1Western Mindanao State University Department of Psychology Experiences and Effects on Academic Performance of College Students with OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker) Parents Andrie T. Amoguis Aubrey A. Aguana Whitney Faith M. Lantaca 2 Chapter I Introduction Background of the Study Overseas Filipino Workers’ work hard not only for their families but for the nation as well. It is apparent that the Philippines have been constantly dependent on their remittances. According to National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), the Philippine economy can only become less dependent on OFWs’ remittances but not completely independent from it. For the first eight months of 2014, total personal remittances – cash and non-cash – have climbed to $17.232 billion. This was because of the remittances of OFWs – land based and sea based workers abroad. Without a doubt, OFWs have become an indispensable part of our lives. Since remittances go straight to households, it is used on the essentials: food, water, clothing, shelter and education, improving the lives of millions of Filipinos and booming the country’s economy. These benefits are more than enough to show the huge contribution of OFWs to our economy. (Hazel Jeremias 2015) According to Melanie Reyes 2008 (Author and Professor at the Miriam College Women and Gender Institute), With this huge number of Filipino migrants (and still more) living the country temporarily (or permanently), more pressing concern is with regard to children left behind, In terms of investments in education, the money brought in by migrant parents increase the levels of educational attainments among their children, opening up more opportunities for their future, Remittances do help improve the quality of life of the migrants and their families. A huge percentage of the parents’ remittances go to tuition fees of their children, allowing them to enrol in private schools offering good quality education. Other 3 studies say remittances can benefit the child in terms of allowing access not only to leisure and recreation but also to cultural activities and contributing to higher achievements in school. which can hinge on the overall academic performance of the school. Bell 2012) . State and federal departments of education are charged with improving schools. As career competition grows ever fiercer in the working world. are also often influenced by concerns about the school's reputation and the possibility of monetary aid from government institutions. According to the Convention on the Rights of Children. The tracking of academic performance fulfills a number of purposes. though invested in fostering good academic habits for the same reason. But with the absence of the parents. legislators and government education departments alike. Areas of achievement and failure in a student's academic career need to be evaluated in order to foster improvement and make full use of the learning process. Parents care about their child's academic performance because they believe good academic results will provide more career choices and job security. they will miss the growing up years of their children and their value formation. or how well a student meets standards set out by local government and the institution itself. parents have the moral obligation and responsibilities for the upbringing and development of their children. technological mechanisms like cellular phones and computers have become the default substitute to personal parenting. In educational institutions. Schools. (Melissa J. this will still not replace the emotional bonding that can develop in the relationship when they are physically present. At the same time. the importance of students doing well in school has caught the attention of parents. and so devise methods of measuring success in order to create plans for improvement. success is measured by academic performance. who rank students by their GPA. they might regularly organize student events such as fundraisers. Scholarship organizations and universities also start by looking at grades. Universities and employers look favourably on consistent leadership activities. Or. especially when hiring recent graduates. Leadership can also indicate academic performance. Some students demonstrate their competence by serving as student body president or holding officer positions in student groups such as the honor society or the science club. as do some employers. This includes schools. specifically the academic performance of students without the guidance of their parents or having OFW parents. (Ellie Williams 2001) The researchers seek to study about the performance. feeling these students will bring that same drive to their classrooms or board rooms. Others participate in volunteer organizations and coordinate food drives or other community outreach efforts. awarding special designations such as valedictorian and salutatorian for those who graduate first and second in their class. .4 People often consider grades first when evaluating academic achievement. pep rallies or dances. we will have fuller perspective on life and we will know how to deal with certain situations. The children long for the presence of the migrant parent(s). Despite the emotional displacement. other female relatives and extended family when both parents are out. the parents have the moral obligation and responsibilities for nurturing and for the development of the children. when the family is stable. Parents who work overseas may put more food on the table that makes and have better means to support their education. Because if we have both parents at home. it can withstand the separation imposed by migration. According to Hearts Apart Focus Group Discussion Research.migrants in many dimensions of well. the departure of one or two parents leaves an emotional mark on the young children left behind. But sometimes there’s a situation that our mother/father leave us and go abroad for the sake of our future. especially when mothers are away. However. Using the definition of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). All of us want to have a perfect and complete family.5 RELATED LITERATURE Family is the most important thing in the world. Under the Convention. Thus. “a child means every human being below the age of eighteen” who are also needing protection against all forms of discrimination. But the author suggests that the children are attended to by the family.mostly the mothers when it is the fathers who migrate.being. they may deprive their children of parental tender loving care and guidance essential in their development as with well-rounded personalities who can confidently take their place in the society (Cabrillas 2008). the children of migrants are not disadvantaged children of non. . teens whose parents are present when they go to bed. we cannot negate the fact that the children are longing for the love and care of their biological parents. disruptions and changes in care giving arrangement (Arias Rufo. On the other side. the mother has always been responsibility of the household. especially for long periods of time.6 In a study conducted by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) entitled Children and Migration in Ecuador: Situation Diagnostic by Gloria Camacho Z. the family is strongly affected and its vulnerability levels depend on whether the father directly takes over the care of their children or he has the support from other women in his family. when the father has migrated. Teens were less likely to experience emotional distress if their parents were in the home when they awoke. Such effects are more felt when it is the mother who works abroad. Resnick(1997)Compared with peers whose parents are often absent throughout the day. from a cultural point of view. as families go through more adjustments. and come home from school are less likely to experience emotional distress. However. It also affects the Child’s Emotional Health . Parental absence creates “displacement. These impacts will be increased if the couple is breaking up prior to or together with the migration. when the mother has migrated. and Kattya Hernandez (2007). If both the father and the mother have migrated.according to Michael D. There is always an emotional aspect that goes along with parents leaving their children. when they came home from . 2008). This situation gets worse when the father stops sending the remittances or they are not enough to cover the basic needs of the family. wake up. the family is not quite affected since. than when it is the father who goes to work abroad. the original family structure is significantly different. In spite of that. it is also a relief to have the family looking after their children who were left-behind. and if their parents had high expectations regarding their academic performance. taking care of the siblings. Regardless of whether the parents are here or not. The 2003 study found that “children of migrants were generally fine and faring better than the children of non . She added that young children may see this as abandonment and not see the “other side of the picture for young children. They were also less likely to experience emotional distress if they engaged in activities with their parents. those who had low selfesteem were more likely to experience emotional distress. it showed that children have generally adjusted socially mainly because of the strong social support from family members and relatives. they only see migration as a form of abandonment of their parents. and when they went to bed. 2000) According to Melanie Reyes (2008) “Children have a different level of acceptance or tolerance of the situation depending on their “cognitive development”. “Migration and Families in Asia”.. taking care of the animals. setting the table/washing dishes. while adolescents may either be receptive or resentful (Carandang. In the previous study by Battistella and Conaco (1996). at dinnertime. Among the common chores are cleaning the house. 2007). they also acknowledge that they learned to be more independent in the process. And although “migrant children reported experiencing 13 2003 difficulties and longing for their absent parents. children also share some responsibilityin the household chores. children with absent mothers showed poorer social adjustment and suffered impeded psychological development. Maruja M.7 school. doing errands. In addition. Butin the 2003 Scalabrini study. etc. Social behavior of children can also be affected by migration of either one or both parents.B.” (Asis. watering plants. 60% of OFW respondents would like to work abroad and would like to take courses in medicine/nursing. In the 2003 study. academic performance and other behavioral concerns . and engineering/architecture. bullying (either as the victim or the bully). need more time and attention from parents considering that it is the time where development is more crucial. Surprisingly. Even if they dream of finishing college education. This view is likewise supported by Añonuevo (2002) showing an alarming reality in terms of children’s aspiration to work like their parents. General well-being . who are at school age. they already developed in their consciousness that they could get a higher salary abroad even without having a college diploma.8 migrants”. Clinical psychologist Anna Katrina Oaminal-Watin(2013) said that for the many years that she's been teaching at the University of Cebu-Banilad. teaching. It showed that children have generally adjusted socially mainly because of the strong social support from family members and relatives." “The strength of family relationship particularly the children’s closeness to their parents. She said it happens as "children. she came across children of OFWs who had problems-truancy.in school. Is reflected in the children’s choice of their parents as role models. “children of migrants are less anxious and less lonely compared with the children of non migrants” (2003 Philippine Study by Scalabrini).”11 Migration has somehow influenced the children’s choice of career and future plans. it could be traced to absentee parents.9 The 2003 study found that “children of migrants were generally fine and faring better than the children of non migrants”. it is always the absentee parents that need help rather than their children. also those who have the tendency to become rebellious not to their parents but to their guardians. unloved. This is in contrast with Battistella and Conaco’s (1996) findings showing children of migrant parents experiencing higher anxiety and loneliness. Michelle Cellona (2013). On a sad note. Cellona explained that if there are children who are misbehaving. Surprisingly. angry. . a licensed psychologist and chairman of Cebu Institute of Technology-University's Department of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences.2003) "The challenge of parenting children and adolescents is that parents need to secure the young person in what is considered an insecure time in development. and worried compared to all groups of children." Watin said. the low level of anxiety and loneliness can also be attributed to the increase of family communication. including non OFW children. ( Philippine Study by Scalabrini. Dr. unfeeling. There are. it is not because their parents are away. the children of migrant mothers reported being lonely. afraid. She said if a child is misbehaving. as there are also children who act similarly even if their parents are living with them. “children of migrants are less anxious and less lonely compared with the children of non migrants”. who could be physically there yet not giving their children quality time. different from the other children. She said in most cases. However. said that most of the students who are children of OFWs that she has met are "performing well" in their classes. For her part. however. 10 "OFW or not as long as you have the right role model at home. as they left them to give them a better life." she said. At the same time. Children with OFW parent coping mechanism OFWs are even closer to their children even if they are separated physically and they always find time to talk to their children online as often as possible (Liv G. and they (the children) are reminded constantly why their parents have to leave them. Cellona said OFWs should not be blamed if some children are lost. 2008). including spiritual formation. then I don't think there will be a problem.It was highly recognized that “the transmission of values. She said it is not easy for a parent to leave his child. But the 2003 study found that migration of parents did not matter in the formation of important values and spirituality since this is also passed on from parents or caregivers. a different level of intimacy which also strengthens the connection and nurturing bonding is being established . Campo. through the help of advance technology. Furthermore. Bradley and Corwyn(2002) from their study stated that a child who comes from a stressful home environment tends to channel that stress into disruptive behavior at school and be less able to develop a healthy social and academic life. 2013). the disruption of family life and the loss of parental attention and discipline resulting from the absence of a parent may hinder children performance in school. from one generation to the next is one of the major responsibilities vested in the family” (Robert Escalante. Theoretical Framework . This is what Tanalega (2002) is also talking about wherein “parenting becomes a long distance love affair synchronized with the fast paced development of technology”. At the same time. videocams) to make their presence felt by their children even if they are thousand miles away. The absence of the parents is replaced through the different technological mechanisms (cellphones. 2002). this “techy” parenting will still not replace the emotional bonding that can develop in the relationship when they are physically present. Unfortunately. “Families on the Move”.11 among migrant families. emails. they will miss the growing up years of their children and their value formation (Tanalega. where children had a loving childhood. resulting from mothers who were slow and inconsistent in responding to their infant’s cries. and that there are different kinds of love experiences for people with different strengths of relationship. affects the child’s personality development and subsequent interpersonal relationships (Ainsworth. Statement of the Problem . while those with avoidant behaviours tend to be detached from both their own feelings and their relationships. Blehar. Adults with secure relationships are confident in both themselves and their relationships. and anxious/ambivalent attachment. amongst them object relations theory.12 A number of theories in psychology shed light on the nature and drivers of family formation. with mothers who were sensitive and responsive to their needs. attachment theory argues that the bonds between a child and its care-giver. Bowlby and Ainsworth (1991) outlined three kinds of attachments that infants had to their mothers: secure attachment. Waters and Wall 1978). Anxious or ambivalent adults are likely to be apprehensive and distressed both in themselves and in relationships (Morgan and Shaver 1999). avoidant attachment. usually the mother. characterising children who were constantly denied physical contact by their mothers. and theories of personality. attachment theory. Attachment theory offers insights into the formation and maintenance of family relationships. Like object relations theories. Attachment theories argue that the formation and strengthening of relationships in adulthood parallel attachments styles of infancy. guidance counselors and professors who need to deal with students having problems because of having OFW parents. Apart from this. How do the Children with OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker) parents perform academically? 3. How having OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker) parents can affect the academic performance of their children? Significance of the Study This study on the Academic Performance of Children with OFW parent is significant because it can serve as a database leading to guidelines for parents.13 1. What are Experiences of college students with OFW parents in terms of: Parental absentees Emotional Health Social behavior Financial Stability 2. It may help parents to . the study may also serve as a reference material for parents who are thinking of leaving their children behind to work in other countries. It can also be a way to predict possible areas of concern and ways of addressing problems of students with OFW parents. CHAPTER II METHOD Design Case Study .14 know what is best for their children and act accordingly. Participants This study involved only five adolescents in the university (WMSU) setting who has at least one parent that works abroad for not less than three years. Social scientists. Baliwasan. Once participants have clearly stated their willingness to participate in the study by signing consent forms. three institutes and two autonomous campuses offering undergraduate and postgraduate courses specializing in education. The school has 12 colleges. have made use of this qualitative research method to examine contemporary real-life situations and provide the basis for the application of ideas and extension of method. and requested for their permission to participate in the study. It is located at Normal Road . Case studies emphasize detailed contextual analysis of a limited number of events or conditions and their relationships. engineering. For the data gathering proper.15 Case study research excels at bringing us to an understanding of complex issue or objects and can extend experience or add strength to what is already known through previous research. the researchers identified individuals who may qualify as participants. nursing. . arts and humanities. Zamboanga City. in particular. they were asked to partake in the interview. Setting The research will be conducted within the premises of Western Mindanao State University. architecture. Procedure The goal of this project will be to study the College student of OFW parents with respect to their social world and the factors which affect the nature of their interactions. It also offers external studies and non-formal education courses.000 square metres and 9. Along with these major fields of concentration. A convenient sample of five (5) students will be obtained through purposive sampling. social work. forestry. including the newly integrated formerly CHED-supervised institutions in Molave and Tampilisan. science and mathematics. Campuses comprising the external studies units are in the provinces ofZamboanga del Sur.16 social work. Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga Sibugay. The researchers will now then proceed to conduct personal interview with the participants for data gathering. nutrition and dietetics. It has a student population of over 22. 20 kilometers from the city.000. It has two campuses: the main campus of 79. criminology. . regular faculty members of over 600 and over 150 administrative personnel. WMSU offers courses in agriculture. home economics. Asian and Islamic Studies and special degree courses for foreign students.000 square metres occupied by the College of Agriculture and the College of Forestry lin San Ramon.147 square metres is in the city (Barangay Baliwasan) and the satellite campus of 200.Each person who agrees will be asked to read and sign an informed consent form prior to participating and promised their complete participation. the effects and the parent-child relationship of the children of OFWs. This specific part of the interview and FGD was done to fulfill the requirement. In this case.Financial stability and social .Emotional health. Its analysis then requires identifying and naming themes according to the responses of the participants. At the end of every interview and also after the FGD. a concept is chosen for examination. the researcher that has been assigned to take down notes summarized what went through and asked the participant/s if they agreed on the data that has been collected. the concepts that have been chosen are the experiences. The selected students should have parent or parents who are Overseas Filipino Workers.This paper tackles the experiences (Parental Absentees. reliability and validity check Limitation of the study This research only covered 5 participants who are college student of WMSU.17 Data Analysis Thematic analysis was used to make significant deductions from the qualitative data that has been transcribed. they were given the right to raise their points and correct the researcher. If not. In thematic analysis. H.inquirer.net/119985/winners-of-overseas-filipinos-essay-contest-honored . Available. REFERENCES: Jeremias. http://globalnation. 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