“Poverty has never been a major problem to us because we know that with each other’s presence, and the assistance of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, we could live happily with a smile in our hearts,” said Marivic C. Bisaya.

Marivic (wearing red shirt), 45, is an active Pantawid Pamilya partner-beneficiary from Barangay Don Albino Taruc, Socorro, Surigao del Norte. She has been a parent leader of the program since 2012 and the elected president of Kabayan SKA association of the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP).

A mother of 12 children, two (2) of her daughters already graduated in college. Now, her family owns a small buy and sell sari-sari store and a pump boat for hire. Moreover, her daughter Rosemarie is now working in the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as Social Welfare Assistant (SWA) assigned in Lapaz, Agusan del Sur. Her other daughter, Chember, is one of the Expanded Student’s Grants-in-Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation (ESGP-PA) scholars enrolled with the degree Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education (BEEd) at Surigao State College of Technology (SSCT).

Photo by Winnie Jane Sendiong, Municipal Link Officer for Socorro, Surigao del Norte