Mornings often begin early and quietly.
For the Bombales family, life has long revolved around making do with what is available—stretching small earnings, sharing simple meals, and holding on to the belief that education could change the course of their children’s lives.
It was in this setting that Julius Bombales learned early on that dreams are not handed down freely, but built slowly through sacrifice.
Julius, the youngest of six children of Eliza and Jose Bombales, grew up in a household in Bacacay, Albay where survival depended on diligence and faith. His parents held on to one belief – education was the only inheritance they could give their children. For Julius, that belief became his compass.
But in 2016, the family’s fragile stability was shattered.
“Noong 2016 po, dumaan sa matinding dagok ang pamilya namin. Namatay po ang aking ama at isa ko pang kapatid. Sa puntong iyon, akala ko po ay doon na matatapos ang pag-aaral ko. Pero hindi po. Iginapang pa rin ng aking ina,” Julius recalled.
With the loss of her husband and child, Eliza Bombales– Julius’ mother, carried the family forward through sheer perseverance.
She turned to mat weaving— an exacting craft that begins with harvesting karagumoy leaves, stripping their thorns, slicing them evenly, drying them under the sun, and painstakingly weaving them into mats. Each finished piece was sold for a measly Php70 to Php80.
“Nabebenta po ng 70 hanggang 80 piso ang bawat banig. Iyon na po ang ipinambibili namin ng pagkain na pinaghahatian naming lahat,” Julius said.
The income was meager, but it kept food on the table and their hope alive. Life was made bearable as supporting the family’s daily needs, especially in health and education, was the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
As Julius entered high school, he went to the Cawayan National High School, more than four kilometers away from their home. The journey was often unforgiving, especially during the rainy season.
“Madalas ko pong lakarin ang maputik na daan, basang-basa sa ulan, ngunit dala ko palagi ang pangarap ni Mama Eliza. Hindi ako bumitiw. Ang bawat medalya na aking natanggap ay hindi lamang simbolo ng talino kundi patunay ng sakripisyo, pagtitiis, at walang sawang panalangin,” Julius shared.
Those medals eventually opened doors. When Julius entered Bicol University-Tabaco Campus to take up Bachelor of Science in Social Work, his path was already shaped by the values he had lived through—and by the DSWD program that helped his family endure the hardships.
“Nang pumasok ako sa kolehiyo sa Bicol University-Tabaco Campus sa kursong Bachelor of Science in Social Work, dahil gusto ko pang mas lumalim ang aking pag-unawa sa kahulugan ng paglilingkod na ipinadama sa amin ng 4Ps,” Julius narrated.
While in college, he earned a scholarship from a non-government organization (NGO), further easing their financial burden.
In 2024, the boy who once feared his education would end in grief graduated Cum Laude and passed the Licensure Examination for Social Workers.
Today, Julius has come full circle. He now serves as a Social Worker and Municipal Link of the DSWD’s 4Ps in San Jose, Camarines Sur —the very program that once supported his family during their darkest days.
“Sa bawat pamilyang aking nakakausap, nakikita ko ang aking sarili, ang batang umasa at ngayo’y nagbibigay na ng pag-asa. Ang minsang tinulungan ay isa na ngayong kamay na tumutulong. Ang 4Ps ay hindi lamang isang programa. Ito ay buhay, pag-asa, at pagkakataon. Itinuro nito sa akin na ang tulong ay may kaakibat na responsibilidad, ang responsibilidad na ibalik ito sa lipunan sa pamamagitan ng tapat na paglilingkod,” Julius happily shared.
For children growing up under the same circumstances he once faced, Julius leaves a message woven from experience, loss, and resilience: “Ang kahirapan ay hindi wakas, kundi simula ng kwento ng tagumpay at katuparan. Ako si Julius B. Bombales, anak ng 4Ps, anak ng pag-asa, at ngayon, isang lingkod-bayan na patuloy na nagsisilbing liwanag para sa iba.”
Like the mats his mother once wove by hand, Julius’ life is a testament of patience, strength, and purpose—proof that when given support, dignity, and opportunity, even the humblest beginnings can be transformed into stories of service and hope. (KI)
