Theirs is a tale of constant struggle and hope everyday to defeat poverty in the countryside – and one of the reasons that they still hope for a better life and a better future if not for them but for their children is a distinct scholarship grant named after the father of the incumbent President of the country, who, 47 years ago, served as the 5th President of the Republic – President Diosdado Macapagal, beloved father of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
The grant is called the President Diosdado Macapagal Scholarship (PDMS), and the qualified grantees are children or grandchildren of Aklan's Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) selected through a rigid screening process by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).
During President Diosdado Macapagal's incumbency, he was called the "Poor Boy from Lubao", attributing to his humble beginnings in his place of origin.
In Bacyang, Madalag, a mother who is an Agrarian Reform Beneficiary (ARB) of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) glows as she relates that her daughter, a PDMS scholar enrolled at the Aklan State University (ASU)-Banga Campus will be graduating this coming school year.
"She's taking a four-year course in Agriculture, and when she graduates, she will help me and her father improve our vegetable farm, so we will be able to produce better crops which will fetch better prices in the market," said Julieta Neri of her daughter.
As a scholar, Julieta's daughter enjoys free tuition and also receives a monthly allowance. Julieta said her daughter's being a PDM scholar gives them hope to improve their lives, and at the same time, she counts on her daughter to help send her younger siblings to school and have a course, although presently, much in their economic life had changed because of the programs brought to their doorstep by CARP.
"If not for CARP, it will still be very hard for us to transport our products to the market. Now, with the roads and bridges constructed in Madalag through the program, we can bring our vegetables straight to the market, still fresh and attractive. With the many public utility jeeps and buses plying the route from Madalag to Kalibo and vice versa, we can go home early the same day after finding buyers of our vegetables," Julieta said.
Presently, a carabao Julieta got through the animal dispersal program of the DAR through CARP is a big help to her and her husband's vegetable farming venture. Julieta also said that her children help her in the vegetable farm and in the rice fields her family tends.
"I tell them not to shun the land we till because this sustained us for years, although life is much better now – we have a bigger house, and we have purchased some basic appliances through the money we got from our farm produce," Julieta happily said.
And the future for this farming ARB family will be much brighter once the scholar-daughter graduates, have a job and help introduce better farming ways as a result of being a poor boy's scholar.
In Brgy. Aparicio in Ibajay, another Agrarian Reform Community in Aklan, a mother, whose daughter is a prospective PDMS was solemn-faced at the time of the interview. Her daughter that same day was undergoing a screening for the PDMS at the DAR office in Kalibo, along with many other hopefuls, all dependents of ARBs from all over the province, and Jocelyn Italia, 37, is praying that her daughter will be one of the lucky qualifiers for the scholarship slots which only five are being opened this school year.
"I fervently pray that my daughter qualifies for the President Diosdado Macapagal Scholarship. The scholarship is our only hope of sending her to college", a teary-eyed Jocelyn said.
Jocelyn hopes that if her daughter becomes a PDMS scholar, graduate later on and find a good job, she in turn will be able to send her brothers and sisters to college.
Presently, Jocelyn, as a member of the Aparicio ARC Multi-Purpose Cooperative along with 233 others, is engaged in abaca fiber production, twining abaca fiber in various designs, lengths, sizes and colors according to the need of buyers. A big hit among the buyers, Jocelyn said, is the abaca twine they named the "Stick-O", which is a combination of brown and white abaca fibers twined together that looks like a favorite stick snack among children.
The finished products are displayed at the Cottage Industry Technology Center (CITC) provided by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in the area also under its CARP program for the ARBs.
Coop members said they were trained by the DTI to weave abaca fiber and to produce other quality by-products of abaca. The DTI provided looms and other much-needed equipment to members of the cooperative. As a result, the Aparicio coop became a recipient of various awards from the Regional Development Council, from DAR and other award-giving organizations..
"Because of CARP in Aparicio, we have visitors almost daily from the government and other organizations", said Eligene Tayco, former Barangay Captain of Aparicio.
Tayco is saddened that CARP is about to end, because he believes that although it has brought and given so much to his fellow Apariciohanons, many things could still be done and taught to them, if the program gets extended for five years. His sentiment is shared by residents of the barangay, whose lives were touched by CARP.
"Before, Aparicio can only be reached by taking a raft upriver because there were no roads. Residents who go to the market to buy basic commodities like fish arrive home with it already rotten or foul-smelling, because of the very long period of travel. As we have no ricefields here in Aparicio, we get our rice supply in the market, while the National Food Authority (NFA), through its many programs to bring affordable government rice to the public like the TGL and now the Tindahan Natin, then delivers rice to Aparicio upriver through a bamboo raft. Now, with a concreted road provided by CARP, NFA delivers rice straight from its warehouse up to Aparicio. All types of vehicles now come to Aparicio daily bringing residents home, delivering goods, bringing visitors, trainors and program implementers as well as other much-needed services to the community", Tayco said.
If Jocelyn's daughter get to be one of a former poor boy's scholar this year, she said her daughter will not be staying in a boarding house in Ibajay where the school, Aklan State University Ibajay Campus is located and where the scholar is qualified to enroll, being the only state university in the province that could admit government scholars. Instead, because of the good road and with the many vehicles plying the route like motorcycles or jeepneys, she will be going home everyday.
"My child is a female and she needs our guidance. She is also our hope of having a better life, if not for us parents, then for her siblings", Jocelyn said.
The President Diosdado Macapagal Scholarship has already produced 20 graduates since its opening in 2003. Eight (8) scholars are now studying while this school year, five slots will be opened.
"The PDMS has produced many Cum Laudes. Many are now gainfully employed", said Grace Quimpo of DAR-Aklan.
These scholars are now assured of a brighter future due to a poor boy who inspired the government through DAR to look the ARBs' way and give their children a chance for a better life. (PIA/Venus G. Villanueva)