“Couple Goals” is a couple of words usually read or heard a lot these days. This is usually viral on social media sites where couples (usually in a romantic relationship) share activities, plans, aspirations, and memories – posts usually getting positive reactions. For some couples, setting couple goals give them an intimate bond, a strong sense of oneness.

For some, this trend seems a bit corny, especially for the anti-romantics. But for a couple in Brgy. Ladgadan in San Francisco, Agusan del Sur, it is what drives them to achieve their dreams for their family. Julie Carles, married to Eddielyn Carles have set their “couple goal,” which is to graduate and earn a college degree together. The twist is, Julie and Eddielyn are no longer teenagers, but are a couple with three children already.

The couple are beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program since 2011. All their 3 kids are monitored children of the program. So one might ask, why would they want to pursue college when both of them are way past the usual age earning a college degree?

Prior to being a part of the 4Ps, the couple have experienced going through hardships in life. Julie didn’t have a stable job – he believes that not finishing college made it impossible for him to land a good paying job. There were days that they skipped meals and chose to sleep with an empty stomach. The couple also had a hard time sending their children to school due to financial constraints.

“Grabe kalisod sa among kinabuhi sauna. Dili man gani nako masustenar ang mismong pagkaon namu, samot na nga naglisod ko nga magpa eskwela sa akong mga anak. Mao pasalamat gyud kaayo ko sa programa sa DSWD kay nakaginhawa nako gamay. (Our lives before was very difficult. I had a hard time sustaining our daily needs and much more, provide the needs of my children for their schooling. This is why, I am very grateful to the program of DSWD for being of great help),” Julie said.

Even though the family enjoyed the program’s grants which they receive bi-monthly, still the couple did not stop dreaming of improving their lives. In 2018, Julie, together with his wife, Eddielyn, decided to pursue a 4 year course in college.  The couple enrolled for a Bachelor of Science Degree in Office Administration at the Xavier College, in San Francisco. The journey they had as full time parents and students for 4 years was not easy as they have faced various challenges specifically when it comes to paying their tuition fees, managing their time in school, taking care of their 3 sons, and performing their role as workers at the barangay.

Despite these challenges they have encountered, they remain firm with their decisions to finish college. The lessons they have learned from attending the program’s Family Development Session (FDS) helped a lot in making critical decisions.

“Panahon sa ting-exam, ma stress napud mi asa mangita kwarta para makabayad sa among tuition. Ang pagpangutang mao ra gyud ang paagi nga makabayad mi sa among tution ug maka take sa exam. Bisan sa maong kalisod, wala mi nihunong sa among pag-eskwela. (We usually get stressed on where to get money for our tuition fees, especially during examination period. We borrowed money just to pay for the tuition so we could take the exam. Yet, despite the financial problems, despite the hardships, we never gave up on our studies,’’ Eddielyn recalled.

During their sophomore year, the couple was able to avail the Tertiary Education Subsidy – a grant-in-aid program that helps qualified students with their studies. This gave Julie and Eddielyn some kind of a breather from the burden of paying for their tuition and other school related fees.

Now that the couple successfully completed their college degrees, their plan is to look for a stable job with a reasonable compensation so they can provide the needs of their 3 sons who are currently studying in Agusan del Sur National High School and Ladgadan Elementary School. Currently, Julie is a Barangay Kagawad, and Eddielyn works as Barangay Record Keeper.

When asked about what advice they can give to couples like them who plan to pursue and finish their studies, Eddielyn says that positivity is all it takes, and that negativities, especially from the pessimists, will only hinder them from achieving their goals and dreams.

“Dili babag ang edad ug kawad-on sa paghuman sa eskwela. Kung makadungog kag negatibo nga komento mahitungod sa plano nga mu-eskwela, ayaw sila paminawa og himua kana nga hagit. Dili pud dayon mawad-an og paglaum, kinahanglan antoson ang mga kalisod dala ang pagpaningkamot. Ug labaw sa tanan, always mag-pray sa Ginoo (Age and being underprivileged is not a hindrance in one’s pursuit for education. Don’t mind if you hear negative comments about your plans in pursuing your studies, rather, take it as a challenge. Also, don’t give up easily especially when hardships come, just endure it while making an effort. Most of all, always pray to God),’’ she said. ###(Social Marketing Section/DSWD Field Office Caraga).