Paglalaro ng bingo ang libangan at pampalipas oras ko habang hinihintay ang pag-uwi ng asawa at mga anak ko galing sa trabaho at eskwela (Playing bingo has been my past time while waiting for my husband and children to arrive from work and school),’ said Madgelin Soria of Barangay Addition Hills, Mandaluyong City.
She usually gets a portion from her husband’s hard earned money from tricycle driving as her starting capital for playing bingo. In times when she has nothing left in her pocket, she would still continue playing and just rely on luck. When lucky enough, her P10 capital would give her P200-P300 cash. But when fortune turns against her, she will go home with empty pockets. “Minsan, pag wala talagang pera, nangungutang pa ako ng pampuhunan. Pagkalipas ng mga dalawang oras, lumalaki na ang panalo. Pag minamalas naman, talo ka na nga, may utang pa,” Madgelin narrated.
Madgelin, 38 years old, with 3 children is seemed to be addicted with Bingo, one of the most popular games in the world. She is hooked into it and would always long to play this game which is also called a ‘game for all.’
But her life’s routine changed when her household became a beneficiary of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program in 2010. She was identified and voted as parent leader who should also serve as a role model to her members.
“Sa meeting ng mga pareng leaders, paulit-ulit na sinasabi ng amin ng City Link ang mga tungkulin at gawain bilang parent leader. Kasama na ang pagpapaalala at pagbabawal sa pagsusugal, (Our City Link always reminds us of our responsibilities as leader and advises us not to be involved in any gambling activity),” said Madgelin.
She shared that she could not find the exact words to describe how the program changed her priorities in life. Every time she is invited to play bingo by her bingo playmates, she would decline the invitation.
“Nahihiya na ako ngayong maglaro ng bingo lalo na at Pantawid Pamilya beneficiary na ako. Bilang isang parent leader, kailangang maging role model ako sa aking grupo. Paano sila maniniwala sa akin na bawal ang pagsusugal kung nakikita nila na ako mismo ang gumagawa (I stopped playing bingo when I became a beneficiary of Pantawid Pamilya. As a parent leader, I want to become a role model to my group members)” Madgelin added.
Since she stopped playing bingo, Madgelin has more time to spend for her three children ensuring that they are properly feed with nourished food and regularly attend to their classes.
She also ensures that the hard-earned money of her husband is spent wisely to meet the needs of her family, to include their daily food consumption and utility expenses.
Her family receives P1,400.00 grants every month from Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, which she spends for the daily school allowance of her children and school related expenses.
“Dalawang taon na pala akong hindi nagsusugal. Pag maayos ang samahan ng pamilya, malulusog at nag-aaral ng mabuti ang mga bata, panalong-panalo na. Bingo na ako! (It has been two years since I stopped playing bingo. Seeing my family happy and healthy and with the assurance that my children can go to school regularly, it feels like winning the bingo game).
Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino program is a rights-based program that invests in children by giving financial assistance to poor households with children aged 0-14 so they can continue sending their children to school and provide them proper health and nutrition. The program believes that by promoting the rights of the children to have education and good health care, poor families have their chances of rising from poverty. ###