NextGen Day

MANILA – For 41-year-old Nerry Ibarrientos, the year 2021 appears to be the longest, as financial hardship brought on by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic led her to divorce her husband and three younger children.

They will soon be reunited after a year apart thanks to the Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-Asa (BP2) Program, which will return her home.

On Thursday night, Ibarrientos, from Agusan del Sur, will go to her husband’s native province of Pili, Camarines Sur.

Remembering all of the difficulties she and her family have faced in the last two years, as well as the prospect of reuniting with her children, is enough to bring her to tears.

When Covid-19 reared its ugly head and began tearing down their ambitions, their family’s decision to stay and make a life in Quezon City crumbled.

“Ang asawa ko talaga ang nag-avail ng Balik Probinsya, kasi probinsya nila yun, tapos nilipat sa pangalan ko, kasi di na siya nakapag-antay, umuwi na siya, kasi pinaalis na kami ng may ari ng

Ibarrientos said her husband, who used to be a jeepney driver but lost his work during the pandemic, could no longer handle the hardships of being in the city and left ahead of them in 2021 to prepare for their life in the province.

One of the worst moments for her was seeing her husband ask for charity to feed the family, so she let him go home alone.

“Yung namamalimos yung asawa ko, driver po kasi siya, naapektuhan po kasi yung biyahe ng jeep, nag usap usap silang mga driver kasi nga wala na siyang mapakain sa amin kaya hindi na siya nakapag antay umuw

Her three small children were taken home to the province one by one after her husband left, travelling for free onboard delivery trucks with the help of her husband’s cousin.

She is the mother of five children, ages 22, 20, 12, 10, and six.

The two older children chose to stay in the city and work so that they could send money to the province and assist them.

Ibarrientos refused to give up after her younger children and husband left, and she tried to make money at the Quezon City Hall by selling anything she could get her hands on.

But that wasn’t enough to keep the family afloat, so she went to work as a housekeeper to provide for herself and her elder children.

Despite the fact that her earnings go directly to support her family in the province, it was still insufficient because her husband has yet to find a job.

Despite the hardships and unknowns of the future, Ibarrientos is looking forward to rejoining with the rest of her family, particularly her young children.

“Para mabuo po kami, kasi maliliit pa sila kailangan ng gabay kasi nag aaral sila, hindi (natutukan) yung module nila, nasusubaybayan kasi walang (tumutulong) sa kanila,” she explained. “So we would be complete, they are still young and they need guidance and

Ibarrientos is also hoping for financial aid, as it will help her and her husband get back on their feet.

She stated that she intends to take advantage of the government’s cattle livelihood program, and if feasible, a modest amount so that she can open a mini-store.

Ibarrientos misses her children terribly and plans to bring them around as soon as she returns home, ensuring that they have some fun and bonding moments with her.

She credits the BP2 program with giving her the strength to leave behind her grueling city life and the heartaches of being alone and away from her children.

“Salamat sa balik probinsya, salamat sa tulong nila na natulungan kami, di ko inaasahan na matatawagan pa ako, sobrang pasasalamat ko po

“I’m grateful,” she said.

The national government’s BP2 program intends to give Filipinos hope for a better future by promoting resource parity across the country and boosting rural development.

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