Field Office IV-A (CALABARZON)

EDUCATION DIRECTS MY FUTURE. Eleven-year-old Narmie, a Pantawid beneficiary, takes schooling seriously as she knows how important it is for her future. If the stars will be kind to 11-year-old Narmie Morales of Balayan, Batangas, she’ll be graduating on top of her class by the end of the school year 20212-13. She may not be fated to a life where she can get anything she wants, but with her hard work and determination, she’ll for sure acquire enough knowledge to bring her closer to a better future.***

Narmie is currently in her sixth grade in Duhatan Elementary School in Brgy. Duhatan, Balayan.. From kindergarten to Grade V, she had consistently finished every school year as the top student of her class. For a poor kid like Narmie, it is all she can do to make her parents proud.

A daughter of both vendors, Narmie is just one of the thousands of children-beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program in the province of Batangas. Her parents have to work hard just to support the needs of a family of six. Her father sells accessories on Wednesdays and Sundays while her mother sells food items from time to time.

For two years now, they have been receiving cash grants from Pantawid Pamilya to support their needs on both health and education. With her three other siblings, she is thankful that the program came as it is a big help for their family through the years.

“Nang dumating ang Pantawid, naging mas madali ang buhay namin. Nakakabili na kami ng mga gamit sa school,” she said when asked about her observations on what has changed in their life when they became beneficiaries of the program.

Narmie added that with Pantawid, her parents are able to have them checked up, especially the youngest sibling who is three years old. She also recounted how her parents were able to give them money when they need something (for school projects and food), a thing that rarely happened before Pantawid.

With her wit, Narmie talked about her dreams of becoming a flight attendant someday. Her being on top of her class is only one proof of her determination to finish her studies and reach her dreams in the future.

“Nag-aaral akong mabuti para makatapos ako ng pag-aaral. Pag nakapagtapos ako, magkakaroon ako ng magandang trabaho at matutulungan ko na ang mga magulang ko,” she said. Right now, all she can do to help her parents is study hard and help her younger siblings with their school assignments and projects.

Her college education is still not guaranteed to date. She can only hope that her parents can send her to college so she can finally reach her dreams.

“Siguro naman po ay makakapagtapos ako ng pag-aaral dahil nagtatrabaho naman ang mga magulang ko nang mabuti para pag-aralin kami,” she said.

At this age, Narmie is a picture of a hopeful child willing to conquer it all for the sake of her dreams. Coming March 2013, she hopes to march on her graduation as the class valedictorian. But with her determination, nothing will be impossible for her. Sooner or later though, valedictorian or not, she’ll realize that what matters is she keeps herself in school and learn and develop her skills because in the end, it really is education that is her ticket to the future.#