The Magalona family once scavenged for survival at the Inayawan landfill in Cebu City, where hunger outweighed hope and each day was a struggle to live. Living in a house made of scrap materials, the ten-member family endured three makeshift roofs, no proper sanitation, and the relentless stench of garbage. Their food was uncertain, and sometimes they were forced to eat "pagpag," leftover food retrieved from the trash.
"We really had a hard time before... sometimes we looked for food in the garbage," recalled Melisa Magalona.
Their lives changed in 2008 when they became one of the first beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). The program provided conditional cash grants that helped send the children to school and meet their basic needs.
"Every 4Ps payout, we could buy notebooks, ballpens, and food. It was a huge help for us," Melisa said.
Her father Leonardo, a former fisherman from Bohol, moved to Cebu to give his children an education. He worked as a waste picker, facing health risks to support the family, while mother Gemma managed the household.
Through 4Ps and support from organizations like Children of Asia, Melisa completed a Commerce degree and became the first graduate in their lineage. Her success inspired her siblings and relatives to pursue education.
"Ma, Pa... I finally finished. We will never go back to the dumpsite," she told her parents after graduation.
In 2012, Melisa joined DSWD Field Office 7 as a Project Development Officer II for 4Ps. With a stable income, they voluntarily exited the program, and in 2015, they moved back to Bohol, leaving their dumpsite life behind.
Today, her siblings have also completed their studies and have their own careers, a remarkable transformation for the family.
Now a Compliance Verification Officer, Melisa ensures that 4Ps beneficiaries comply with program conditions. "I see my former self in their situation... that's why I do my work with heart," she said.
Despite her father's passing in 2020, Melisa believes his sacrifices were not in vain.
The Magalona family continues to give back to their community, sharing blessings and inspiring others. Their story is a powerful reminder that through opportunity and determination, poverty is not destiny.
