Siblings earn degrees through 4Ps

The David family of Magalang, Pampanga, has proven that poverty is not a hindrance to education — thanks to the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

Nicole David, the eldest of four children, credits 4Ps for helping him and his siblings pursue and finish their education.

A former 4Ps-monitored child, Nicole told the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) #Kwento ng Pag-Asa at Pagbabago that the program changed their lives.

“If not for 4Ps, I wouldn’t have finished school. My younger siblings wouldn’t have either,” he said. “If the eldest in the family doesn’t graduate, it’s hard for the rest to do so. 4Ps was a huge help.”

Nicole and his sister, Nica Mae, grew up with limited means. Their father, Leonardo, worked as a tricycle driver, while their mother, Olimpia, took jobs as a house help.

The couple didn’t finish school themselves but dreamed of a better future for their children.

“Back then, we had nothing,” Nicole recalled. “There were times we couldn’t eat what we wanted or buy what we needed. We just made do with what our parents could provide.”

Nicole was a recipient of the Expanded Student Grant-in-Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation, receiving P40,000 per semester at Pampanga State University.

Nica Mae benefited from a subsidy under the Commission on Higher Education.

Both graduated with honors. Nicole now teaches and supervises at Blooming Field Academy Foundation Inc., where Nica Mae is also a primary school teacher.

Their parents attribute their children’s success not only to scholarships but also to the 4Ps Family Development Sessions, which taught them how to support their kids’ education.

“I always told my children to study hard,” Olimpia said. “We have no money or land to pass on to them, so education is the only legacy we can give.”

Nicole now encourages others to dream big.

“Do what you can. Work hard. Study well. If you can help your parents, do so. Just keep going. Remember, poverty is not a hindrance to finishing school,” he said.

The David family’s journey is featured on #KPAP, the DSWD’s weekly online documentary posted every Tuesday on its official Facebook page.