It is often said that Social Workers become a vital part in the lives of the poor households as they immerse themselves in the struggles and journey of the latter towards sustainability. Most often than not, the Social Workers, especially in the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), become sort of the heroes in the lives of the social protection program-beneficiaries hence they are referred to as the Angels in Red Vest.

Elsie D. Talledo, 43, from the municipality of Guipos, Zamboanga Del Sur, has just turned into an Angel in Red Vest as she is now a registered Social Worker in the Department. Looking back, Elsie would not have imagined herself being a social worker since she did not know about the profession.

Life was difficult for young Elsie. Just like many children born in poverty, she was not able to finish her college education due to lack of financial support. It was a shame because Elsie did well in school. She was an active student, and she had a dream to finish her studies and become a teacher someday. But poverty has shattered that beautiful dream. She thought that her fate would end just like many of her friends who married at a young age, thinking that their sole purpose in this existence is to marry and bear children.

She was almost at the verge of breaking down. True enough, because she was not able to continue her studies, she settled with a man, bore two of his children, and continued the cycle of poverty that she is very familiar with.

Fate must be cruel to her as she was left alone to provide for her children. Elsie became a solo parent with no tertiary education diploma, no job, and left with shattered dreams.

“Halos hindi ko alam kung paano ko palalakihin ang mga anak ko (I didn’t know how I would be able to raise my children),” Elsie said.

 

LIGHT IN THE DARK

At that time, Elsie felt like darkness has enveloped her whole life and she was doomed to live an impoverished life. Her children, back then, were already in grade school to which, albeit in public, she could hardly provide the necessities.

But as the saying goes, there is always light at the end of every tunnel.

In 2011, her family was enlisted to become part of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), a poverty-alleviation program under the DSWD. The monthly Family Development Session (FDS) of the 4Ps made her feel like she was in school again as the sessions served as an avenue for new learning for 4Ps beneficiaries. In FDS, the beneficiaries learn about financial management, parenting, family planning, disaster response, active citizenship, among others.

Because of this, Elsie relived her dreams. She was also entrusted by her peers (co-beneficiaries) to become their leader hence she served as a Parent Leader and performed her role well. She became immersed in helping provide social protection services in any way she can. Seeing the importance of a Social Worker in the community, she began admiring the job.

It was also around this time that she found a partner in life. Her husband supported her admiration for the Social Work industry. Elsie went back to school and took up Social Work in 2015.

“Ang pagka-Parent Leader ko..ang isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit ako nagdecide na mag-social work dahil nakita ko sa mga MLs (Municipal Links) kung paano nila tinutulungan ang mga mahihirap na katulad ko. Alam kong pagdating ng panahon ay kaya ko rin ang trabahong ito, (My being a Parent Leader is one of the reasons why I decided to take up Social Work because I have seen with my MLs how they help poor families like us. I saw myself doing this job one day,)” Elsie said during her testimonial.

 

TRANSFORMATIVE CHALLENGES

Being an active individual in her various roles, she was overwhelmed with excitement and challenges as well. She also became the President of the Sustainable Livelihood Program Association in 2015 and then President of the Samahan ng Nagkakaisang Pamilya ng Pantawid (SNPP) Guipos Chapter in 2018. She performed all of these tasks while being a mother of 5, a wife, a student in school, and a Parent Leader in the 4Ps community.

“Dili lalim ang akong kalisod nga naagian tungod kay sa akong pamilya ako ang ika-unom nga estudyante. (What I have been through was not easy as I was the 6^th member in the family that was in school,)” Elsie on being a student alongside her children.

She also was not spared from the prying eyes and judgments of the Marites or the nosy gossipers in her neighbourhood. Many of them belittled her capacity to earn a degree because of her age and her situation.

Despite these judgments, Elsie was far from being disheartened. If anything, she was more challenged to prove them wrong.

Last year, a 3-letter title was finally earned and added to Elsie’s name -RSW. Elsie hurdled all obstacles, challenges, and judgments and she succeeded in her transformation. Finally, she is now a Registered Social Worker.

 

Moreover, the program that has helped her in her transformation, the 4Ps program, has recently hired her as one of the Social Workers who will implement the program in the field. Elsie is one of the 68 former beneficiaries of the 4Ps that were hired to serve as City/Municipal Links in various areas in Zamboanga Peninsula. Her experience as a former beneficiary would be very helpful in planning and providing interventions to the current beneficiaries of the program.

Elsie Talledo has already waived her membership to the program because as she said, “kaya na kaayo nako mobarog sa among pamilya (I can now stand for my family).”