“Being poor shouldn’t stop you from reaching your goals.”
Many people can relate to this expression, which sums up the life narrative of Ms. Encarnacion Banatao-Abana, a former DOLE beneficiary who is now the PESO Manager of Iguig, Cagayan.
Ms. Abana, also known as “Carnah,” was born into a life of hardship and learned early on how to confront life’s obstacles head-on. She was raised in a small family in Barangay Redondo, Iguig, and lost her father when she was five years old. Her mother supported the family by working as a laundress.
Carnah helped out around the house with her mother while other kids played in the streets. Their little house had no electricity and a leaky roof. Water would flood in whenever it rained, soaking their possessions.
Carnah arrived with an old, shabby bag and pages from the previous year’s notebooks, in contrast to many other kids who began the school year with brand-new bags and notebooks. She would get up early and walk to school as she didn’t have enough money for a trike ride. She frequently ate only a modest amount of rice at lunch, occasionally accompanied with a chichirya as her ulam.
Carnah was committed to succeeding in spite of these obstacles. She frequently sold snacks in exchange for a bowl of soup at the school canteen in order to make ends meet. In order to save money for school fees, she worked with her aunt’s sari-sari store during the breaks. She also cleaned houses and did laundry for a nominal charge.
Carnah faced yet another obstacle when her mother acknowledged that she could no longer afford the expenses of college, nearly preventing her from enrolling. Carnah applied for every scholarship she could find because she was determined to further her education, including the Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) offered by the Department of Labor and Employment.
Carnah became a SPES beneficiary, working in the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office in Cagayan during the semester breaks, in line with the program’s goal of assisting deserving but financially needy students. The young Carnah was exposed to a variety of labor tasks, including coordination with local government entities and other stakeholders and activity monitoring.
She used all of her earnings to pay for her education.
Her perseverance paid off as she earned a Cum Laude degree from Cagayan State University’s Carig Campus with a Bachelor of Arts in English.
Carnah assisted her younger sibling, who is currently employed as an Account Officer at a private rural bank, in completing her education after receiving her degree. She was able to purchase a plot of land and construct a home, relieving her and her family of the concerns of leaks and storms.
In 2022, Carnah was appointed PESO Manager (Municipal Government Department Head I), making her the youngest department head in the local government unit at the age of 29. She began as LGU Iguig’s HR officer, sharing her experience with prospective hires and emphasizing the qualities that are necessary for a successful career. She currently works with DOLE as a partner to deliver the SPES and other flagship projects in the municipality.
She finally realized the impact she was making—changing lives and motivating the next generation—when she began adopting SPES as PESO Manager.
“I am forever grateful to everyone who became part of who I am today, especially to DOLE which served as my training ground as a public servant. I have nothing but a grateful heart for the blessings the Lord has given me. I hope that like me, people will always see the bright side of perseverance and sacrifice. Work hard for your dreams, because there is no shortcut to success,” she added.
Her journey from adversity to success is an example to everyone since she demonstrated that no ambition is too far away to accomplish with perseverance, hard effort, and faith.#
