When Khane Jevie Rose Solante Cervantes was greeted with the news that she passed the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) in Elementary level released last May 24, the newly-minted mentor cried.

Why not when Khane not only belonged to the 20,890 (58%) passers out of 44,764 individuals who took the board examinations last March, she also coveted the first spot with two other topnotchers, boasting an average of 92.40%.

Khane said she owes this immense feat to her hard work, as well as to DSWD’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) that opened up doors of opportunities to her family.

Flashback to Khane’s early childhood. She fairly enjoyed growing up in a big family with nine other siblings at their humble home in Cateel, Davao Oriental.

‘Fairly enjoyable,’ deemed to be the right term, as the Cervantes family’s big brood introduced Khane to the realities of poverty at a tender age.

“As a big family, there are lots of pros and cons. Totoo, masaya kami magkakasama kasi marami, hindi boring. Tapos yung gawain sa bahay magaan na lang dahil marami kaming naghahati-hati, sobrang hirap naman po pagdating sa aspetong pinansiyal,” Khane narrated.

(As a big family, there are lots of pros and cons. While it is true that having multiple members meant bringing in more fun and soothes boredom for everyone… everything was difficult in financial aspects.)

Khane’s father was a farmer and caretaker of a farming terrain, and her mother was an animal keeper.

While everyone from the Cervantes brood, including Khane, witnessed their parent’s tedious labor and efforts, still their income could not live up to the needs of their family.

There was even a time when Khane’s academic performance took a toll due to their financial constraints.

“Nahihiya nga ako humingi sa kanila kasi kitang kita ko gaano kami naghihirap. Kaya madaming beses ako nali-late sa pagsa-submit ng projects at ibang gawain sa eskwela,” Khane said as she recalled how difficult it was for her to focus on her studies as a child.

(I often feel ashamed to ask them because I can see how much we are suffering. Because of this, there were instances that I was late in submitting projects and other school work.)

However, when the family became a beneficiary of the 4Ps program in 2014, life started turning in favor of Khane and her family.

The Cervantes family began receiving education and cash grants which eased their household’s financial burdens.

It also helped fund Khane’s school allowances and other academic-related expenses.

After finishing high school, Khane pursued a college degree in Education at the Davao Oriental State University – Cateel Extension Campus.

As a member of a 4Ps family, Khane was an eligible beneficiary of the Commission on Higher Education’s Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (CHED-UniFAST) Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES). She received annual educational assistance of ₱40,000 as a scholar of the program.

Khane then recalled with gratitude the sequence of success she reaped with the help of interventions that was granted to her as a 4Ps beneficiary.

“Naging advantage po talaga sa akin bilang isang 4Ps beneficiary dahil po naging iskolar po ako ng CHED UniFAST. Dahil dito natustusan ang aking pag-aaral hanggang sa nakatapos ako sa kolehiyo,” Khane shared.

(Being a 4Ps beneficiary gave me the advantage, especially as I became a scholar under CHED UniFAST. Because of this, my education was provided for until I finished my college degree.)

“Nagtapos po ako last year (2023) bilang Magna Cum Laude mula sa Davao Oriental State University- Cateel Extension Campus. At ngayon nga ay nasungkit ko ang maging topnotcher sa lumabas na resulta ng LET May 2024 Results bilang Top 1 sa Elementary Education,” Khane pointed out.

(I graduated last year as Magna Cum laude from Davao Oriental State University- Cateel Extension Campus. And now, I managed to become a topnotcher in the results of the LET May 2024 Results as Top 1 in Elementary Education)

Just like Khane, her mother also greatly benefitted from the program. Empowered with knowledge on responsible financing she learned from Family Development Sessions (FDS), she joined the Sustainable Livelihood Program Association of 4Ps grantees in their locality. As an SLP beneficiary, Khane’s mother was provided with livelihood assistance that further helped the Cervantes family cope with life’s daily grind.

Life is indeed full of twists and turns and Khane’s journey could attest to this.

While Khane used to be reluctant in believing rag-to-riches stories, the plot now resounds to her as she seized opportunities granted by the government and eventually realized her dreams.

With this, Khane also left a message for 4Ps beneficiaries and young learners alike in hope that they could someday pen their own version of a rag-to-riches story.

“Ang mensahe ko sa lahat ng kabataang 4Ps o kahit sa mga kabataang nag-aaral lalo na sa nagmula sa mahihirap na pamilya, I know how it feels. Minsan naiisip mo na imposible. Minsan you think you deserve better at kung bakit kasali ka sa mga naghihirap. Ngayon I attest, everything will work out,” Khane said.

(My message to all of the 4Ps monitored children or even to other young learners, particularly those who come from poor households, I know how it feels. You would often think that it’s impossible . Sometimes, you think you deserve better and question why you have to be poor. But now, I can attest that everything will work out.)

“Don’t lose hope. Mahirap sa ngayon, sometimes you feel you’re stuck. But, I assure you, same as me, all dreams do come true. Work on it. Manifest mo ito, ipagdasal at paghirapan. Sabayan mo ng action lahat. Magsikap. Mag-manifest, dagdagan ng action o kasipagan, you will get there,” Khane added.

(Don’t lose hope. Everything might be difficult now, sometimes you feel you’re stuck. But I assure you, same as me, all dreams do come true. Work on it. Manifest it, pray for it, aspire for it. Pair it with action. Persevere. Manifest, heighten it with action and hard work, you will get there.)

The 4Ps of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is a national poverty reduction strategy institutionalized under Republic Act No. 11310 or “An Act Institutionalizing Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) signed on April 17, 2019. It puts a premium on giving indigent families the means to break-away from the intergenerational cycle of poverty through human capital investments.

To date, the program has close to 4.4 million household-beneficiaries nationwide. #