In Barangay Tugaya, Valencia City, Bukidnon, the story of Angel Ebabacol stands as a powerful testament to resilience, ambition, and the transformative power of support. Angel, a 20-year-old college student, shows how education and passion can combine to create a path out of poverty and toward a sustainable future.
Angel’s journey has not been easy. His mother works far away in Manila as a factory worker, while his father, his constant companion, serves as a Barangay employee. His older siblings have already started families of their own and live separately, leaving Angel to focus on carving his own path.
For years, Angel’s family relied on the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), a government initiative designed to break the cycle of poverty by providing conditional cash grants for education and health. Angel was a beneficiary of the program, which helped ease some of the financial burdens his family faced. However, in 2023, Angel exited the program just as he was entering a critical phase in his college education. This transition brought uncertainty.
“I really couldn’t keep up with my schoolwork before because my income was minimal,” Angel recalls in his native tongue, “Sauna, dili jud ko ka-sustain sa akong pag-eskwela kay gamay raman og income.”
Despite the challenges, Angel had been working quietly. Even before receiving any government grant, he was already taking small makeup gigs as a freelancer. With his natural talent and passion for makeup, he offered his services for events such as birthdays, debut parties, and graduation. However, his ability to grow his business was limited by a lack of proper tools and supplies. His income from these gigs was limited, barely enough to cover daily expenses and school-related costs.
Everything changed when Angel received a ₱15,000.00 seed capital grant through the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. This grant marked a turning point in his life. With the money, Angel purchased the complete set of professional makeup tools and kits that he had long needed. The upgrade gave him more confidence in his skills and allowed him to serve more clients with higher-quality results.
Soon after, bookings started to pour in. Angel’s calendar began filling up with events like senior balls, prenup shoots, and community celebrations. His rates, which had previously been only
₱200 per head, slowly increased to ₱500 per head to reflect the improved quality of his work. This price adjustment, though gradual, made a significant difference in his earnings.
Due to his growing client base and improved services, Angel now earns enough to cover around 40% of his monthly expenses. These include his boarding house rent, daily meals, transportation fares, and school-related costs like supplies and projects. While his parents still assist with tuition fees, the financial pressure on the family has eased considerably. Angel proudly notes that he no longer asks for constant support for smaller expenses, which lessens the burden on his family.
Despite these positive changes, Angel remains deeply committed to his studies. He is currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Elementary Education program at Valencia Colleges, Inc., with the dream of becoming a professional educator. Balancing schoolwork and freelance makeup gigs is challenging, but Angel’s determination drives him forward. He carefully manages his time, making sure that his academic responsibilities come first while steadily growing his makeup business on the side.
Angel also dreams of expanding his business further. One of his goals is to buy a professional vanity mirror, which he believes will enhance his workspace and attract more clients. With a better setup, he hopes to offer even higher-quality services and build a stronger reputation in the community. As his business grows, Angel envisions providing support to his family and inspiring others in his barangay to pursue their own dreams despite obstacles.
Generosity remains a core value for Angel. Even as a student with many financial demands, he sometimes shares part of his income with his sister, who already has a family to care for. This act of kindness highlights the strong family ties and sense of responsibility that motivate Angel every day.
When asked about the impact of the livelihood grant, Angel beams with confidence: “Nidaku akong network, confident nako kay complete naman akong gamit.” (“My network has grown, and I’m confident because I now have all the right tools.”) His clients often express their happiness with his work, and Angel takes pride in knowing that his services help boost their confidence as well.
Without the Sustainable Livelihood Program grant, Angel admits that his journey would have been much more difficult. “Apiki jud ko kay dili ko ka bulto palit ug gamit kay limited ra man ang income,” he shares, explaining how challenging it was to afford essential supplies with his very limited income. Before receiving the grant, his earnings from makeup freelancing were barely enough to cover daily needs, let alone invest in proper tools and materials. This lack of resources restricted his ability to grow his business and improve his skills.
Today, Angel’s story stands as a powerful example of how targeted support can truly unlock the potential of young people, especially those from Marginalized and vulnerable communities. Through a combination of education, hard work, and valuable opportunities provided by the Sustainable Livelihood Program, Angel is steadily building a brighter and more secure future for both himself and his family. Despite his young age, Angel’s journey shows that with the right skills, determination, and even a little help, anyone can overcome challenges that once seemed overwhelming. His experience inspires others in his community to believe in their own dreams and capabilities, proving that poverty and obstacles do not have to define one’s life.