Life was never easy for Kyla Camille Ortal. There were times when her family barely had enough, forcing them to prioritize basic needs.
Dreams once felt out of reach for Kyla Camille Ortal of Barangay
Baay, Batac City, Ilocos Norte. With little money for daily needs, even
staying in school was a challenge.
But early on, she held on to one thing – determination.
Kyla
grew up as a monitored child under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino
Program (4Ps) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. The
program helped support her education and health, though she knew she had
to work hard to chart her future.
Her efforts paid off when she
ranked second with a 94.35 percent rating in the Pharmacist Licensure
Examination, the results of which came out last April 22.
Life was never easy for Kyla. There were times when her family barely had enough, forcing them to prioritize basic needs.
Still, instead of giving up, Kyla was focused on her dream. Her goal was rock solid – to help her family rise from poverty.
“To dream was not enough. You also have to fight for it,” she said in an interview.
Setbacks
faced her along her way. She admitted she once hoped to become a
scholar under the Department of Science and Technology but luck was not
with her. Instead of quitting, she applied for other scholarships and
kept going.
Her persistence led her to Mariano Marcos State
University, where she enrolled in Pharmacy. College life was also tough,
with long nights of studying and moments of doubt.
After graduating, she focused on the licensure exam, studying hard and staying disciplined.
Kyla
acknowledged the 4Ps program played a big role in helping her family
survive. Today, she and her two siblings are all professionals. Her
story shows that with hard work, persistence and support, it is possible
to rise above poverty and succeed.
Meanwhile, another success
story came out from the government’s 4Ps after a beneficiary, Rico Elao
from Alegria, Cebu ranked first in the 2026 Civil Engineering Board
Examination. The results came out on April 7.
Opposition Rep.
Leila de Lima of party-list Mamamayang Liberal extended her
congratulations to Elao via her Facebook account on April 27.
“The
success story of Rico is one concrete proof of the undeniable
assistance the 4Ps have on families who really need this help the most,
which gave them hope and capability in pursuing their dreams for their
future,” she said.
“Congratulations again Rico! Your success,
along with the success of many more in 4Ps, is also a success of the
entire country. We’re hoping that you all serve as an inspiration for
others to persevere as well in trying to reach their dreams, and the
attitude to help others too,” she said.
De Lima, a former senator
and justice secretary, was among the principal authors of the 4Ps Law
that was expanded from its original intent.
De Lima’s House Bill No. 1434 also
plans to include more families from below the poverty line to help them
improve their lot in life. — With Delon Porcalla