April 22, 2025 – A mother’s renewed dreams for her family.

It is in the all too familiar landfill in Montalban, Rizal that Sharon Bolon, 35, encountered both hope and despair.

It is where she scavenged for scrap materials to support the needs of her two children and her sick husband, but, at the same time, it is also where she lost all her will to fight.

“Mahina lamang ang kita, sapat lang sa aming pagkain pero minsan nga ay kulang pa. Dahil sa sobrang hirap ng buhay, naisipan ko na magpasagasa sa truck para matapos na ang aking paghihirap,” recalled Sharon, who added that she was thankfully saved by a fellow scavenger at that time.

Despite her despair, it is in this same landfill where she found another reason to hope and dream.

“Habang ako ay namamasura, nabalitaan kong nakasali ako sa 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program). Naisip ko agad na baka ito na ang makakatulong sa akin, sa amin,” shared Sharon, a resident of Brgy. San Isidro, Montalban, Rizal.

It was 2023, and it was the start of a more hopeful life for Sharon.

Start of moving forward

Sharon and her family rent a small house in a community with most houses made of light materials. The main source of income of most families there is primarily from scavenging in the landfill.

According to Joann Calopez, the assigned 4Ps Municipal Link in the area, based on her observations during her house visits, Sharon’s family has minimal belongings and has limited access to electricity and water. She added that the family earns an average of only PhP 300 per day for their family of five.

As such, when Sharon started receiving grants as a beneficiary of the 4Ps, she found relief.

“Noong una akong nakatanggap [ng grant], binili ko agad ng bigas at grocery. ‘Yung natira ay inilaan ko na pang-baon ng aking mga anak at kanilang pamasahe para hindi na makaliban sa klase,” she shared.

Sharon admitted that there were times, prior to being a beneficiary of the 4Ps, that her children would not go to school, mainly because they have no allowance or worse, have no food for the day.

However, the 4Ps taught her a lot of things, especially in valuing the education of her children and also in improving her parenting skills.

Never going back

While receiving help from the national government, Sharon makes sure that she not only maximizes the opportunities but also helps herself and her family along the way.

“Alam ko pong hindi panghabambuhay ang programa, kaya hindi ko ito binabalewala,” she shared.

Sharon and her husband continue to scavenge for scraps for a living. They even extend their hours on the landfill so they can bring more for the family.

Through the monthly Family Development Sessions as a parent-grantee of the 4Ps, Sharon also learned the importance of managing their finances. As such, she makes sure to apply this in their daily life. Even with their minimal income, she has started a savings account to prepare for her children’s college education.

In August 2023, Sharon also received livelihood assistance under the DSWD’ Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), which she used to start a hog raising business.

The SLP is a program implemented alongside the 4Ps that aims to help improve the economic condition of poor families through capacitating them and assisting them to start their own livelihood.

According to Sharon, this opened more opportunities for their family to improve their living condition.

Based on Calopez’ recent observations of the living condition of the family, she noted that the family has a house of their own now and already has access to water and electricity. 

“Ang aming buhay ngayon ay hindi masyadong hirap. Hindi na tulad ng dati. Sobrang laking pasasalamat ko sa programang ito dahil unti-unting nagbabago ang aming buhay,” Sharon shared.

Moving forward, Sharon is a picture of optimism.

“Nakasisigurado ako na sa loob ng pitong taon na magiging kasali ako sa 4Ps, ito ay aking pahahalagahan. Alam kong kapag binalewala ko ito, babalik lang kami sa dati na hirap na hirap,” she shared.

Looking at the same landfill where she once lost all hope, Sharon vows to not anymore be in the same situation again. Instead, she commits to build a good future for her family, especially her children, one step at a time.# [with reports from JCCalopez]

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The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) is a program of the national government that invests in the health, nutrition and education of children zero to 18 years old. Qualified poor families are provided with various interventions including conditional cash grants and family development sessions to help them improve their living conditions and stand on their own.

Based on Republic Act 11310 or the 4Ps Act, each household-beneficiary is provided with interventions for a maximum of seven years.