Through its flagship poverty alleviation initiative, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), the Philippine government continues to help transform the lives of many Filipino households.
One of these is the Juayang family, from Brgy. Aningalan, San Remigio, Antique. Thanks to 4Ps, Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), and other government initiatives, the family’s business is thriving, and the mother, Gloria, has become an award-winning entrepreneur! Read on to know more about their inspiring story!
Becoming a 4Ps Beneficiary
Based on a report by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office VI, Gloria met her husband, Johnny, in 1988, when they were both working in an Iloilo City mall. Eventually, they got married, and had six children (all boys) over the years.
Although both of them were working, Gloria and Johnny were just earning a little over the minimum wage. They decided to move to Johnny’s hometown in Barangay Aningalan, San Remigio, Antique. There, he began toiling a piece of land owned by his parents, while she started selling their harvest.
“I was earning from selling vegetables, but it was only enough for our needs,” Gloria said in the vernacular. “It was very hard. The children were all in school and we had to provide for them.”
“We could hardly buy the children’s needs, especially in their school,” she shared. “They were not able to join extra-curricular activities because we did not have the money to pay.”
In 2009, the Juayang family became a beneficiary of the 4Ps program. Because of her leadership skills, Gloria became a parent leader. Meanwhile, her children benefited from the educational assistance and health assistance provided by the program.
Image Credit: fo6.dswd.gov.ph
Joining the Sustainable Livelihood Program
As mentioned earlier, aside from 4Ps, Gloria also became a member of the DSWD’s Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP). This paved the way for her and other beneficiaries to become entrepreneurs. They attended a training in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, were they learned about processing and making herbal products.
Because there is an abundant supply of ginger and turmeric in teir area, Gloria looked into processing these materials into tea. She received seed capital through the SLP program. In addition, she underwent training on product packaging and labeling, with help from the DSWD, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and the Local Government of San Remigio.
According to Gloria, the business was hard in the beginning, since the procedure — peeling raw materials, processing, packaging — was laborious and time-consuming. Fortunately, Johnny and their children were always ready to help. On November 15, 2012, they registered their products — John’s Health Products — with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
“It is named such because my husband and my children’s names have ‘John,’” Gloria explained. “I draw inspiration from my children, my whole family.”
Pretty soon, John’s Health Products became in demand, especially in trade fairs. These were affordable, yet high in quality — with health benefits and medicinal value. Moreover, the products are now sold in many stores and souvenir shops across Antique.
To this day, Gloria and her family make herbal tea such as ginger, turmeric, guyabano, sambong, and lemon grass. They also make banana chips, taro chips, and other products.
Image Credit: Gloria Juayang / Facebook
Learning New Business Skills
“After receiving help from the DSWD, I was adopted by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for training and the Kapatid Mentor ME (KMME) program,” Gloria stated, as cited in a post by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).
“Then I was referred to the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for product improvement through its Packaging and Labeling Assistance program,” she said. “The Department of Agriculture (DA) also sent us to tour different parts of the country so we could see other products and apply [our learnings] on our own.”
Recently, Gloria joined the Agribusiness Support for Promotion and Investment in Rural Enterprises (ASPIRE) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Roxas City.
“The DA provided us with a free hotel stay and food,” she shared. “Also, the Antique provincial government through the Office of the Agriculturist (OPA) brought us here for free, so I have no loss on my sales.”
Image Credit: pia.gov.ph
Reaching Their Family’s Dreams
Through their hard work, and a thriving business, Gloria and Johnny were able to support their children’s education, up to college. Notably, one of her children took up Civil Engineering, while another took up Criminology.
Furthermore, the Juayang family was able to uplift their living conditions — from a wood and cogon dwelling to a semi-concrete house. They were also able to pay and take back their mortgaged farm. In addition, Gloria plans to buy equipment that would make product processing faster and easier.
“Pantawid was a big blessing,” she declared. “It really helped us a lot, especially our children.”
Reaching New Heights
These days, Gloria is not just a successful business woman, but an award-winning entrepreneur!
Based on a Facebook post by Office Of The Provincial Agriculturist – Antique, Gloria was recognized as one of the region’s most outstanding rural women at the 2023 Regional High-Value Crops Achievers and Outstanding Rural Women Awards. The event was held last November 13, 2023, at INA Farmer’s Learning Site and Agri-Farm in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo.
Earning the third-place honor, Gloria’s award comes with a PHP 20,000 cash prize, a plaque, and a token of appreciation. She was accompanied by Dr. Gina Jordan, Officer-in-Charge and Head of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist – Antique.
Image Credit: Office Of The Provincial Agriculturist – Antique / Facebook
Final Thoughts
Who would’ve thought that coming from a humble background, Gloria would become the accomplished entrepreneur that she is today? Thanks to 4Ps, SLP, and other government programs, she and her family were able to achieve their dreams… and to continue looking forward to a bright future!
Aside from the Juayang family, there are many other 4Ps beneficiaries whose lives have been greatly impacted by the program. Check out these other 4Ps success stories:
- 4Ps Program Empowers Family in Misamis Occidental
- 4Ps Beneficiary Tops Board Exam for Teachers
- 4Ps Beneficiary Wins Gold Medal in ASEAN School Games