LUXEMBOURG-BOUND. Hanelie Lopez, a daughter of a former household beneficiary of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), will represent the country in the UN Luxembourg Global Learning Event on March 19-21, 2024. Hanelie works as a Project Development Officer at the DSWD 5 (Bicol Region) office and has been designated as the regional Indigenous People unit focal person. (Photo from DSWD)
MANILA – A daughter of a former household beneficiary of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) will represent the Philippines in a prestigious event of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) in Luxembourg.
In a news release on Friday, DSWD spokesperson Romel Lopez said Hanelie Millamina-Lopez from Barangay Canan, Pasacao, Camarines Sur would be in Europe on March 19-21 to attend the Luxembourg Global Learning Event of the UN OCHA.
Hanelie now works as a Project Development Officer at the DSWD 5 (Bicol Region) and has been designated as Regional Indigenous People Unit focal person.
She is about to embark on her learning journey to expand her advocacy efforts on Indigenous Peoples’ (IPs) rights.
“She was nominated and eventually chosen to be part of the UN learning activity because of her exemplary articulation and representation on IP rights during an Enhancing Resilient Communities (ERC) Flagship Initiative in Tiwi, Albay last December 2023,” Lopez said.
For Hanelie, she cannot help but express her excitement over this once-in-a-lifetime chance to represent her country.
“I feel so excited as the event offers me a valuable platform to engage with international peers and effectively enhance my knowledge in working with Indigenous Peoples and other sectors we serve. It serves as a platform not only for learning but also for sharing valuable insights from my own experiences,” she said.
“Our goal is to uphold fairness, equity, and inclusivity in our efforts. Also, I am to share experiences and promote the Indigenous Peoples rights and social inclusivity, ensuring that no one is left behind in our mission to improve the lives of those we serve.”
Hanelie said she owes her modest achievements in life to the 4Ps, which puts a premium on prioritizing education.
Upholding the 4Ps principle that education is the best way to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty, she was determined to finish her schooling despite being poor.
Growing up, Hanelie saw how her family struggled to make ends meet. Her father Lauro Millamina is a hardworking farmer, while her mother Merlita Millamina stayed at home to take care of her and her 10 siblings.
Most of the time, Hanelie and her siblings went to school without any allowance to buy their meals. They also walked several kilometers to get to school because they could not afford local transportation.
After she and her older brother finished their secondary education, both decided to stop their schooling to generate additional income for their family.
Despite these adversities, her faith and dream of a better life for herself and her family did not falter.
In 2009, a beacon of hope emerged in the lives of the Millamina family when they were chosen as one of the beneficiaries of the 4Ps.
“Laking pasasalamat namin sa gobyerno dahil sa tulong na ito. Alam niyo po, dito nagsimula na makamit namin ang aming pangarap na makapagtapos ng pag-aaral (We are very grateful to the government for this assistance. This is where we began to achieve our dream of finishing our studies),” Hanelie said.
Contrary to misconceptions about the program, Hanelie explained that becoming a 4Ps beneficiary did not foster their family’s dependency on government aid.
Instead, the program ignited in her a flame of determination to return to school, while finding other ways to contribute to their family's livelihood.
“Despite so much hardship that we experienced along the way due to financial difficulties, my siblings and I never stopped until we graduated from college,” she said.
Hanelie’s perseverance bore fruit when she became an Expanded Students Grants-in-Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation (ESGPPA) scholar at Bicol University in 2011.
The ESGPPA is an educational grant implemented by the Commission on Higher Education, together with the DSWD, Department of Labor and Employment, and State Universities and Colleges, to prioritize the college education of 4Ps household beneficiaries.
To augment her allowance while studying, Hanelie sold peanuts, yema, cosmetics, and other personal care products to her classmates and teachers. Some people also helped her by opening their homes to her when she was studying away from home.
“Akala ko noon, di na ako makakatapos sa kolehiyo subalit napakabuti ng Diyos (I thought back then that I would not be able to finish college, but God is so good),” she exclaimed.
Through prayers and perseverance, Hanelie said, she was able to earn her degree in AB Sociology with Latin honors (cum laude) in 2015.
After graduation, she was hired by the DSWD-5.
The employment opportunity given to her in the DSWD-Bicol office has allowed Hanelie to help her family and support the education of her younger siblings. It also paved the way towards waiving their household membership from the 4Ps in 2017.
“We decided to waive being beneficiaries of the program because we saw that we were already capable of supporting our siblings' education and providing for the daily needs of our family. We also wanted to allow others to experience the opportunity to be beneficiaries so that they could also be helped,” she said.
Hanelie’s story serves as a reminder that with determination and support, even the most daunting obstacles can be overcome. (PNA)
