“Salamat po ng marami sa Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program dahil isa po ito sa nakatulong sa aming Pamilya. Kahit papaano po ang aming pangarap ay unti-unti na po naming nakakamit. Salamat po sa lahat ng bumubuo ng Programa, sa DSWD at sa Poong Maykapal. Maraming salamat po”. – Jennilyn and Benigno

Jennilyn with her family

At their early age, Jennilyn Marinas and Benigno Delbarrio started a family wherein both of them were not prepared for. Benigno was pushed to be a pedicab driver earning Php200.00 if he is lucky and sometimes, Php 50.00 which is indeed not enough to suffice their daily needs. To help her husband, Jennilyn decided to enroll in TESDA by taking up cosmetology focusing on manicure and pedicure. She provided manicure services to her neighbors as her initial customers and charged only Php20.00 per service. There were times that she and her husband had a fight due to financial problem and was left with no choice but to borrow money for them to survive.

On October 17, 2007, they experienced the most hard-hit downfall when their house got burned down and lose everything they had. This mishap made them live with their relatives in Bulacan and transferred to her mother-in-law in Montalban, Rizal after a year and went back to Paranaque on the same year.

Another sad moment was during Rhapunzel’ birthday. It truly broke their hearts as parents as they were not able to provide anything for their daughter. She is the eldest among her two (2) siblings and studying in Paranaque National High School-Main as Grade 8 student. Her brother’s name is Rhaven whi is in Grade II and Raizelyn, Kinder student in San Antonio Elementary School.

To sustain the needs of their children, Benigno simultaneously worked hard for multiple jobs as construction worker, water delivery boy and tricycle driver for additional income. The ray of hope on their lives eventually happened when they became member of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program in 2014. Since then, they were able to provide their children’s needs in school and they can now celebrate birthdays. Sacrifices were replaced by motivation and inspiration by their children’s success and achievements.

Rhapunzel holding her award

As a member of the Program, doors of opportunities opened to Rhapunzel. She was encouraged to join school, church and other community activities as a choir member. She was also given the chance to take up voice lessons. She performed during the “Grand Vocal Recital of San Isidro Children Lesson Voice Program and won awards to every competition she joined.

In 2017, she joined the gymnastic class in high school and won the Bronze Medal during the Palarong Pambansa held in NCR on February 19, 2019.

Her perseverance and passion made her decide to join to participate in the cheering squad wherein their group won 2nd Place during the National Capital Region Cheer and Dance Qualifiers. Moving to the next round, they grabbed the 1st place in the “COED Senior Chher of National Cheerleading Champion” on March 10, 2019.

Meanwhile, the younger child, Ravhen also got an award from his school during their Recognition day on March 26, 2019 as “Natatanging Mag-aaral mula 1st-4th Grading Period.” Mrs. Marinas was able to get a new job as a Free Lance Senior Hairstylist while her husband has a regular job as a messenger. All of these hardworks and detrmination resulted to another worthwhile blessing, their new house in Cavite City.

“Lahat ng tagumpay na aming natatamo ay masasabi kong tagumpay rin ng programa ng Pantawid Pamilya. Kabahagi naming ito sa pagbangon sa aming buhay,” said Jennilyn. ###

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