GROWING UP APART: THE EXPERIENCE AND STRUGGLES OF

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH OFW PARENTS

JELLY C. ALAMIDA

CAREN B. AMELIC

EUNICE C. BUNTAG

AL-FAYED M. GIGATO

EZRA MARIE B. GUMOBAO

KENNETH L. MATANGCAS

RHEA S. MAYNAGCOT

EDJAN TALIB

JEXIE VARN BELLE L. TERO

 January 2024

Chapter I

INTRODUCTION

Rationale

Overseas work has become a viable solution in addressing the

problems encountered by one out of every 12 Filipino families.

Although it has brought opportunities for a better and financially

stable life, it has resulted in inevitable consequences that could affect

children who are left behind. According to Distor & Campus (2021)

being left behind by parents is not easy. The absence of the parents

can affect children in many ways especially when it comes to decision-

making. This gives them a burden or additional pressure on the

thinking process of teenagers. While there have been studies on the

impact of parental migration on children's well-being, most of these

studies have focused on the negative effects, such as depression,

anxiety, and academic difficulties.

Left-behind children of migrating parents have become a matter

of growing concern to the global community Abramovich, Cernadas, &

Morlachetti (2011) given the ever-increasing worldwide trend in

international migration. Calls have been made for migrant-sending

countries to develop policies that can address the specific

vulnerabilities of these children by ensuring the benefits that they

have gained from their parents’ migration can be sustained and the
negative consequences brought about by family separation can be

mitigated (Abramovich et al., 2011).

In the Philippines, left-behind children by migrating parents are

known as the anak ng OFW (children of OFWs) since their migrant

parents belong to a population sector known as the Overseas Filipino

Workers or OFWs.

In the Philippines, the role of the parents is very vital in shaping

student developmental outcomes especially in academic performance.

According to Lobos, Juliata, & Peñalba (2019) despite their full

awareness of the reasons why their parents had to leave, they had to

deal with mostly negative consequences of parental absence on their

well-being. Generally, they experienced negative emotions such as

loneliness, grief, sadness, anxiety, fear, and even feeling of emptiness.

Such emotions emanated from the difficulty of moving forward after

being separated from their parents, increased relationship gap, limited

opportunities for communication, and acknowledgment of their

parents' sacrifices.

Although studies have been conducted on the effects of parental

migration on children's well-being, most of them focus on negative

effects such as depression, anxiety and academic difficulties, more

research is being conducted on the impact of parental absence on the

development of children, but there is still a considerable gap in

understanding how this phenomenon affects OFW parents in

particular.

This study explores how students with parents working abroad

cope up with their situation without their parents' guidance. This

study aims to understand the experiences, challenges, and difficulties

of these children. The study focuses on the outcomes of students with

parents working abroad in the Philippines, specifically their academic

and emotional well-being.

Statement of the Problem

This Phenomenological study aims to understand the

experiences of students’ with OFW parents in Matiao National High

School. The result of this study will contribute a deeper

understanding on the experiences of students in MNHS growing up

with OFW parents and how does parental migration affect their coping

mechanisms, academic performance, and relationships with their

family members.

Research Questions:

This Qualitative study will investigate these following questions:

1. What are the experiences and struggles of students in MNHS with

OFW Parents?

2. What emotional, psychological, and academic challenges do these

children often face, and how do they deal with them?

3. What are their coping mechanisms for dealing with problems

without their parent’s presence?

4. How does communication with their OFW parents affect the parent-

child relationship and the student’s overall well-being?

5. How do students with OFW parents in Matiao NHS manage their

responsibilities at home in the absence of their parents?

Scope and Delimitation

This Qualitative research aims to understand the experiences

and struggles of students with OFW parent/s in Matiao National High

School. According to Alase (2017) qualitative research infuses an

added advantage to the exploratory capability researchers needs to

explore and investigate their research studies. This study focuses on

exploring the experiences and challenges faced by students with

Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) parents. It addresses the emotional,

academic, and social aspects of their lives, aiming to provide a

comprehensive understanding of how parental overseas employment

influences the overall well-being of these students.

The researchers will formulate questionnaires that will be

conducted to respondents. The questionnaires consist of five (5)

questions. And in the interviewing part, the respondents will be asked

an open-ended question in which this can determine their

experiences, feelings and ways of coping up as anak ng OFW. The

study will only focus on exploring the experiences of students with

OFW parent/s, the challenges they have encountered, and how they

coped with the situation.

Significance of the Study

The result of this study will be significant in understanding

challenges faced by children whose parents work overseas. By

exploring their experiences, this research contributes to a deeper

understanding of the academic and emotional impact of parental

overseas employment to the students.

In particular, this study will be beneficial to the following:

School Administrators: To gain knowledge and strategies that

can empower them to make informed decisions, improve their

leadership skills, and ultimately, elevate the quality of education

provided in their institutions.

Teachers: Teachers stand to benefit significantly from the study

as it provides insights into the experiences of students with OFW

parents. Understanding these challenges enables educators to adapt

their teaching methods and classroom approaches, creating an

environment that is more responsive to the emotional and academic

needs of these students.

Parents: The research may offer valuable insights to parents

working overseas, helping them comprehend the impact of their

absence on their children. This understanding could prompt proactive

measures to maintain strong familial bonds despite physical

distances, potentially improving communication and emotional

support.

Students: The study's insights can directly benefit students by

understanding their experiences and struggles. Understanding their

challenges can guide educators and parents in developing their

support, ensuring these students receive the assistance needed for

academic and emotional well-being.

Definition of Terms

To explicitly understand the study, the following terms are

conceptually and operationally defined:

Academic Performance. Is defined as students’ ability to carry out

academic tasks, and it measures their achievement across different

academic subjects using objective measures such as final course

grades and grading point average (Busalim et al. 2019).

Coping Mechanism. Is defined as the thoughts and behaviors

mobilized to manage internal and external stressful situations

(Folkman & Moskowitz 2004). It is a term used distinctively for

conscious and voluntary mobilization of acts, different from 'defense

mechanisms' that are subconscious or unconscious adaptive

responses, both of which aim to reduce or tolerate stress (Venner

1988).

Experience.

OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker).

Struggles.
Theoretical Lens

Children treasure the personal attention and care that comes

from their parents. However, children whose parents are contract

workers abroad are not able to receive personal time and attention.

These observations will be examined and supported by specific

theories. This study makes the use of the General Systems Theory

Von Bertalanffy (1950), Theory of Parenting Styles of Baumrind (1991)

and the Structural Family Theory of Minuchin (1974).

The General System Theory of Von Bertalanffy (1950) assumes

that a family must be understood as a whole. Each family is more

than the sum of its parts; the family has characteristics, behavior

patterns, and cycles beyond how individual family members might act

on their own. Individual members and family subsystems are

interdependent and have mutual influence.

This theory assumes that studying one member is insufficient to

understand the family system. To assess patterns of adjustment in

immigrant families, we must look both at the structure of the family

unit and the processes that occur within that family system.

Second, the Theory of Parenting Styles by Baumrind (1991)

states that it presents four parenting styles: indulgent, authoritarian,

authoritative, and uninvolved. The indulgent parenting style is also

referred to as permissive. Indulgent parents emphasize nurturance,

whereas authoritarian parents emphasize control. The authoritative

parent sets standards for their children, yet is able to be supportive.

The uninvolved parent is low on both responsiveness and control.

The authoritative parenting style is the most common parenting

style used by the Filipino parents and the majority of the parents

adopt mixed parenting styles. Proper counseling of parents on the

appropriate parenting style in early childhood will optimize

development in children.

Lastly, this research will use the Structural Family Theory of

Minuchin (1974), it provides a framework for the family structure.

According to Minuchin (1974), there is a hierarchal structure with

clear boundaries in which the parents possess the leadership role.

However, this can be unsettled with boundaries that are too rigid,

leading to disengagement or the boundaries being too loose, resulting

in an enmeshed subsystem. Structural family theory illustrates the

importance of roles. Each member of the family balances a few roles.

For example, a mother also serves as a wife. In addition, along with

her husband, they operate as a team to manage family functioning.

Review of Related Literature

 The number of OFWs in the country is growing, which also

indicates that more Filipino parents are leaving their families and

children behind due to various reasons (Montajes 2023).In an attempt

to find a better life, the majority of overseas Filipino workers would

leave their families and work abroad for years or even longer, often

putting their relationships with their kids in risk (Montajes 2023).

Overseas Filipino Workers opt to go overseas for a number of reasons.

Some says it's the better economic and political state of other

countries. Others do because they have no other choice. There are no

job opportunities in our country, the Philippines which many Filipinos

are forced to work abroad. They can find better salary opportunities

abroad than staying in Philippines (Dialde 2023). Aside from higher

salary, sending their children to the school, and to have small

properties or investments. The money they invested in it caused them

hard work, patience and problems before achieving these dreams

(Bautista & Tamayo 2020).

Children in general, usually look up to their parents in terms of

how they should act. The family serves as the first institution, in

which children learn the very basic and essential values. Parents are

there to give their children the love that they need, teach them what is

the right and what is wrong while a child sees their parents as a role

model and the most important person in their life (Pajarillo-Aquino

2019). According to Distor & Campus (2021), it’s difficult to be left by

your parents. The absence of the parents can affect children in many
ways especially when it comes to decision-making. This puts a

pressure or extra burden on teens' ability to think.

Malbas (2023) emphasize the significance of a parent's ability to

respond to a child's needs, leading to the development of competent,

sociable, and adaptable adults. Conversely, a failure to establish a

meaningful bond with children may contribute to a higher likelihood

of antisocial behaviors, depression, anxiety, and reduced self-

confidence. In the study of Aquino (2019), she explains that children

of OFWs are frequently deprived of attention and guidance from their

parents, who yearn to provide the care they are unable to due to

working away from home to provide their basic needs. Therefore, as

children start to study, parents must help guide, teach, and lead their

children. It is the responsibility of parents to care for their children; it

is challenging for students to have someone to guide them,

particularly in their studies.

Maculada (2019) found that children of OFWs often experience

feelings of loneliness, discomfort, and abandonment, leading to

behavioral issues like rebellion and substance abuse. Students with

OFW parents tend to have higher educational aspirations, potentially

motivated by their parents' sacrifices. However, other studies suggest

that separation can lead to lower academic achievement due to factors

like lack of parental guidance and emotional distress (Maculada

2019). While they face challenges related to emotional well-being and

academic performance, they also demonstrate resilience and

adaptability.

In addition, these mothers’ long-distance parenting also

depends on being able to communicate with their children’s caregivers

so that they can easily consult parenting matters with them.

Furthermore, long-distance parenting also depends on being able to

choose and use communication media and technologies that would

meet the families’ communication needs and overseas communication

budget. Migrant mothers confirm that long-distance communication

and use of communication media and technologies make parenting,

even across borders, possible. Parental absence, however temporary,

can still have a significant impact on children left behind. Among the

consequences are a decrease in cognitive development and a

compromising of long-term human capital accumulation and income-

generating potential in the long run (2020). According to Medina

(2019), students that have Overseas Filipino Worker parents may

experience some behavioral problems because of the lack of

interaction and attention with their parents. The changes on the

behavior and attitude of students can affect their academic

performances, and one of the reason is the lacking of motivation and

encouragement to study, that they want the most from their parents,

especially during pandemic where everyone is seeking for love, care,

and attention inside their home.

 The responsibilities and their roles inside their homes also

changes. The responsibility of decision-making and other resources is

being passed down to the caregivers of the children, usually their

grandparents (Treleaven & Ngin 2021). The feeling of loneliness

and hardship worsens as they tend to worry about each other

due to the pandemic and the longtime separation. This study

will focus on the struggles of students towards the parental

absence of their Overseas Filipino Worker parents, and how they

handle different issues and changes that they encounter in life, as a

student and teenager. This includes the coping mechanism of the

students that serve as their aid in handling problems by themselves,

and how they limit to their limitations without the proper assistance

of their parents (Ubay 2023).

 Chapter II

METHODOLOGY

Present in this chapter are the discussions on the research

design, research sample, research instrument, data collection

procedure, data analysis procedure, and ethical consideration.

Research Design

This qualitative research employs a phenomenological approach

to explore the lived experiences and struggles of students growing up

with Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) parents.

A phenomenological study explores what people experienced

and focuses on their experience of a phenomenon. Phenomenological

research has traditionally relied on multiple interviews involving open

ended questions, often with each interview having a different focus

(Bevan 2014).

Research Sample

This kind of research uses the Purposive sampling method to

guarantee the participants have a prior experience with the topic of

interest.

It is a non-random technique that does not need underlying

theories or a set number of informants. Simply put, the researcher

decides what needs to be known and sets out to find people who can

and are willing to provide the information by virtue of knowledge or

experience (Bernard 2002

Research Instrument

The instrument will be used in the study is unstructured

interview. This type of interview is particularly useful in qualitative

research, unstructured interview is a research instrument that allows

for a comprehensive exploration of a participant's thoughts, feelings,

and perspectives.

Unlike structured interviews, which follow a rigid format of

predetermined questions, unstructured interviews are flexible and

adapt to the flow of the conversation. This allows the researcher to

delve deeper into the participant's responses and gain a richer

understanding of their experiences and viewpoints (Dicicco-Bloom &

Crabtree 2006).

Data Collection Procedure

In gathering the data, unstructured interviews will be conducted

on this study with the participation of students whose parent/s are

OFWs. Unstructured interviews serve as a powerful tool for gathering

qualitative data. This method provides researchers with rich, detailed

information that can help them understand complex issues from the

perspective of the participants (Bernard, H. R., & Ryan, G. W., 2010).

 This can provide insights into their experience, feelings, and

struggles. The participants will receive the interview questions prior to

the scheduled calling time, and will be informed that the interview will

be translated verbatim. The transcribed data will be reviewed by the

participants to correct the contents if necessary.

Data Analysis Procedure

In analysing the data, thematic network analysis will be

employed. This can be used to identify recurring themes in the data,

such as the emotional impact of separation, the challenges of

maintaining relationships, and the coping mechanisms used by these

students with OFW parents (Clarke & Braun 2013).

Marshall and Rossman (1999) describe data analysis as the

process of bringing order, structure and meaning to the mass of

collected data. It is described as messy, ambiguous and time-

consuming, but also as a creative and fascinating process. Thematic

analysis is a qualitative research method that researchers use to

systematically organise and analyze complex data sets. It is a search

for themes that can capture the narratives available in the account of

data sets. It involves the identification of themes through careful

reading and re-reading of the transcribed data. (King, 2004)

Ethical Consideration
 The Grade 12 students of Matiao National High School with the

experience and struggles with OFW parents and they will be given

time to decide his/her willingness to participate in the research.

His/her refusal will be respected. We must give the respondents

privilege to exercise their free will whether to participate or not. The

transcribed data will be reviewed by the participants to correct the

contents if necessary. Also respondents must be provided with

sufficient information about the procedures and risks involved in the

research and we will able to protect our respondents from any type of

harm whether it maybe physical, psychological, social, or economic.

The anonymity of the respondents will be secured and as well as the

information they provide. We make sure that respondents have the

right to answer. Need citation.

Survey Questionnaires
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