It has been noticed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) that many of its beneficiaries under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) pursue a career in education sector. Many of the 4Ps children decide to take a bachelor’s degree in either Elementary or Secondary Education. The Department asks, why?

To understand this educated choice by the beneficiaries, we will dive into the story of Allaine C. Castillo, a former 4Ps child beneficiary, now a Licensed Professional Teacher.

Allaine’s journey is a testament to how hope, dream, perseverance, and public service can transform the course and views of life of a poor child. As we may already know by now, 4Ps beneficiaries are families whose income falls below the poverty threshold. Such is the case of Castillo Family from a 3^rd class municipality called Manukan in Zamboanga Del Norte.

Despite bringing the family name “Castillo” which in Spanish means Castle, Castillo’s life is actually far from the life that one would expect from someone living in a castle. Their life is not protected by fortress, in fact, they live a very vulnerable life due to poverty. They are more like a pauper than royalties.

Allaine’s family live paycheck to paycheck, making it difficult to cover basic necessities like food, housing, healthcare, and education. They often must choose between paying bills and buying groceries.

Life might have been a little harsher on them because not only that they live an unfortunate life financially, but they were also being raised by her mother all by herself. Yes, a single mother with five children strove to give the best possible life to her kids.

As the eldest daughter in the family, Allaine feared that she might not finish her studies to give way for her younger siblings to learn in school. This is a common circumstance in a life of a poor family. The elder siblings usually sacrifice their future, start working at an early age to help the family, and sadly but a reality, often forget about their own dreams.

With this in mind, Allaine started to fear that there will be no bright future waiting for her. And so she cherished every single minute of her time in school. She appreciated every lesson learned; she looked up to every teacher that helped mold the minds of the youth. This, consequently, influenced her to dream of becoming a teacher someday.

By then, they were already members of DSWD’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps. The program mandates its beneficiaries to send their children to school as part of its goal to establish a behavioral change among poor households in the country especially in their views and practices related to health and education.

In effect, the appreciation of the value of education led many of its children-beneficiaries to emulate the people that brought knowledge and awareness to their senses, the teachers.

The social worker assigned to monitor the progress of Castillo Family saw this driving force and determination from Allaine hence one of her interventions is to refer the beneficiary to the

Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES), a program implemented by the Department of Education (DepEd), providing crucial financial support for her college education.

The DepEd has been DSWD’s partner in promoting education among the poor since the 4Ps program only provides for children until 18 years of age or until they graduate from Senior High School. With the TES program, 4Ps beneficiaries have a chance to pursue a college degree which will open more opportunities for employment for the beneficiaries.

Allaine chose to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education (BEED) at Kostka San Estanislao College, Inc. Allaine successfully completed her BEED program and graduated in 2016. Remarkably, she passed the board exam in the same year, showcasing her dedication and academic excellence.

She was then absorbed by the DepEd as a public-school teacher in Dipolog City, Zamboanga Del Norte. Her journey from being a student facing financial hardships to becoming an educator is a testament to her resilience and the impact of support programs like the 4Ps and TES.  Allaine’s story is a powerful example of how educational assistance programs can empower individuals to break the cycle of poverty and contribute positively to society. Her determination, combined with the opportunities provided through the scholarship, has allowed her to fulfill her dreams and make a meaningful impact as a teacher in her community.

As a former 4Ps beneficiary, Allaine takes pride and honor in shaping the minds of many 4Ps children of today.