Annabel Hanaban was just 18 years old when she left Lanao del Sur to try her luck on getting a job in Manila. She was lucky to get a job in a bakery with her sister’s help but after some few months of working there, Annabel met Rommel. They ran away from the busy streets of Manila and started a life in Gumaca.

Life has never been easy for Annabel’s family. Her husband does not have a regular job. Annabel, being a supportive wife, helps Rommel with the “pagtatapas at pagbababa ng niyog”. They usually earn Php350.00 for every 1,000 coconuts that they could harvest. Aside from the “pagtatapas at pagbababa ng niyog”, the couple also earn Php700.00 weekly from “pag-uuling”.

It was 2011 when she became a beneficiary of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

“Masaya ako noong nalaman ko na napasali kami sa Pantawid kaso isang taon din kaming hindi nakasali sa pay out. Nagkaroon daw po kasi ng red iyong pangalan ko. Hindi raw napasama sa SWDI (Social Welfare and Development Indicators). Nawala raw sa system iyong pangalan ko. Nawawalan na ako ng pag-asa noon kaso sabi ni Ma’am Sheryl Amper (Municipal Link), magpatuloy lang ako sa pag-attend ng FDS at sa pagsali sa iba pang gawain para sa mga beneficiaries kasi ginagawan naman po ng paraan para maiayos”, she recalled.

The grant is just enough but it is really a big help for Annabel who is blessed with four children – Sheila Mae, 13, is studying at Gumaca West Elementary School and is being attended by a SPED teacher; Rea Mae, 10 years old, is in Grade 5 while Zyra Mae, 5 years old, is in Kindergarten and the youngest, Fritz, is almost 2 years old.

Annabel admitted that her husband once thought that the Family Development Session (FDS) was just a waste of time.

“Pakiramdam niya po ay abala lang kasi hindi na ako nakakapaglagi sa bahay. Wala na raw akong oras sa pamilya pero ipinaliwanag ko na bukod sa kailangan iyon para sa pagkuha ng pera (grant), marami akong natutunang mga bagay. Iyon po, naintindihan naman niya. Pumupunta na rin siya kapag kailangan na mag-asawa ang a-attend sa FDS”, she was smiling as she shared how she was able to convince her husband to let her attend the sessions.

Annabel who was once just a housewife and a mother, is now a member of the Community Health Team. She is also one of those parent-volunteers who helped in the construction of the Farm to Market Road Project of Kalahi-CIDSS at Brgy. San Isidro Kanluran, Gumaca. That time, she was five-month pregnant with her youngest child.

“Limang buwan po akong buntis noon kay Fritz. Nagpapala ako ng semento. Tumulong din po ako sa pagpapantay ng lupa”, she proudly shared.xxx