Tale of an unyielding heart: The rise of Nancita Bagotsay
By Susil D. Ragas
With an unyielding heart, Nancita Bagotsay serves as a pillar and light to her family and community.
Even before she became a full-time employee of Sta. Monica town in Siargao Island, Bagotsay was an active parent leader in the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). In her role, she wholeheartedly served as a guide and a bridge for fellow beneficiaries striving to have a better life. This is where her compassion, diligence, and leadership skills first blossomed.
In 2018, she started working as a Local Project Development Officer (PDO) in Santa Monica where she demonstrated passionate work, integrity, and deep social concern. In her service, she was an inspiration to her colleagues in public service, especially to the families she served, particularly the association members of the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP).
The DSWD’s SLP played a significant role in her journey, particularly the Employment Assistance Fund (EAF) that she received in 2018, a one-time financial assistance modality that helps participants gain employment by covering costs associated with job hunting or training. This program served as the means for her to get started and provide a better future for her family. She used the money for documentary requirements such as an NBI clearance, school credentials, and medical examinations, as well as for purchasing a uniform and shoes for her job. These steps laid out a clear direction toward a more certain future at the local government of Santa Monica.
As a result of her outstanding dedication to service, she was promoted from a job order to a permanent employee of the LGU—a huge success that was the result of many years of perseverance, sacrifice, and faith.
Today, Bagotsay is not only a loving mother, but also a model of change. A parent leader for the 4Ps, an SLP-EAF beneficiary, and now a hero who continues to serve her community. She is a living proof that when heart and hard work are combined, no dream is impossible to achieve.
”I am grateful that I was able to avail of the grant from DSWD-SLP in 2018. It was a big help to me because I was able to use the money to buy my work necessities such as a uniform, pair of shoes, and other requirements. I am also thankful that I have become a permanent employee at the LGU of Sta. Monica.”
The Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) is a DSWD program that aims to improve the standard of living for Filipinos by providing assistance related to service that strengthens the capacity, skills, and experience of participants toward more profitable businesses and employment. (SDR, PIA Surigao del Norte with a report from DSWD Caraga)