Sometimes, when we are in distressed and unfortunate situation, all we need is a superhero to come and save us. And if we look really closely to the blessings that come to our lives, we realize that there are many heroes around us. Such is the realization of Jay Bordon Villaganas.

Coming from a less fortunate family, young Jay would often dream that someone would save them from poverty, that one day, his family would experience alleviation that they deserve. His father, a driver , earns barely enough for them to eat 3 times a day. His mom, while at home doing chores, would often find a way to help her husband raise money for their needs.

Just like many poor families in the Philippines, Jay’s life was not easy. In his speech during the celebration of the 4Ps Anniversary in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay, Jay shared that his hardships are still very vivid in his mind. He got degraded, denied and rejected many times for his status in life. Being poor truly impacts the opportunities one gets in life.

“Mahirap ang maging mahirap. [It is hard to live a poor life,]” Jay said in his speech.

Degraded. Denied. Rejected. These experiences kept haunting him many times during his younger days. For many years, he kept waiting for the hero to come to his life. Until he realized that superheroes are not born but they are made. So he decided to become the hero of his own life.

 

His Very Own Hero and his Sidekick

When he realized that he had to power to change the course of his life, he took control. Jay persevered. As a kid, his way to improve his life was to do good in his education. He knew that for him to achieve something in life, he must do it one step at a time. First, he dreamed. For young Jay, without a dream, one would easily lose hope and lose focus.

“Mahirap ang maging mahirap, lalo na kapag walang pangarap. [It is hard to live a poor life especially without a dream,]” Jay added.

At this point, Jay is his very own superhero. Of course, every superhero needs a sidekick, a partner who will support the hero and offer a hand in need. Villaganas family became a member of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), a government program under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) that supports the education and health of children so they could have better chances at battling poverty. 4Ps then became Jay’s sidekick, the one that supports his endeavours to escape impoverishment.

With a dream to escape poverty, Jay, just like his elder sister, ensured that they did well in school. This is their first strategy to defeat the villain named Poverty.

His sister, Jaricklyn, graduated as batch Salutatorian in High School and Cum Laude in College. While Jay, on the other hand, excelled in leadership. He was the President of the Student Supreme Government (SSG) in all of Zamboanga Sibugay and even represented Region 9 in the National Search for the Most Outstanding SSG Presidents in the Philippines.

He graduated at the top of his class as Batch Valedictorian. He finished college at Western Mindanao State University (WMSU) with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Education Major in English.

With these major achievements, Jay believes that he has succeeded in his strategy towards his goals in life. His next step is to become financially stable and have financial freedom.

 

Hero For Others

Superheroes are the role models of the society. They were created to remind people of the values that one must uphold in order to live a harmonious and progressive life. Just like superheroes, Jay is a role model in the community as well.

He currently serves as the Sangguniang Kabataan Chairperson of Barangay Poblacion in the municipality of Naga, Zamboanga Sibugay. He leads many activities that promote the welfare of the youth, encourage them to stray away from bad habits and activities, ensure the safety of the young generation.

Jay attributes these qualities as a leader to the experiences he went through and to the learning that he acquired from it and the 4Ps program.

As he stood in front of other 4Ps beneficiaries during the 4Ps Anim-berSaya Celebration last June 24 in Ipil Capitol, Zamboanga Sibugay, he spoke of the impact of the program and how it became an effective sidekick in his battle against poverty.

“These achievements are the proof how successful the 4Ps program in shaping and changing life, how it brings impact to Filipino famil[ies], letting beneficiaries become globally competitive. To DSWD family, the angels in red vests, may you continue to serve the people and may the good LORD bless you even more. You all are the best epitome of a catalyst for change,” Jay ended.