A Phenomenological study on the impact of having an OFW parents to the academic
performance of OLFU students
Alonzo, Justine Lajom123 Ang, Louiegie123 Balagat, Jophet Nathaniel123 Baria, Maricar123
Calilung, Jenelyn123 Conzon, Aira Lovelle123 Estares, Adilaine123 Mission, Glenzy123 Sumallo,
Fhyiona123 Mrs. Joyce Ann Lopez Burre1234
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Accountancy Business and Management - 01
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Senior High School
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Our Lady of Fatima University
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Research Adviser
January 2020
A Phenomenological study on the...
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1.0 Introduction
A family is living happily and peacefully together in one home where the parents are
giving all the love, care, attention and all the needs of their children. Necessities like food,
clothing, a house to live in, and education in able to have their children a better future and a
quality life are some of the needs that must be fulfilled. But this is not true to all family. These
individuals work overseas because of the perks of having higher salary and several opportunities
given in other countries than staying in the Philippines. These people work strenuously and they
endure the pain in order to sustain the needs of their families which are the food, clothing, rent,
medical fund, education, recreation fund and extra money for emergency purposes.
These workers have chosen to leave their loved ones behind in pursuit of better
opportunities abroad for the sake of their families. They hope that after years of toiling in a
foreign land, they will be able to come home and enjoy the fruits of their hard-earned labor. Some
OFWS have successfully returned with savings and investments sufficient enough for them to
decide not to renew their contracts abroad. Some are not as successful, while others still end up
penniless and drowned in debt.
As eloquently stated by Reyes (2008), in Asia, the Philippines is the major supplier of
labor migrants to over 100 countries. More than 8 million (10%) out of the 85 million Filipinos
were working or living abroad. Though there is no systematic data on the number of children left
behind, it is estimated to be 9 million or 27% of the total youth. Overseas Filipino Worker is a
common occurrence in the Philippines and have become the greatest factors that affects the
children up to these date.
Parents leaving behind their young ones affect their personalities that creates positive and
negative impact in their academic performances. Students nowadays are experiencing school life
without the presence of their parents. Many have experienced a decline in classroom
performance. In some cases, they can lead to smoking, drug use, pre-marital sex, cutting classes,
pregnancy, etc. While this is the case, many were also found to have performed excellently
through various coping mechanisms. Therefore, it is really important for the children to acquire
deeper knowledge about the effects so that they can obtain a good coping mechanism and avoid
ruining their lives.
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The purpose of this study is to know the impact and evaluate the academic performance of a
Grade 11 and Grade 12 students that has an Overseas Filipino Worker.
2.0 Background Study
According to Parrenas (2007), a number of children live through their adolescence
without either biological parent present, as in certain cases both the mother and father are
overseas worker. In these cases, adolescence tend to have a rational mind to accept the fact that
either one of their parents or both needs to travel abroad in order to afford to their needs
therefore, they mostly have a good relationship with their family. Adolescence that experience
these cooperates more on their school activities.
As cited by Podaan (2009), children of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) experience a
sense of abandonment, confusion, insecurity, anxiety, loss of closeness with parents and loss of
respect to parents. Children that faces these circumstances tend to have an awkward and distant
relationship with their families. These heavily affects their academic performances being as how
they need to cope with their emotions and also participate in their school activities. Some of them
handles their situations well but some does not.
The behavior of the students are mostly affected by the environment that they have lived
and are currently living in. These are the some of the factors that affects the student's academic
performances that needs to be tackled.
2.1 Statement of the problem
This study aimed to thoroughly investigate the different effects on an academic
performances of a student with an OFW parents. The research problem poses some questions:
1. Impact of having an OFW parents to a students?
2. Factors that can affect students who has an OFW parents?
3. How do students overcome their experiences in having an OFW parent?
4. Is there any advantage in having an OFW parents to their study?
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2.2 Related Literature
Foreign
The Impact of Parent Migration on the Health of their Children
According to Page and Stevens (2004) children may have worse outcomes regarding to
their health and over-all being ( Fomby and Cherlin, 2007).
It states that children having OFW parents struggles, as their health’s not taken care of, it
affects their everyday life . Same goes with their school activities, being unhealthy will lead them
to having a poor performance. The experience is causing them to become inactive and in some
cases, loses the will to go to school
Impact to the Children who’ve lost their OFW parents
The reasons underlying the absence of a family member (divorce, migration, and decease)
are perceived as different experiences by the other family members. Therefore children’s
outcomes may also differ. For example Creighton et al. (2009) show that the long-term migration
of at least one parent increases the chances of secondary school-aged children to be enrolled in
school. On the other hand, in the case when a child’s father’s is dead, the impact on school
enrollment is negative.
It means when the children who has OFW parents incase that there are chances that
they’ve lost their parents it can affect their studies and academic performance and may cause
them stress and even depression that can lead a poor performance and negative outcome to them
Academic Performance reduced
According to studies by Zhao, Yu, Wang & Glauben (2014) it show that parental
migration for employment has negative influences on children’s learning, for example their
academic performance is reduced or their learning process is interrupted as found by Zhaobao Jia
& Tian (2010). These studies proves that when their parents migrates, personal connection with
them will no longer exist. It can affect the children’s academic performance as they are searching
for moral support and love. Also the guidance that needed is needed by the students for their
everyday school and everyday life.
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Local
Communication between the children and OFW parents
Parreñas (2005) found that mothers who were working abroad did not abandon their
children during migration. Instead, they did intensive mothering by providing acts of love and
care via available means of communication. In this case, parents maintain a close bond with their
children even across great distance through communication that leads to a good academic
performance across great distance. Communication is one of the reason of why students actively
participate in extra-curricular activities and also excel in school works.
The Children's recognition of their OFW parent's sacrifices
“It is emotionally and physically challenging for the children to accept that their family
set-up is not the same with other families. However, as the child begins to understand the
rationale why the parent has to work abroad and is able to get back on track and take on the
responsibility of managing their own. In addition, In the Philippines, having a *blue-collared job,
one would not be able to financially support their families unlike when they work abroad.”
Atienza; Kapunan; Noe; Panlilio (2012). Being there for their child is an important thing
however, when the child realizes that they could go to their preferred schools because of the
sacrifice of their parents, some gets motivated and tend to have a good career and life compared
to families that does not have enough financial support to sustain school fees.
Children without the support of their OFW parents
Children who were left behind were also reported to have more behavioural problems,
such as dropping out of school, engaging in vice, drug abuse (Gavriliuc, 2007; Melgar &
Borromeo, 2002), and becoming disposed to delinquency (Lee & Lee, 2012; UNESCAP, 2008
cited in Devasahayam, 2011). Parent's care and support to their child is undoubtedly important for
their development. Having their support motivates the children to do their best thus performing
better in academic and maintains a healthy relationship with people.
2.3 Theoretical Framework
The Importance of attachment to the students and OFW parent
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This study was anchored on the "attachment theory". Attachment theory (Bowlby, as
cited in Taylor, 2008) is concerned with personal relationships between human beings. This
theory presupposes that children need to develop a relationship with at least one primary
caregiver for social and emotional development to occur normally. This theory assumes that
students whose parents are working abroad are deficient with the parental care and attention
necessary for their social and emotional development (Taylor, 2008). The connection of this
theory to the topic is the communication between the child and the OFW parent. Taylor indicates
that children needs the support of a parent or a guardian in order to develop. It also says that
students who have an OFW parent tends to lack the moral support and love. This theory will
support our topic.
2.4 Definition and terms
1. Adolescence - is a person who suffered puberty stage that needs some guidance from their
parents .
2. Coping mechanisms - a person's way of managing stress.
3. Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) - All Filipino workers whose job are in another country.
4. Purposive sampling - a type of sampling that researchers pick the population that will
overcome the perspective criteria.
5. Triangulated perspective - different perspective on the topic.
3.0 Methodology
This study is a qualitative research using phenomenology. For an in-depth exploration of
the topic, semi-structured interviews, observations were considered to provide triangulated
perspective of the study. Validation and cross-checking of participants’ information were done as
part of the study. The methodology included the research design, research instrument, sampling
and research setting, data collection procedure, ethical consideration, data analysis.
3.1 Research Design
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The researchers use the method of phenomenological study as this explored the lived
experiences of students whose parents are working overseas. A phenomenology is “a strategy of
inquiry in which the researcher identifies the essence of human experiences about a phenomenon
as described by participants” (Creswell, 2009, p. December2018, Vol. 21, No. 29). This study
aims to develop new knowledge regarding the academic performances of students taking the
course of ABM with an OFW parents.
3.2 Research Locale
The researchers will conduct an interview to the ABM students in the Our Lady of
Fatima University Valenzuela. Located at 120 MacArthur Highway, Marulas Valenzuela City.
3.3 Population and Sampling
The researcher’s population are OLFU student who have an OFW parents. The
researchers needs to find a specific kind of experience that can only be found when asked and this
action fits the purposive sampling. The Purposive sampling, also known as judgmental, selective,
or subjective sampling, is a form of non-probability sampling in which researchers rely on their
own judgment when choosing members of the population to participate in their study. Creswell
(2009) cited that three to ten participants are adequate in the phenomenological approach. The
researchers have a total of eight (8) respondents that will meet the criteria, either a female or
male, age range are 15-20 years old.
3.4 Research Instruments
The researchers made 10 confidential questions to be used in the interview to answer the
questions regarding our study. The researchers use a pen, notepad, audio recording and the
interviewer for this study. The interviewer is the most important instrument as they are the one to
that will gather data from the respondents, A screening test will be conducted with the use of an
open-ended question, semi-structured and a face-to-face interview. A face-to-face interview
allows the researchers to probe for explanation of responses. It is useful for targeting detailed
perceptions, opinions, and attitudes. It also gives you the opportunity to interpret body
language and facial expressions (Marshall, 2016). Researchers will begin with an interview
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after meeting the researcher's criteria. It will take 5 - 15 minutes interview depending on the
length of the respondent's statement.
3.5 Research Ethics
The researchers requested permission from the participants and their approval was
manifested through informed consent. the researchers assured the participants of the strict
anonymity and confidentiality of their participation in the conduct of the study. Permission to
conduct the study in the university was duly approved by concerned authorities.
3.6 Data Collection
The researchers conducted an in-depth face-to-face semi-structured interview to elicit
information from the participants. To ensure that everything was recorded, the researchers used
an audio recorder with the permission of the participants. the researchers ended the interview with
the participants after gathering all the needed data through the questions that we asked them.
3.7 Data Analysis
Thematic analysis is a useful method for examining the perspectives of different
research participants, highlighting similarities and differences, and generating unanticipated
insights (Braun and Clarke, 2006). Thematic analysis is also useful for summarizing key features
of a large data set, as it forces the researcher to take a well-structured approach to handling data,
helping to produce a clear and organized final report (King, 2004). Thematic analysis is the best
choice for our topic for it will help the researchers explain the result of the research.
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