In the quiet town of Brgy. Tagodtod, Lagangilang, Abra, Jocelyn M. Barbosa and her husband, Ernesto, once faced an uphill battle common to many rural families: providing a stable future for their family. Raising eight children with an unstable income through rice farming as their way of living—which yielded a mere 20 sacks every harvest—the family’s resources were stretched to the limit.
However, a turning point came in 2011 when the Barbosa family was registered as a beneficiary of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). This marks the beginning of a 15-year journey of resilience, responsibility, and community empowerment.
”Ang natutunan ko po sa 4Ps ay hindi po hadlang ang kahirapan para umangat sa buhay. Kung tayo’y magsusumikap at matuto tayong pahalagahan ang mga tulong sa atin, siguradong tayo ay magtatagumpay. Sabi nga po na ang kahirapan ay hindi hadlang upang makamit ang kaginhawaan basta’t magsumikap at magtiwala sa kakayahan at sa Poong Maykapal.
(“What I learned in 4Ps is that poverty is not a hindrance to rising up in life. If we persevere and learn to value the help given to us, we will surely succeed. As they say, poverty is no obstacle to achieving a better life, as long as we work hard and have faith in our own capabilities and in the Almighty God”), she said.
Rather than seeing the 4Ps cash grants as a mere safety net, Jocelyn and Ernesto treated them as a strategic foundation for their children’s future. They strictly prioritized the grants for essential school requirements, uniforms, daily educational allowances, and proper nutrition to ensure the children remained healthy and consistently present in the classroom.
Complementing this educational support, the family maximized their automatic enrollment in PhilHealth, which provided a massive sigh of relief and shielded them from crushing financial burdens during unexpected medical emergencies and hospitalizations. Over the years, the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office Cordillera Administrative Region (DSWD FO CAR) further supported the family with targeted interventions, including educational assistance, medical assistance, and provision of Family Food Packs during challenging times.
Through their hard work and the support of the 4P, two of the Barbosa children have successfully graduated from college. One of their daughters, Shara Miah, is now working abroad while the rest of the children continue to progress steadily through their educational milestones, with several currently enrolled in senior high school and college.
Guided by the lessons and empowerment fostered during monthly Family Development Sessions (FDS), Jocelyn stepped into community leadership. She initially served as a 4Ps Parent Leader for nearly six years, a role that honed her leadership skills and deepened her ties with her fellow community members, subsequently becoming a Barangay Councilor—a position she has now proudly held for two consecutive terms.
Never one to stop learning, Jocelyn was also selected to participate in specialized Hilot Therapy and Cosmetology training. This new skill set has added another layer to her livelihood capabilities, further augmenting the family’s income while serving her neighbors.
In October 2025, with a stable well-being and a solid foundation for their remaining children in school, the family exited the program. From struggling with unstable seasonal farming to thriving as a community leader and mother of successful professionals, Jocelyn Barbosa’s story hopes to inspire other 4Ps families for their future.
“Sa mga kapwa kong 4Ps beneficiary, sana po matuto tayong magpasalamat sa tulong na ibinabahagi sa atin. Sana po ang mga natatanggap natin ay ginagamit natin sa tama. Magsumikap tayo at patunayan natin na tayo ay masisipag at hindi lamang umaasa sa tulong ng gobyerno. Nawa’y sa ating pagtatapos bilang 4Ps ay maging matagumpay tayo sa lahat ng ating mga layunin sa buhay.”
(To my fellow 4Ps beneficiaries, I hope we learn to be grateful for the help being shared with us. I hope we use what we receive in the right way. Let us work hard and prove that we are industrious and not just relying on government aid. May we be successful in all our life goals as we graduate from the 4Ps program,” she said.//Christian Robert M. Sandoval, IOII, 4Ps
