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4Ps Beneficiary Thanks Taxpayers for Helping Him and Brothers Go to School

A 4Ps beneficiary thanks taxpayers for helping him and his brothers go to school, speaking about their side of the story as the 4Ps is getting much attention in recent weeks.

There is much controversy surrounding the 4Ps, a program by the Philippine government to help the ‘poorest of the poor’ have some means to send their children to school and, ideally, have a better future.

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the middle class calls for a review of the program as there were claims that the 4Ps beneficiaries have already ‘upgraded’ their lifestyle. One even said that the government’s COVID-19 aid of Php8,000 is just enough for 1 week!

4Ps Beneficiary Shares Inspiring Story

Not all 4Ps beneficiaries are bad eggs, of course. This is proven by Jericho Ramos Baguistan and his family, with their parents still trying their best to work so they can support the three children, all boys, even if they are already receiving monetary aid through 4Ps.

4Ps beneficiary thanks taxpayers
Photo credit: Jericho Ramos Baguistan / Facebook

In a post on Facebook, Jericho shared the inspiring story of how their parents never stopped looking for work, doing odd jobs, to send them to school.

Their dad worked as tricycle driver, construction worker, and farmer while their mom is a parent leader for the 4Ps; she’s not paid for the work she’s doing for the 4Ps but she’s doing it as gratitude that the family is part of the program. To earn money, she works as housemaid, market vendor, and also helps their father in the farm.

According to Jericho, unlike what people are saying that the 4Ps moms use the money for hair rebonding, never once did their mother do that. Instead, all the money goes to their education.

They went to a private school but not because they are ‘wasting’ their 4Ps money or due to having a lot of money. They are not rich but are able to go to private schools because of scholarships.

4Ps beneficiary thanks taxpayers
Photo credit: Jericho Ramos Baguistan / Facebook

“Baka sabihin ng ibang mga kakilala, “Eh galing kayong private school ah?”. To tell you, If I and my siblings weren’t able to get scholarships hindi naman kami kayang pag-aralin sa private school ng mga magulang namin, we strived to get high grades.

We were given full scholarsips, kaming tatlong magkakapatid sa buong taon ng High School namin. Bukod sa tulong ng eskuwelahan, lahat in-apply-an namin, scholarship ng congressman, mayor, we worked in SPES, we strived to be a scholar sa University… that’s what our parents taught us, how we should value education.

Ngayon si Kuya ko graduate na, may desenteng trabaho at may propesyunal na lisensya. As for me, I am currently studying at Central Luzon State University, free tuition fee, proud scholar!”

Jericho acknowledges the help of taxpayers for sending them to school.

We owe the tax payers, sa pera ng taong bayan, and to the government who spend a lot of funds para sa mga mahihirap. We are a poor family, sapat para makasurvive sa pang-araw-araw. So wala kaming choice kundi gumawa ng daan para sa oportunidad na makaahon kami sa kahirapan, kasi kung hindi kami ang gagawa, wala kaming aasahan, lalo kaming malulugmok,” he wrote.

4Ps beneficiary thanks taxpayers
Photo credit: Jericho Ramos Baguistan / Facebook

He hopes that his story would inspire others to strive hard to reach for their dreams and especially for 4Ps beneficiaries to use their aid to send the kids to school.

What is Middle Class?

Photo credit: PIDS

In the social hierarchy, the middle class is the class of people who have better finances and jobs than the poor or low income class but don’t have enough money to be classified as rich or high income class. In the Philippines, the middle class constitutes of families whose income range from Php19,040 (lower middle-class but not poor) to Php114,240, based on figures from 2017 and PSA data.

Inspiring

SHS Student Brings Photos of Late Parents on Graduation Day

A senior high school (SHS) student brought framed photos of her late parents on her graduation day, touching many hearts and making netizens cry.

Her story has gone viral, with many netizens cheering her on and praying for her success in life…

SHS Student Brings Photos of Late Parents on Graduation Day

Graduation day is one of the best days in a student’s life, but it’s not always the happiest for all.

Some also experience a bittersweet moment because their loved ones aren’t with them. While many are due to having OFW parents who can’t be home for the special, others are because the parents have already passed on.

SHS student Juvelyn Dela Torre Eugenio, 18, of North Cotabato made netizens cry after she carried her parents’ framed photos as she marched and posed on stage to receive her diploma.

Photo credit: Juvelyn Dela Torre Eugenio

She explained that during recognition days and other special events when she was younger, it was always her mother who would accompany her on stage.

She wants to share her success and milestones with her parents, but they’re no longer around.

They lost their father to heart failure in July 2020.

In 2022, the siblings decided to let their mother enjoy a vacation with her older children in Manila, only to discover that she was sick and already in the terminal stages of a stage 4 battle with the Big C. They lost her shortly thereafter.

Photo credit: Juvelyn Dela Torre Eugenio

Juvelyn shared that losing their parents took a toll on her mental health, especially because she had to stand as a parent to her younger brother.

On graduation day, she vowed that she wouldn’t cry despite seeing all the other students with their parents.

But she broke down on stage when a concerned teacher asked her about her parents and offered words of consolation after she showed her their photos.

Despite the challenges, Juvelyn plans on continuing her journey as she dreams of becoming a lawyer someday.

Photo credit: Juvelyn Dela Torre Eugenio

How to Become a Lawyer in the Philippines

  1. Complete a 4-year Bachelor’s Degree in Arts or Sciences.
  2. Pass the PhiLSAT (Philippine Law School Admission Test)
  3. Complete law school.
  4. Complete the law internship.
  5. Pass the bar exams.

Did you know that lawyers in PAO (Public Attorney’s Office) with an entry-level position (Public Attorney I) earn a basic salary of Php95,000 (salary grade 25)?

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Inspiring

Elementary Students Praised for Playing “One Day” Using Ukuleles

Elementary students at a school in Mindanao earned praise online after playing “One Day” using their ukuleles for a presentation.

Many netizens were impressed about their skills, with some commenting that it’s a difficult piece to play on a ukulele, yet most of them nailed it! Wow.

Elementary Students Play “One Day” Using Their Ukuleles

A lot of people these days have this mistaken notion that kids are only fond of using cellphones and no longer enjoy playing with traditional toys or learning how to use a traditional musical instrument – because you can find lots of options for those online or with their phones.

But a group of students from Dipolog Pilot Demonstration School impressed netizens with their skills in playing the ukulele as they presented “One Day” for the school’s 100-year celebration.

Seated on the steps of their school, the kids played the musical instruments seamlessly, except for a few issues.

Photo credit: Kung Taga-Oroquieta City Ka

And while some netizens pointed out that one of the kids appear to be struggling with the proper chords and kept shifting around during the entire performance, the overall presentation is still quite impressive!

Many netizens even commented on the post of the Facebook page “Kung Taga-Oroquieta City Ka” that they were deeply touched by the kids’ presentation and were crying while watching. Awww.

A lot also praised the coaches who made this possible – and others felt proud of the children even if they had no idea who these little ones are.

It’s also quite impressive to see that the class had so many ukuleles. It is unknown whether the kids own the musical instruments or if the school provided them, but what’s clear is that their presentation is truly admirable.

What’s a Ukulele?

A ukulele is a type of string musical instrument that’s smaller than a guitar. It usually has nylon strings as opposed to the metal used in standard guitars.

The instrument also has four strings but isn’t considered a “kid’s instrument” only. Instead, it can be played by kids and adults alike.

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Proud Vendor Dad Offers Free Taho after Daughter Passes Board Exams for Teachers

One proud vendor dad offered free taho for everyone when his daughter passed the LET (Licensure Examination for Teachers).

Netizens were even more impressed to learn that the young lady passed after doing a self-review.

Truly amazing, right?

Vendor Offers Free Taho after Daughter Passes Teacher’s Board

Passing the board exams is truly a milestone that everyone can be proud of – and most of the time, the parents are their children’s proudest cheerleaders!

Of course, spouses and kids also feel the same thing. For example, a taxi driver offered free rides after his wife passed the LET.

Photo credit: Rose Torallo

The proud parents of a student who passed that same LET are also offering free taho to their customers.

Bobby and Rose Torallo happily got a tarpaulin up to celebrate the success of their daughter, Rosebel Cielo Torallo. The young woman had graduated cum laude from Baao Community College in Baao, Camarines Sur.

Photo credit: Rose Torallo
Photo credit: Rose Torallo

Apparently, based on her mom’s post on Facebook, she had also self-reviewed for the licensure exams – and this made her success even sweeter for the family.

In the post of her mom, Rose, it showed that the family’s main source of income is from selling taho. It was through this that the parents were able to send their kids to school.

Photo credit: Rose Torallo

Rose lamented that there were times when people looked down on their because they are “just” taho vendors.

Thankfully, the family didn’t mind what these people are saying. Instead, they persevered and put their faith in God.

She thanked all her kids for cooperating and striving hard to succeed in their studies even if their parents are only supporting them by selling taho.

Photo credit: Rose Torallo

How to Celebrate Passing the Board Exams

There are many ways to celebrate passing the board the exams. Some of these are:

  • Throwing a party
  • Buying cake
  • Going on a trip
  • Treating your family, friends, or even strangers to something (such as a free rides from taxi drivers or free taho from vendors)
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