Rikki Mae is a 19 years old Grade 12 student at Datamex College of St. Adeline and the third child of Charito Macalalad, a solo parent. According to her, Rikki Mae is a consistent top student since grade school. She graduated with honors at Paranaque National High School in March 2017. Aside from being a performing student, she also engaged in extracurricular activities that honed her competencies such as Leadership Development Program, Journalism Summit and Spelling Bee. On March 29, 2019, she succesfully finished her Senior High and was hailed as the Top 1 among the Grade 12 students. She is definitely an epitome of a passionate student.

Rikki Mae’s family is one of the members of the Modified Conditional Cash Tranfser – Homeless Street Families. They were reached out in a public cemetery at Himlayang Palanyag, Barangay San Dionisio, Paranaque City. They became part of the Program in 2014 and received a package of Support Service Interventions such as financial assistance for 12 months house rental, cash for work, starter kit, homelife cash assistance along with the grants they are receiving. With the help of the Program, they are able to trudge up from being a homeless family, to a family with a sustained happy home. They are recommended to be mainstreamed on the Regular Conditional Cash Transfer of Pantawid Pamilya through the progressive interventions they have received.

Charito strive hard as a solo parent despite the financial difficulties they had experienced. Her children who performed well in their studies provide her the strength and motivation to surpass the predicaments that once took their hope for a better future. Rikki Mae fosters a positive outlook in life regardless of what they had gone through as a child. During home visits, the child was observed as respectful to older people. She also helps in doing the household chores and looks after her sister when her mother is not around. According to her Class Adviser, she is studious, active and obedient as a student while her friends described her as friendly and helpful. In addition, aside from Rikki Mae, John Renzo Santos, fourth child of Charito is also an honor student who graduated in the same school. He is the Top 2 in their class. Hanna Kim Santos, fifth child is the top 6 in their class.

Rikki Mae wanted to become a psychologist. She is motivated to improve her family’s living condition. Despite of the low income of the family, they were able to surpass the challenges and support the education of the children. Rikki Mae is now applying in universities to fulfill her dreams. ###