In the coastal barangay of Caminawit, San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, there lives a woman whose quiet strength has lifted an entire village—Julia Arnejo.

She doesn’t wear a cape. Instead, she wears many hats—laundry helper, Barangay Health Worker, Parent Leader, PTA President, Parent Support Group facilitator, and above all, a mother of five.

And yet, ask anyone in her community who they call first when a child needs immunization, a parent misses their Family Development Session, or a barangay activity needs a spark of energy—and the answer is always the same: “Si Ate Julia.”

But life wasn’t always this empowered.

Years ago, Julia’s family struggled to make ends meet. With her husband’s tricycle driving income barely enough to feed seven mouths, there was little room for anything beyond survival. Her dreams of becoming a teacher or police officer quietly faded as she prioritized her children’s needs over her own.

Then came 4Ps—and with it, not just financial support, but direction.

“Natutunan ko sa 4Ps na ang pagiging magulang ay higit pa sa pagtaguyod ng pagkain—ito rin ay tungkol sa paghubog ng kinabukasan,” she shared.

Through the program’s conditional cash grants and FDS, Julia learned about health, parenting, budgeting, and child protection. But what made the greatest difference was what the program saw in her—a leader waiting to rise.

As a Parent Leader, Julia became the bridge between government and community. She reminded co-beneficiaries of their obligations, helped resolve compliance issues, and became the voice of the unheard. Her tireless reminders and home visits weren’t just duties—they were acts of love.

As a Barangay Health Worker, she was always on her feet. Even while doing laundry, she’d drop everything when a mother needed guidance or a baby needed a vaccine. During the pandemic, she knocked on doors to convince families to get vaccinated. No baby under her watch missed a shot. No pregnant woman gave birth unattended.

Her dedication caught the eye of Plan International Pilipinas, where she trained as a Parent Support Group facilitator. Her mission? To protect children from abuse and exploitation. She now leads sessions that give fellow parents tools to raise children in a world that is safer, kinder, and more aware.

In her hands, the 4Ps transformed from a lifeline to a launchpad—not just for her own family, but for an entire barangay. Under her PTA leadership, school chairs were repaired, fans installed, and young minds motivated.

“Pangarap ko sanang maging guro o pulis. Hindi man natupad ‘yon, natutunan ko na sa bawat tulong na naibibigay ko, may saysay at kaligayahan. Sa puso ko, natupad na rin ang pangarap ko,” she said with a smile.

Today, Julia is more than a 4Ps graduate—she’s a walking, working embodiment of the program’s goal: to create empowered citizens who empower others.

And in Caminawit, her name no longer stands for the one who was helped—it now stands for the one who helps.

Julia Arnejo’s story reminds us that when government programs are matched with grit and heart, the result is not just one family’s transformation—but an entire community’s rising.