“Ma, ito lang po baon namin?”

That question—spoken by a child holding three precious coins—would echo in Nanay Minerva’s heart for years. It was a moment that captured their reality: a family of nine surviving on grit, grace, and a handful of pesos each day.

Back then, three pesos in the morning and two in the afternoon was all they could spare for their children’s baon. No snacks. No extra fare. Just hope tucked into a pocket.

But instead of offering pity, Nanay Minerva gave them something far more powerful:

A vision. A promise. A challenge.

“Mag-sipag kayo sa pag-aaral. Sa ngayon, magtiis tayo. Pero balang araw, hindi na lang piso-piso ang hawak natin. Balang araw, aasenso rin tayo.”

This belief—that education is the path out of poverty—became the anchor of the Sajul family’s story. A story not of instant success, but of gradual, deliberate transformation—powered by love, sacrifice, and the support of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

 

The Struggles They Knew Too Well

Raising seven children on a farmer’s income, with no steady work, no savings, and no safety net, was a daily battle. Nanay Minerva washed laundry on weekends, while Tatay Manolo scoured the coconut fields just to bring home enough to buy rice. Sickness meant borrowing money. School supplies were a luxury. Yet no matter how tight things got, they refused to give up on their children’s future.

Then came a knock on their door: a government survey. While others ignored it, Nanay Minerva answered every question with honesty and quiet hope.

That decision would change everything.

4Ps: A Doorway, Not a Destination

When the family was accepted into 4Ps, they didn’t treat it as mere assistance—they saw it as a launchpad.

The first cash grant brought notebooks and pencils. But what made the biggest impact weren’t the pesos—it was the Family Development Sessions (FDS) that shaped their mindset, parenting, and financial habits. From nutrition to budgeting, from responsible parenting to values formation, the family absorbed every lesson like dry soil welcoming rain.

They didn’t just survive—they learned to strategize. The Sajuls started a food vending business. They invested in education. They learned to stretch every coin not just to meet today’s needs—but to build tomorrow’s dreams.

A Family That Refused to Break

The Sajuls’ resilience was tested time and time again.

Kenneth, one of their sons, lost interest in school. He became distracted, disengaged, more focused on his pet pigeons than his future. But Nanay Minerva never raised her voice. She sat with him, heart to heart.

“Anak, h’wag kang panghinaan ng loob. Maraming paraan. May TESDA, may ALS, may iba pang pwedeng subukan. Basta tulungan mo ang sarili mo, susuportahan ka namin.”

Kenneth eventually found his path through TESDA. Today, he works as an electrician for a well-known company. He often says: “Kung hindi ako pinakiusapan ni Mama noon, siguro wala ako sa kinatatayuan ko ngayon.”

When the pandemic hit, the family’s income disappeared overnight. But the 4Ps aid kept them afloat. When Kenneth figured in a near-fatal motorcycle accident, the entire family mobilized. Nanay Minerva, now empowered and resourceful, went to the DSWD Central Office in Quezon City at 1 a.m. to seek help—alone, determined, and brave. With their pooled resources and assistance, they got through what could have broken them.

A House Full of Hope

Today, two of their children are college graduates—Justin, an Electrical Engineer, and Bea, a Nursing graduate and SK official. Others are on their way. They now own their land and home, run a small business, and hold firm to routines shaped by love: study hours, shared meals, weekly church, and nightly conversations.

Their story is no longer about just “getting by.” It’s about giving back.

Nanay Minerva has become a leader in her community, once a shy housewife, now a voice of guidance and strength. Her children are not just beneficiaries of hope—they are builders of it.

The Sajul Legacy

What began with three pesos and a whispered promise became a full-blown legacy of resilience, unity, and transformation.

“The 4Ps didn’t just give us help. It taught us to believe, to act, and to rise,” Nanay Minerva shares, her voice full of emotion.

Their story proves one simple truth: When a family is given a chance—and they take it with both hands—the ripple of that opportunity can go far beyond survival. It can shape generations.

From hardship to honor, from three pesos to thriving, the Sajul family is no longer just a name on a list. They are living proof that poverty can end where hope, love, and purpose begin.