valued the program by monitoring her expenses, in order for her to know how far her grants have helped the family’s needs. After Graduation, she immediately took the review classes. She advanced the money from the buyer through selling her piglets and turns it over until it reaches maturity just to generate amount to pay her review fees.

On September 26, 2015, she finally took her Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET). She was very hopeful to pass the exam in order for her to have the chance to work and uplift the situation of her family. “Pamilya ko, sila naman ang rason bakit ako nag aral, nais kong makaranas sila ng magandang buhay, makapagtapos nang pag-aaral upang d nila maranasan ang napagdaang paghihirap ko” (My Family, they are the reason why I pursued my studies, I want them to experience the good life, also to finish their studies so they will not experience my difficulties). If given the opportunity, she’s very much willing to serve the community where she resides where she can help other poor children who also have the same dream like her.“Yun yung pinakagusto ko, kung bibigyan ng chance gusto ko maishare sa lahat at sabihin sa kanila: tingnan nyo ako, kahit sa hirap ng buhay, kaya kong magkaroon ng Pagbabago” (That is what I desire, to be given the chance to share to them and said “look at me, despite how hard life, I can have change). She added.

Susana proudly expressed that indeed she have proven her success, “kaya ko ang pagbabago, dahil nakaya ko. Kahit mahirap ako, may achievement ako. Nakaya kong lamangan ang mas may kakayahan o mas may pera pa. Nakita nila Hindi porket mahirap ka ay hindi mo na kaya, walang dahilan para hindi maging matagumpay ang tao”. (I am the change because I did it. Even though I am only poor, I have my achievement. I was able to surpass those who have the capacity or even those who are well-off. It doesn’t mean that you are poor you can no longe r do it. There are no reasons for a person not to be successful).

Life is like a turning wheel, one cannot determine his fate unless you steer the turning point in order to see the brighter perspective that awaits you.  Success is defined by you, not by chance, not by people around you. The story of Susana is a manifestation of a successful story worthy to be told, an empowered woman who defeated life’s trials and challenges using her pure passion and desire to achieve dreams.

As she marched the aisle before the eyes of the thousand graduates, she formed and left an inspiration trail to take lead and call to follow her footsteps. She mirrors the thousand Pantawid Beneficiaries who never considered poverty as deterrent to their dreams.