The Department of Education is DSWD’s partner in the implementation of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) particularly on ensuring that poor families have access to quality education. Investing in education is the national strategy to lessen, if not eradicate, poverty in the country.

For many hard-to-reach areas such as Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA), education may be something that the locals are not accustomed to. This is why many of them resort to early marriage. This is even more true for Indigenous Peoples (IP).

Sitio Logdeck, Municipality of Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay –a 6-hour walk up the mountains from the Poblacion proper. When the DSWD first visited this IP area where the Subanen tribe resides, the highest educational facility was up to 2^nd grade. In effect, most of the IP children lack education and worst, are forced to get married at a very early age.

Monalisa O. Bacang, now 27 years old, resorted to early marriage to save her family from additional expenses. In an interview, she expressed that she was an extra mouth to feed and so it was her way to help assuage the burden from her parents. She got married at the age of 13. In her memory, she really enjoyed going to school and learning. In fact, she was a consistent honor pupil in Grade 1 and 2. It was such a shame that she needed to stop because, for one, there was no higher grade level available in their community, and secondly, her family cannot afford to send her to school in Peñaranda, a more progressive area.

Looking at the situation and seeing the potential, one DepEd personnel stood and pushed the implementation of ALS or the Alternative Learning System in Sitio Logdeck. His name is Nestor R. Bello.

Nestor is an administrative officer, a non-teaching position assigned in Sitio Logdeck. Nonetheless, he is also a Licensed Professional Teacher (LPT). When he was assigned in the area, he saw the need in the community.

“Sayang din sir, makaaral pa sana kami, (It’s saddening, we could’ve continued studying)” Monalisa told Nestor.

Nestor saw a reflection of himself in the face of Monalisa. He, too, was once in an impoverished family and he also felt the impact of poverty that might have caused a miserable life. But he fought poverty with perseverance and determination. He worked and supported himself while he was studying. And so he understood where Monalisa was coming from.

With this drive, Nestor talked to his supervisor, Sir Julius Ditchon, and presented the case. He justified the need for ALS in the said community. The challenge was that there were no available personnel to handle the ALS class. Despite holding an administrative position, Nestor volunteered to teach. He is an LPT after all.

The supervisor gave him the green light to offer ALS in Sitio Logdeck. 14 young adults ranging from 15 years old to 27 years old enrolled and showed interest in going back to school.

He immediately built a small nipa hut where he conducts his classes.

Monalisa is one of his learners. She attends ALS while 2 of her children are in regular class, a mother and children effort as supported by the 4Ps program.

“Nakita ko kasi yung kagustuhan nilang mag-aral sir. Kaya kahit napakataas ng bundok at ilang ilog ang daanan ko, okay lang kasi nawawala naman ang pagod kapag nakikita kong nakakatulong to sa kanila. (I understood their yearning for education. That’s why I don’t mind climbing mountains and crossing rivers because all that fades when I see that what I do helps this community),” Nestor said.

The 4Ps, on the other hand, contributes by encouraging more beneficiaries to keep their children enrolled in school. The Community Facilitator of 4Ps, Raizy Aldave monitors the education of children and adult learners in the area.

Last April 2024, Monalisa and some others graduated from ALS. They are now eligible and have enrolled for Grade 11 in Kabasalan. Now, Monalisa is a few steps closer to her dream of becoming a teacher someday. The 4Ps program will continue to monitor her accomplishments and provide intervention to help her succeed in life.

“Magpatuloy kayo sa pag-aaral. Isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit pwede tayong makapagtrabaho ng maayos ay kapag nakapagtapos tayo ng pag-aaral. (You finish your studies. One of the ways that we can find better jobs is when you have an education),” Nestor expressed when asked about his message to 4Ps beneficiaries.