How a 4Ps grantee became the teacher she once admired
By Niña Jonalyn B. Gambe-Diamante
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) – There was a time when the squeak of new rubber soles on a dusty floor sounded like a symphony of hope. In 2009, Dayanara B. Ruta was just a child when her mother received their family’s first grant from the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). To a world that measures success in millions, a new school uniform, a fresh pair of shoes, and a dozen pairs of underwear might seem trivial. But in a home where the cupboards were often bare and tomorrow was a question mark, possessing these ‘small things’ was an answered prayer.
“Bisan simple, dako na kaayo to nga butang para sa amo. Didto pa lang, nakita nako unsa ka importante ang programa sa pagtabang sa mga ginikanan nga mapadayon ang pag-eskwela sa ilang mga anak (Even if it was simple, it was a huge thing for us. Right then, I saw how important the program is in helping parents keep their children in school),” Dayanara recalls, her voice thick with the memory of that first taste of dignity.
Dayanara realized early on that the government’s intervention wasn’t just a handout; it was a door left ajar for those brave enough to walk through it.
The weight of a label
The road out of poverty is rarely a straight line. Even as the program supported her through the Tertiary Education Subsidy, allowing her to press forward to college when poverty tempted her to quit, the reality of their struggle remained stark. In 2021, her family was officially categorized under ‘Listahanan’ as among the ‘poorest of the poor.’ It was a painful, heavy label to carry—a public acknowledgement of their private struggle.
But Dayanara refused to let a government list be her final destiny. By 2023, she stepped into a new role as a grantee under Set 12A, determined to break the cycle that had held her family for generations.
Finding the spark
During Family Development Sessions (FDSs), Dayanara found more than just information; she found a mirror of her future. She watched her municipal link, whom she fondly calls ‘Ma’am Bea,’ lead with such grace and passion that a dream began to flicker in her heart.
“I whispered to myself—‘I hope someday, I can be just like her,’” Dayanara said.
Yet, when a vacancy opened at the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the old ghosts of poverty—doubt and unworthiness—returned. But then, it was Ma’am Bea who stood in the gap, pushing her firmly: “Your knowledge is too precious to waste.” With a trembling heart and a prayer, Dayanara applied.
The great transformation
In November 2023, the girl who once waited in line for shoes was hired as an Administrative Aide IV at the Provincial Operations Office of Agusan del Sur. Her ascent was a testament to the power of opportunity meeting sheer will:
May 2024: Promoted to Social Welfare Assistant.
January 2025: A profound milestone was reached when her family was tagged CS-3—Graduated Due to Improved Level of Well-Being. They were no longer the ‘poorest of the poor’—they were finally free from poverty.
August 2025: She achieved her ultimate dream, becoming a Project Development Officer II (municipal link) in Barobo, Surigao del Sur—the position her inspiration, Ma’am Bea, also held.
Complete reversal
Today, Dayanara sits in the very chair she once gazed at with longing. She is the one holding the pen, the one teaching the sessions, and the one holding the hand of the weary mother.
“Karon, usa na ko sa mga implementer sa programa—ang programa nga kaniadto, ako ang usa sa mga ginatabangan (Now, I am one of the implementers of the program—the very program that once helped me),” she exclaimed with pride.
When she looks out into the room during a session and sees a young girl watching her with wide, hopeful eyes, Dayanara doesn’t just see a beneficiary. She sees herself. She sees the ‘launching pad’ that the DSWD Field Office Caraga intended for every Filipino family.
“I am a living proof that the program does work,” Dayanara said. “Even if we are poor, there is always hope. With prayer, hard work, and perseverance, we can reach our dreams.”
Dayanara’s story is no longer a story of survival; it is a masterpiece of government intervention and human resilience—a life transformed, one household at a time. (NJGD, PIA Caraga with a report from DSWD – 4Ps Caraga)