Gina Helen Estuita, 47 of Mansabay Bajo, Lopez Jaena, Misamis Occidental has learned a lesson of not spending beyond her income.
Gina, who is now benefiting from the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program and Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), disclosed that before the family’s inclusion to the programs, she was forced to borrow money from a micro-lending institution which imposed high interest on her loan to sustain the needs of her family and the operation of her sari-sari store.
To her dismay, Gina has to pay the borrowed money, including the high interest and used the capital and profit of her small store.
Everything changed when SLP was introduced to Gina in July 2012. SLP taught Gina to spend according to her resources under the financial literacy training.
Pantawid Pamilya is a program of the national government through DSWD which invest in the health, education, and nutrition of children while SLP is a strategy which spread prosperity among Listahanan-identified poor families, especially Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program members by engaging them in resource-based and market-driven community micro-enterprises, or explore employment opportunities. Today, there are now 1,718 Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries in Lopez Jaena town who are also enjoying the benefits of SLP.
Under SLP trainings, they are taught to spend money wisely and to manage efficiently their chosen business.
Now, Gina promised not to borrow money from micro-lending institutions. ###
Written by Oliver Badel Inodeo, DSWD Northern Mindanao