At 66, Adelaida Samontaños, a beneficiary of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program in Brgy. Biga, Calatagan, Batangas Province, only wishes to see her grandchildren have a better life. Through supporting them with their needs and ensuring that they are sent to school, she knows it won’t be long that she’ll realize her wish.***

 

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Raising teens alone—from a poor grandmother’s perspective

As a widow, 66-year-old Adelaida Samontaños should have no other responsibility but herself. Seeing her two children, who she managed to send to high school, with good jobs for themselves, she has nothing more to wish for than to retire from work and experience a good life in her home in Brgy. Biga, Calatagan, Batangas Province.

However, she has long accepted that the kind of responsibility she has right now will not allow her to do so. Today, she has four grandchildren under her wing and works several jobs at a time to support them. For Adelaida, it will be a great accomplishment to witness all of them at least finishing high school.

“Kaya ako nagpapakahirap para sa kanila kasi gusto kong maging maayos ang buhay nila. Napakahalaga na makatapos man lang sila ng high school dahil kahit papaano, mas maganda ang magiging oportunidad nila. Katulad ng dalawang anak ko, kung hindi sila nakapagtapos, malamang katulad ko rin sila na nagtatrabaho sa tubuhan,” she shared.

 

Struggles of a grandmother

Adelaida’s grandchildren are left to her care when her son’s family was broken more than 10 years back. From time to time, she will receive Php800 to Php1000 from her son for his children’s allowance. However, she knows such amount is not enough, especially that one of her grandchildren has already a family that she also supports.

“Nagpapaupa ako sa tubuhan, P200 ‘yun kada araw pero hindi madalas akong may trabaho. Swerte na kung makatatlong araw sa isang linggo. Minsan, nagkakasambahay rin ako at nag-aalaga rin ng mga hayop,” she shared.

Although Adelaida admits that doing such jobs is already hard for her age, she does not mind. What is important for her is that she is able to support her grandchildren’s daily needs.

 

Grateful for the help

In 2012, Adelaida’s family became qualified to be a beneficiary of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, where three of her grandchildren each receive Php300 educational grant monthly.

“Malaki po ang pasasalamat ko sa programa dahil sa tulong nito sa pag-aaral ng mga apo ko. Mas madali na po para sa akin na hindi na kailangang problemahin ang mga gastusin nila sa school,” Adelaida gratefully shared.

At the beginning of this year, Adelaida’s family benefitted from the expansion of coverage of the Pantawid Pamilya program, which now covers children up to 18 years old or until they finish high school, whichever comes first.

As a result, her eldest grandchild Sharmaine, 15, currently in fourth year high school, still receives financial assistance from the program. For Adelaida, this means a lot for the family and this ensures a high school diploma for Sharmaine and the rest of her grandchildren.

“Malaking kawalan sa pamilya namin kung matitigil ang suporta para sa kanya. Sa pagtutuloy-tuloy ng tulong, masisiguro ko na makakatapos s’ya ng high school. Pagsisikapan ko pa lalo para masuportahan ang pangangailangan nilang lahat,” Adelaida shared.

 

Raising teenagers alone

Adelaida may have been very grateful to the financial help brought by the program; however, she shares that she also appreciates what the program teaches her through her monthly attendance to Family Development Sessions (FDS).

“Hindi pa pala huli ang lahat para ako ay matuto. Kahit ako ay matanda na, bawat pinag-aaralan namin sa FDS ay talagang tumatatak sa akin lalo na ang maayos na pakikitungo sa aking mga apo at pag-intindi sa kanila,” she said.

Adelaida added that through these monthly sessions, she has learned to deal better with teenagers, especially correcting her old ways of being strict to them.

“Inuunawa ko talaga sila at hinahabaan ang pasensya. Baka kasi kaya nag-asawa nang maaga ‘yung isa dahil may mali ako sa pagpapalaki sa kanya. Gusto ko silang lahat maging matagumpay kaya talagang pinagbubuti ko ang aming samahan para hindi sila magrebelde sa akin,” she shared.

Today, Adelaida is a picture of a happy grandmother, especially that she sees her grandchildren working hard every day to be in school and making ways to be happy in the life she is providing them. For the rest of her life, she has nothing more to wish for than see them all have a better life.with reports from HBBelgica***