Mayeng's Secret: PROFILE OF A MODEL HOMEWORKER LEADER

REALIZING HER DREAM TO FINALLY OWN A HOUSE

Lucia Almazan, is 50 years of age. She is a migrant who has been working since childhood as a domestic helper, eatery employee, homebased worker and vendor. All alone in an urban setting, she was forced to take any job which came her way, and sometimes, the abuse that went with it. Suddenly widowed with four children to look after, she had no home she can call her own, and cannot even seek shelter in the homes of her own relations. Under such circumstances , the role of the organization which ahe joined in 1992, became important in her life, since it served as her support system and her means to have her own home in the future. To quote her, “PATAMABA is my shining armour in time of distress and a shoulder to lean on”.

Lucy is determined to have her own house through the PATAMABA HOA and to enjoy social protection through the SSS-ADA. As member of PATAMABA HOA, she was able to pay the organization P1000 for the land survey and P500 for the land improvements. She had to save another P5,000 as a required trust fund . A monthly amortization of P237 will have to be paid for 25 years for the lot allocated to her. This program will address the long awaited dream of Lucy to have a lot that she can permanently call her own.

To address the issue of social protection, Lucy enrolled in the Social Security System (SSS) ADA program of DOLE-SSS-PSB scheme, contributing P94 per month. She made an initial deposit of P500 in October 2003 and contributed P100.00 every month thereafter.