Life used to be difficult for the family of Janeth Cantaco and husband Albert. Both of them worked in a factory but found their income still insufficient for the needs of their five children.

Adding to the hardship was health problems that plagued the family. 

A member got leptospirosis after the flooding caused by typhoon “Ondoy” in 2009. Then one of the Cantaco children was diagnosed with stage four cancer. Despite undergoing chemotherapy, their son succumbed to the disease.

Janeth herself underwent operation for a kidney ailment a year after her son’s death. The costly surgery caused them to incur debts, while trying to provide for their kids in order to survive. 

Though their situation was dire, the Cantaco couple never lost hope and did not give up on their dream for a better life. 

Joining the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) helped them get through the most difficult stages of their lives.

“Without the 4Ps, we would have been buried in debts and won’t be able to rise up,” Janeth narrated in episode 16 of “Kwento ng Pag-Asa at Pagbabago” (#KPAP), an award-winning online documentary of the DSWD.

Launched in 2008 and institutionalized by Republic Act 11310 in 2019, 4Ps is the national poverty reduction strategy and human capital investment program that provides conditional cash transfer to poor households for a maximum period of seven years to improve their children’s health, nutrition and education.

While under the 4Ps, Albert and Janeth started a sewing business at their small house in Barangay San Juan, Taytay, Rizal.

As the Cantaco family was assessed to graduate from 4Ps, they were given an orientation about the DSWD’s Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) which aims to ensure that the gains of the 4Ps can be sustained.

Last year, Janeth received livelihood assistance of P15,000 from the SLP and in just a year, her family’s garment business grew leaps and bounds.

When they saw that the business was thriving, Janeth and Albert decided to take a step further in growing the garment’s business and took out a loan with their house as collateral. 

This keen sense of business paid off as Janeth was able to get more clients who trusted her.

Hard work, determination and the collective goal of the Cantaco family resulted in a thriving business. Today, the family manages several garment-making business sites in Taytay and Montalban, Rizal. They hire people to help in their business of supplying garments to big businesses in China.

They were also able to pay off their loans, make investments and engage in sub-contracting orders, creating more jobs to help others in need, all within one year.

Albert attributed the thriving business to God and to the tireless work of his wife, and cited the work of their children in helping manage their garment business. 

He also expressed his gratitude to their tailors and dressmakers and to the clients who trusted them.

The family believes that their departed son served as their guardian angel, becoming their inspiration to achieve a better life. 

Janeth stressed that their success would not have happened without the DSWD’s assistance.

“We need hardwork, perseverance and knowhow in handling money to improve our life. No matter how small the money is, when you invest it in a business, it will grow,” she told #KPAP.