Cagayan de Oro City — Life has not been easy for 17-year-old Edy Rose T. Tayab of Purok 17, Barangay Butong, Quezon, Bukidnon. She was born with a congenital deformity. She has no feet and left hand.
But Edy Rose did not let her disability get in the way of achieving her dreams. She wanted to excel in her class, just like her friends.
“I want to prove myself that I can do what the normal people can do,” claimed Edy Rose who disclosed that she cannot avoid to compare herself to her classmates.
Having no feet, Edy Rose can still manage to walk using her underdeveloped lower limbs without crutches daily.
Her residence is approximately three kilometers away from Apayao National High School, a challenge she has to face just to finish her secondary formation.
“Usahay makamahay ( I feel resentful at times),” she said, especially when some or her classmates or even adults would taunt her, saying, “Nganong ing-ana man imong nilaktan? Mohilom nalang ko. Pero sa akong galamhan gisakitan nako, (Why are you walking like that? I just keep silent. But deep inside I am hurt).”
A dream come true
Edy Rose, who placed top nine at Apyao National High School of Quezon town, this year started focusing on her studies even while in her elementary years. She is a consistent honor pupil.
“I enjoy studying,” Edy Rose said, adding that it was during in her elementary years that she noticed she loves Mathematics.
“It feel like I’m just playing games when it comes to Mathematics,” said Edy Rose. She added she wants to answer Mathematical challenges.
Finishing at the ninth place is a dream-come-true for Edy Rose, who plans to take business and accountancy related courses in college.
Thankful to DSWD, PNoy
Edy Rose, monitored by Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino (Pantawid Pamilya) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), expresses her heartfelt gratitude to DSWD and to President Benigno Aquino III.
“Magpasalmat jud ko sa DSWD ug ni Presidente PNoy kay natabangan ko nila sa pag-eskwela pinaagi sa Pantawid Pamilya aron makab-ot nako ang akong mga pangandoy,” she said. (I will thank DSWD and President PNoy because they have helped me in my studies and in reaching my dreams through Pantawid Pamilya).
Before having been enrolled in the program, Edy Rose recalled that her family could hardly send her to school. “May adlaw ko nga walay balon sauna. Karon kompleto nako og balon ug mga gamit sa eskwelahan,” she disclosed. (Before, there were days that I don’t have food to take for my meal. Now, I have food to eat and I have school supplies.)
Fellow Achiever
Edy Rose is not the only Pantawid Pamilya academic achiever in her school. Via Calibjo is the Class Valedictorian of Apyao National High School.
Calibjo also received academic awards like the Excellence in English, Excellence in Filipino, Excellence in Mathematics, and Excellence in Science.
Pantawid Pamilya is a government’s poverty-reduction strategy that provides cash grants to extremely poor households aimed at helping them raise educated and healthy children aged 18 years and below.
It utilizes the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) scheme where beneficiaries receive cash grant provided that they send their children to school, get preventive health check-up, and the parents attend the monthly Family Development Session (FDS).
Edy Rose and Via are among the more than 20,381 Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries who will graduate this school year 2014-2015. Currently, Northern Mindanao has 271,077 active household beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilya.
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