Experiences of Grades 7-10 Children of Overseas Filipino Workers of Recto Memorial National High School in Tiaong, Quezon: Basis for the Formulation of Program for Children of OFWs

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) are the country's modern heroes because of their contribution to the Philippine economy. Yet, the effects of overseas employment to their families especially to their children left at home are manifested in student performances in school, especially to students’ attitudes. Committed to the Department of Education Vision and Mission and Department of Education Quezon's advocacy, "Bawat Bata Kinakalinga," this research aims to identify the possible root causes of its different effects and come up with different ways of promoting effective assistance to the OFW children to understand and accept the so-called edges of being a child of an OFW.

METHODS

The study used Triangulation in conducting an in-depth descriptive comparative research and exploration of the experiences of Grades 7-10 children of Overseas Filipino Workers. Four research instruments were used to interpret data: frequency-percentage distribution, weighted arithmetic mean, t-tests, and ANOVA. Purposive sampling was employed since the target respondents were children of OFWs.

RESULTS

The results reveal that most of the Grades 7-10 children of OFW are female. The highest number of respondents came from Grade 7. Most of the parents working abroad were mothers. The common age of respondents when their father and/or mother left to work abroad was 6 years old and 2 years old when both parents left. Parents who were OFWs were working abroad from 1 to 5 years. The common caregivers of the children of OFWs were mothers. The Grades 7-10 children of Overseas Filipino Workers have seldom experienced the physical, mental, and emotional aspects of development while they often experienced the social and spiritual aspects.

DISCUSSIONS

The results demonstrate the need for a special program for children of OFW with trainings/workshops for teachers to increase their awareness on the conditions of children of OFWs. Teachers' guidance and appropriate approaches such as positive atmosphere and special counselling to affected OFW children are contributing factors to make them understand the real situation. Parents working overseas and the children caregivers' full awareness of what is going on in their children's lives are expected outcomes of the program.