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ABSTRACT

LIVED EXPERIENCES OF STUDENTS WHOSE FAMILIES ARE

PANTAWID PAMILYANG PILIPINO PROGRAM

BENIFICIARIES

By: DANLHERY S. GREGORIOUS

MAED

In the Philippines poverty has always remained a critical social

problem that calls to be addressed. Philippines' latest poverty line for

2014 marks a per capita income of 10,534 pesos a year. According to

the data collected by the National Statistical Coordination Board, more

than one-quarter (25.8%) of the population fell below the poverty line

the first semester of 2014, an approximate 4 per cent increase since

2013. Tackling the worsening poverty situation is one of

the current government’s main anchors along with good

governance. The Philippine government in 2007 implemented the

Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or well known as the 4P’s. The

said program would reach Filipinos below poverty line in order to help
poor families and be able to send their children at school and give

them proper health service.

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4P’s is a human

development measure of the national government that provides

conditional cash grants to the poorest of the poor, to improve the

health, nutrition, and the education of children aged 0-18.(DSWD,

n.d).

The number of students whose families are 4P’s beneficiaries at

Metro Manila College moved me to study their lived experience. In

order to found out the phenomena exist, as these Grade 12 students

being in their last year as beneficiaries of the conditional cash transfer

of the government. Hence the researcher aimed to explore and

make an in - depth analysis on the lived experience of students

belonging to the family beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino

Program to gain insights that may help to gather benchmark data that

could be used as bases in enhancing the program effectiveness, policy

development and management.


STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study aimed to explore and describe the lived experience of

students who belong to the family benificiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang

Pilipino Program

Specifically , it sought answers to the following questions;

1. What are the lived experiences of students who belonging to the

family beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program?

2. What insights can be drawn from their experiences?

3. What implications may the findings offer for the 4P’s policy

development and management?

RESEARCH DESIGN

The phenomenological approach is used for this study.

Phenomenology, rooted deep in the works of philosophers such as

Kant, Hegel and Mach, was formally introduced by Edmund Husserl at

the beginning of the twentieth century (Moran, 2000; Guignon,

2006). Husserl became known as the founder, or pioneer, of

phenomenology (Moran, 2000; Moustakas, 1994) with a desire to


convert philosophy into a strict science (Guignon, 2006). Husserl

believed the key to separating science from philosophy was to direct

attention toward meanings that connect our experience of objects

(Guignon, 2006). Phenomenological principles assert that scientific

investigation is valid
when the information gained comes about through rich description

that allows for understanding of the essences of experience (Moustakas,

1994). Phenomenological research is a qualitative strategy in which the

researcher identifies the essence of human experiences about a

phenomenon as described by participants in a study (Creswell, 2009). In

this approach, the researcher focuses on a concept or phenomenon and

seeks to understand the meaning of experiences of individuals who have

experienced or “lived” the phenomenon. Phenomenology also employs

the use of bracketing where a researcher sets aside his or her knowledge

of and experiences related to the subject in order to “see things as they

appear, free from prejudgments and preconceptions” (Moustakas,1994).

The researcher is also present in the research in that he or she introduces

his or her personal understandings into the study.

Phenomenological research (Waters, 2016) describes a lived

experience of a phenomenon. As this is a qualitative analysis of narrative

data, methods, to analyze its data is quite different from more traditional

or quantitative method of research. Furthermore, Phenomenology

focused on the subjectivity of reality, continually pointing out the need of

to understand how humans view themselves and the world around them

(Willis, 2007).

SELECTION OF CO-RESEACHERS
The selection of co-researchers was done through Purposive

Sampling which is considered by Patton (2015) as the logic and power of

purposeful sampling lie in selecting information-rich cases for in-depth

study. Information-rich cases are those from which one can learn a great

deal about issues of central importance to the purpose of the inquiry.

Studying information-rich cases yields insights and in-depth

understanding. Patton (2015) further specifies that, according to his use

of the term, purposeful sampling applies specifically to qualitative

research,This involves identifying and selecting individuals or groups of

individuals that are especially knowledgeable about or experienced with a

phenomenon of interest (Cresswell & Plano Clark, 2011). In addition to

knowledge and experience, Bernard (2002) and Spradley (1979) note the

importance of availability and willingness to participate, and the ability to

communicate experiences and opinions in an articulate, expressive, and

reflective manner. This method is useful if a researcher wants to study “a

small subset of a larger population in which many members of the subset

are easily identified but the enumeration of all is nearly impossible”

(Babbie 1990). The researcher is then able to select co-researchers

based on internal knowledge of said characteristic.


SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

Based from the experiences narrated and after thorough analysis

of the data I hereby present the summary of my findings.

Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiaries were part

of the poorest of the poor before they have been part of the said program.

It was shown to their lived experiences that they experiences hardships

in their life. A “hand-to-mouth existence” was a thing that my

co-researchers experience since the income of their family is just enough

or sometimes even insufficient for there primary needs such as food,

water, shelter and education.

It was found out that Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program affects

positively the family orientation of Filipino families. It was part of Filipino

culture that slowly gone due to the fact that in order to survive from the

daily needs parents wer required to have a job in order to sustain

financial needs of the family forgetting the emotional and mora needs of

the children. On the other hand due to the Family Development Sessions

and seminars given to the beneficiaries they found quality time to bond

together with their family members.

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiaries were able

to comply with the conditions given to them by the government. Basically

their mother was the one who attended the Family Development Sessions
and the students were sometimes substitutes to their mothers. The

students also went to clinics for their check-ups, and of course they also

have one to three absences only in term of attendance in the class.

The beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program

used this opportunity to uplift there social status in their community.

Huge changes may be seen on their way of living nowadays as to

compare before they were part of the said program.

The students were enabling to adapt in sudden changes in terms

of their financial needs. Since before they were used to be in the public

schools were in they do not need to paid off for their books, tuition fees,

and other school needs but now they need to budget for their books since

in private school where they were enrolled it was not free. Then of course

since the school is far from their houses some of them need also to adjust

for their transportation allowances.

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program students together with

their parents used the money for the education of their children which

was really part of the program. The money they received was intended to

the education support of the students because of that the students able

to buy books, school supplies and they have extra allowances for their

food and transportation. Meanwhile some of them notice that the other

beneficiaries was not able to allocate properly their conditional cash


transfer because they used that in gambling and other vices which my co

researcher thank because their parents was not to used with that.

The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiaries was not

really after the money they just receive but to the happiness they acquire

during the time the government gives them the conditional cash transfer

wherein they appreciate the extended hand of the administration. They

were happy on the simple things like foods which they cannot afford to

buy before they become beneficiaries

SYMBOLIC REPRESENTATION

I choose a ballet dancer to be the symbol of my study. I can

describe my co-researchers as what are characteristics of a ballet dancer.

We will start with the most obvious first: the external. A dancer must
have the proper physical build. Dancers are slender and swan-like, with

long, lean limbs and perfect proportions. They cannot be too tall or too

short. Basically, they are perfect. As like what my co-researchers in their

early days they were part of the vaccinations, dental check ups and

feeding programs. It was for my co-researchers for them to be able to

perform well in their elementary days since health is wealth.

There are other, not-so-obvious physical traits that ballet demands:

flexibility (for those high kicks and gravity-defying leaps) turnout, or

outward rotation of the hips, and supple, beautifully arched feet… every

dancer knows how important it is to have “good feet”. Being in the private

school my co-researchers learn how to be flexible. It was a great

experience at this early part of their life so that it would be easy for them

to adjust in the latter part of their life. Furthermore determination

means that defeat is eliminated from your vocabulary. You know deep in

your core that you will never give up. Just like what my co-researchers

despite of the hardships, depression and stress they encountered here

they I was the determination that’s keeps them on going no matter what.

Discipline means applying yourself, training by regular

instruction and exercise or to bring about a state of order and control.

Both are true for ballet dancers as same with my co-researchers.

Discipline keeps them going on track and makes them still beneficiaries
because they need to comply with the conditions of the conditional cash

transfer of Department of Social Welfare and Development.

The final piece of success is an action plan. Once a dancer decides

to pursue to a career (usually during the early teens that most of my

co-researchers starts to be part of 4P’s) it’s time to map that plan. Of

course, the plan can change over time and often does. First choose a

professional ballet school. My co-researchers choose Metro Manila

College as their alma mater for Senior High School which helps them

provide quality education which they needed and helps them to provide a

brighter future.

The ballet dancers will not be able to dance without this

characteristics so as my co-researchers cannot sustain the

conditionalities given to them. Just put it in your mind that what ever

hardships that the world puts you be a ballet dancer. A ballet dancer that

is able to dance the challenges of life with just proper dose of

determination and discipline.


IMPLICATIONS

Based on the summary of findings, the following implications

are drawn.

Living in poverty affects every aspect of people’s lives –

their health, wellbeing and quality of life.The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino

Program beneficiaries before were part of the poorest of the poor and

was not able to attend and/or buy school supplies which were essentials

for their studies.

Close family ties is a pillar of a strong and progressive society.

It contributes to an upright society and community. The activities that

integrated to the program make the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program

beneficiaries more intact and lived with harmony. The 4P’s students were
able to communicate with their parents openly regarding to their school

needs.

Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) as conditional cash

transfer (CCT) program that transfers cash to beneficiary families if they

follow the conditionalities. Just like other CCT programs, the Pantawid

Pamilyang Pilipino Program aims in reducing and alleviating existing

povertyby supplementing the income of the poor to address their current

consumption poverty, especially in the education and health of their

family members while making them follow certain conditionalities that

can boost their human development investment and ensure its

compliance so that they can have more opportunities in breaking

theintergenerational cycle of poverty in the long run. The Pantawid

Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiaries’ students as well as parents

compliance to the conditions shows their cooperation to the government.

Since non-compliance to the conditionalities of the program means no

grant at all.

The parents of students whose families are Pantawid Pamilyang

Pilipino Program beneficiaries used this opportunity to come up with their

social status in life and able to make their life more convenient before by

using the cash given to them and allocate it properly and used it for the

future of their children.


Adjustments to the everyday needs make the 4P’s students more

matured enough and flexibility was the key to some situations wherein

they need to be resourceful. The adjustments done by the students at

this part of their life makes them more prepared in future.

The parents of students’ beneficiaries of 4P’s were able to allocate

the money and spent it to the education and health of their children. The

Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program through the Family Development

Sessions taught the parents how to budget for their everyday needs.

Happiness is a choice not an option for the students. Despite of

the hardships and problems they encounter the students whose families

are Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiaries find ways in simple

things how to enjoy their life to the fullest. It was not just through

material things that make them smile it was just through the benefits

they received that makes them inspired.

RECOMMENDATION

Th following are hereby recommended based on the given implications


Student-beneficiaries of 4p’s, for them to continue their efforts in

uplifting their social status by going to school and perform well in their

studies.

Faculty members, should take extra effort to study the

disposition of their students under the 4Ps. Seminars or a collection of

academic resources my help to understand these student’s nature.

4P’s Parents, to continue allocated the cash given to them to the

financial needs of the family and not use the cash in vices and personal

use that this may affect their status as beneficiary.

School Administrators, should provide programs that would

help not only the students but also parents of the Pantawid Pamilyang

Pilipino Program for their future careers and give deserving students to be

part of their institution.

Barangay Officials, come up with long term plan that would

eliminate or reduce by half the poverty in their respective community and

also giving more seminars that would help the families to lived in their

own

Department of Social Welfare and Development , for

them to provide more livelihood program that would help the families not

to be more dependent to the conditional cash transfer.


Policy-makers, for them seriously studied for institutionalization in

law as a major commitment of the national government, regardless of

whose administration.

Future researchers, conduct a follow up study about the students

or families involved in this study and find out the long term impact of 4p’s

on the lives of the families and learners under the said program.

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