Along the highway of Purok 9, Barangay Santa Isabel, Sta. Josefa, Agusan del Sur, stands a modest home that tells a remarkable story. Mr. and Mrs. Bonita B. Balaba, together with their four children, were once identified among the poorest of the poor. In 2008, they enrolled in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) under Set 1-A, beginning a transformation that would extend far beyond their own family.
With Mr. Balaba’s income as a farm laborer, supporting four school-aged children seemed impossible. Mrs. Balaba recalled:
“Lisod gyud kaayo sa una. Usahay dili nako kabalo unsaon nako pagsabay sa panginahanglan sa mga bata sa eskwela.” (It was so difficult before. Sometimes I didn’t know how to manage the children’s school needs.)
The 4Ps cash grants provided essentials once beyond reach—school supplies, vitamins, and milk—opening doors that had long been closed.
Mrs. Balaba’s journey extended beyond receiving aid. In 2010, she joined the Sustainable Livelihood Program where their hog-raising project taught her saving and planning skills. By 2015, she served as procurement team chairperson for KALAHI-CIDSS, leading projects that created a Multi-Purpose Building, Community Kitchen, and Isolation Facility.
“Nakasabot ra gyud akong pamilya nga para man pud sa kaayuhan sa tanan.” (My family understood that it was for everyone’s benefit.)
Fellow beneficiaries elected her as a 4Ps parent leader in 2021. She later became president of the Santa Isabel Integrated Women’s Association, spearheading “Baranganic”—an awareness campaign on violence against women and children.
Since 2015, Mrs. Balaba has worked as a Child Development Worker, shaping young minds despite modest compensation:
“Ang akong kalipay kay makita nako nga makatabang ko sa kabataan ug sa ilang kaugmaon… dili na kini tungod sa pangwarta kay kung pangwarta ang tumong, dili nako maabot og 10 years.” (My joy comes from helping children and their future… it’s no longer about money—if money were my goal, I wouldn’t have lasted 10 years.)
Her dedication earned her accreditation in Early Childhood Care and Development. Meanwhile, Mr. Balaba serves as purok leader and lay minister, while their children excel in academics and the arts, singing in the choir, dancing, and painting.
Seventeen years later, the Balaba household has achieved sufficiency-level well-being. As they prepare to graduate from the program, Mrs. Balaba reflects:
“Kung wala ang programa ug ang suporta sa akong pamilya, dili nako makaya tanan. Pero tungod sa tabang ug sa grasya sa Ginoo, nakatindog mi ug nakatabang pud mi sa uban… mapasalamaton gyod mi ug makita gyod sa amoa kung unsa ang mga maayo nga epekto sa amoang panimalay sa 4Ps.” (Without the program and my family’s support, I couldn’t have managed everything. But because of the help and God’s grace, we stood up and helped others too… we are truly grateful and can see the positive effects of 4Ps on our family.)
The Balaba family’s story illuminates how social programs ignite human capacity for growth and service. What began as assistance to one struggling family has multiplied into countless acts that strengthen an entire community—a testament to the transformative power of programs that unlock human potential and the enduring strength of the Filipino family spirit.
