"KALAT". The ordeal of the Padohinog family has won recognition as best “Pantawid Pamilya” story in Western Visayas. The story of the couple, which they called “Kalat”, shared how the government’s Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program (4Ps) has helped them despite being former members of the communist terrorist group. (PNA photo courtesy of DSWD 6)
A story of how government intervention has kept intact the family of two former rebels was hailed as the best “Pantawid Pamilya” story in Western Visayas, in time for the celebration of the Family Month this September.
Jerry Padohinog was only 21 years old and his wife Virgie was 18 when they joined the New People’s Army (NPA), serving the movement for more than two decades.
Jerry was known as “Ka Stanley” and served as the acting team leader of red fighters platoon covering Panay –Negros area since 1983. Virgie, alias “Ka May”, served as the legal service staff of the communist terrorist group.
Jerry was from San Joaquin, Iloilo, while Virgie was from San Remigio, Antique.
They met in a secluded place of Baranagy Apong in Sibalom, Antique one evening in 1993, fell in love, and after several years, decided to start a family.
“We transferred to (the) mountainous part of Anini-y, Antique and hid our identities by using different aliases. Hiding like a criminal is never easy. Almost every day, I am afraid for our lives. We struggled a lot while staying there. We have no regular means of income and simply relied on available root crops in the area. When my wife gave birth to our first child, I could not even bring her to a health clinic since I am afraid that either our red troop or the military find us,” he said in a narrative he dubbed as “Kalat” (Kaagapay Ang Langit Anumang Tagpo ng buhay).
He said “Kalat” symbolizes the connection that they have for each other to remain strong amid the trials that they faced.
His story was among the five entries that vied for this year’s “Salaysay ng Buhay ng Pamilyang Pantawid” of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Western Visayas.
The program was patterned after the Huwarang Pantawid Pamilya search of the department.
The search for the best story, among others, aims to “create a pool of advocates who will promote the positive impacts of the program in uplifting the lives of its beneficiaries”.
In his story, Jerry said that a twin was added to their family. However, they suffered another blow when one of their twin daughters died without accessing the needed health intervention.
It resulted in his wife's nervous breakdown. Their situation, where they often resort to eating root crops or food given by their relatives and the discrimination they experienced in their community, led her to suffer from depression and eventually became bed-ridden.
During those times, he was hiding in the mountains while her wife and their children lived with their parents.
It was in late 2008 when they decided to leave the armed movement and surrendered to the 12th Infantry battalion stationed in Sibalom, Antique after they were persuaded by Mayor Victor Tabaquirao of the municipality of Tubungan, Iloilo.
The whole family transferred to Tubungan. They were provided with free shelter and he was even hired as a job order employee of the municipal government.
Listening to the beautiful story of his children based on experience from their new environment, it dawned on him that he has to do something to provide them a bright future.
“I wanted them to have a good future where they can freely go to places they wanted to go. I wanted them to buy the foods they wanted to eat. I wanted them to experience it, the things I have never experienced. And I never wanted them to follow my wrong lead,” he said.
In late 2009, they were among those visited by the DSWD staff during the numeration of the poorest of the poor families and were eventually enrolled into the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in 2011.
He shared that the program has helped them a lot in sending their children to school, avail of health services, while its family development sessions (FDS) gave them a positive outlook in life.
“The topic has enriched our parental capacity and even improved our outlook in life. I have confirmed that I made the best choice of my life, when I decided to leave the red troop,” he said.
Currently, two of their children are already working while three are still in college and the youngest is in Grade 11. They also transferred to Sitio Baldan, Barangay Teniente Benito in Tubungan.
Since then, he has been active in various activities in their community. They are engaged in a bio-intensive gardening (BIG) program and volunteered for the Kalahi-CIDSS community drainage project.
He also helped in maintaining public places clean in the town during this health pandemic.
“All the success we currently have wouldn’t be possible without the assistance of the government. I am grateful for (the) Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) which served as a gateway to more government programs and services,” he added.
Meanwhile, DSWD Western Visayas regional director Evelyn Macapobre hoped that their family's story will also inspire other people.
Jerry's story won PHP5,000 that will be awarded to the family anytime this month.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1115522
Jerry Padohinog was only 21 years old and his wife Virgie was 18 when they joined the New People’s Army (NPA), serving the movement for more than two decades.
Jerry was known as “Ka Stanley” and served as the acting team leader of red fighters platoon covering Panay –Negros area since 1983. Virgie, alias “Ka May”, served as the legal service staff of the communist terrorist group.
Jerry was from San Joaquin, Iloilo, while Virgie was from San Remigio, Antique.
They met in a secluded place of Baranagy Apong in Sibalom, Antique one evening in 1993, fell in love, and after several years, decided to start a family.
“We transferred to (the) mountainous part of Anini-y, Antique and hid our identities by using different aliases. Hiding like a criminal is never easy. Almost every day, I am afraid for our lives. We struggled a lot while staying there. We have no regular means of income and simply relied on available root crops in the area. When my wife gave birth to our first child, I could not even bring her to a health clinic since I am afraid that either our red troop or the military find us,” he said in a narrative he dubbed as “Kalat” (Kaagapay Ang Langit Anumang Tagpo ng buhay).
He said “Kalat” symbolizes the connection that they have for each other to remain strong amid the trials that they faced.
His story was among the five entries that vied for this year’s “Salaysay ng Buhay ng Pamilyang Pantawid” of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Western Visayas.
The program was patterned after the Huwarang Pantawid Pamilya search of the department.
The search for the best story, among others, aims to “create a pool of advocates who will promote the positive impacts of the program in uplifting the lives of its beneficiaries”.
In his story, Jerry said that a twin was added to their family. However, they suffered another blow when one of their twin daughters died without accessing the needed health intervention.
It resulted in his wife's nervous breakdown. Their situation, where they often resort to eating root crops or food given by their relatives and the discrimination they experienced in their community, led her to suffer from depression and eventually became bed-ridden.
During those times, he was hiding in the mountains while her wife and their children lived with their parents.
It was in late 2008 when they decided to leave the armed movement and surrendered to the 12th Infantry battalion stationed in Sibalom, Antique after they were persuaded by Mayor Victor Tabaquirao of the municipality of Tubungan, Iloilo.
The whole family transferred to Tubungan. They were provided with free shelter and he was even hired as a job order employee of the municipal government.
Listening to the beautiful story of his children based on experience from their new environment, it dawned on him that he has to do something to provide them a bright future.
“I wanted them to have a good future where they can freely go to places they wanted to go. I wanted them to buy the foods they wanted to eat. I wanted them to experience it, the things I have never experienced. And I never wanted them to follow my wrong lead,” he said.
In late 2009, they were among those visited by the DSWD staff during the numeration of the poorest of the poor families and were eventually enrolled into the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in 2011.
He shared that the program has helped them a lot in sending their children to school, avail of health services, while its family development sessions (FDS) gave them a positive outlook in life.
“The topic has enriched our parental capacity and even improved our outlook in life. I have confirmed that I made the best choice of my life, when I decided to leave the red troop,” he said.
Currently, two of their children are already working while three are still in college and the youngest is in Grade 11. They also transferred to Sitio Baldan, Barangay Teniente Benito in Tubungan.
Since then, he has been active in various activities in their community. They are engaged in a bio-intensive gardening (BIG) program and volunteered for the Kalahi-CIDSS community drainage project.
He also helped in maintaining public places clean in the town during this health pandemic.
“All the success we currently have wouldn’t be possible without the assistance of the government. I am grateful for (the) Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) which served as a gateway to more government programs and services,” he added.
Meanwhile, DSWD Western Visayas regional director Evelyn Macapobre hoped that their family's story will also inspire other people.
Jerry's story won PHP5,000 that will be awarded to the family anytime this month.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1115522
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