“Inspirasyon ko ang aking Ina na walang pagod na namamasukan bilang kasambahay upang matustusan ang pangangailangan naming magkakapatid pangdagdag sa kinikita ng aking ama na isang on-call driver… hindi biro ang mamasukan at pagsilbihan ang ibang pamilya pero ang nanay ko, ginagawa niya ito para sa amin,” said by John Ramon Gadia, 14 years old from Makati City.
During the screening and deliberation done on October 21, 2015, John Ramon narrated in front of the judges on how poverty has challenged him many times as a child which ironically pushed him to excel more in his studies.
Now on his Grade VIII in Makati Science High School, John Ramon admits that it is hard to study in said school due to projects, examinations and other school-related requirements that are beyond the demand of a regular school.
“Mahirap minsan gumawa ng project dahil kapos talaga kame sa panggastos… mahirap din ang mga exam kasi Science High School ang pinasukan ko… pero dahil sa suporta ng aking mga magulang, ng Pantawid Pamilya program, at ng lokal na pamahalaan ng Makati ay nakakaya kong maitawid ang aking pag-aaral sa MakSci,” John Ramon emphasized.
Graduated in San Antonio Village Elementary School in 2014 as valedictorian, John Ramon also served as the President of their school’s Supreme Pupil Government which for him enhanced his leadership skills that he is now applying in accomplishing group projects.
On October 23, 2015 after the delivery of the State of the Region Address (SORA) of DSWD-NCR Regional Director Ma. Alicia S. Bonoan, John Ramon0 was awarded as this year’s Exemplary Pantawid Pamilya Child who shall compete in the national search in celebration of the coming Children’s Month.
Meanwhile, Carlos Luigi Estoso from Manila City, John Jeffrey R. Bo from Quezon City and Edrianne Mae B. Fabro from Taguig were awarded as 1st, 2nd and 3rd runners up, respectively.
This year, a total of 14 children-nominees from Marikina, Mandaluyong, Navotas, Malabon, Valenzuela, Caloocan, Pasay, Las Piñas, San Jaun and Pateros aside from the above-stated LGUs competed in the said Search.
The Search for Exemplary Pantawid Pamilya Children is an annual activity of DSWD that generally aims to recognize exemplary Pantawid Pamilya children-beneficiaries who serve as excellent examples in their households, schools and communities.
It also specifically aims to encourage exemplary compliance of children to the conditionalities set by the program; develop exemplary Pantawid Pamilya children-beneficiaries as advocates of the program and its thrusts in health and education; and involve the LGUs, partner agencies and other stakeholders in promoting of children’s rights, thus, heightening their awareness on the importance of addressing supply-side gaps.###