THE CHALLENGES

OF MIDDLE AND
LATE ADOLESENCE

Chapter 5
• Challenges During Adolesence
• Three Filipino Adolescents, Three Heroes
• Defining Responsibilities and Expectations
OBJECTIVES
At the end of this chapter, you are expected to:

1 discuss that facing the challenges during adolescence may

clarify and manage the demands of teen years;

2. express your feelings on the expectations of the significant

people around you (parents, sibling, friends, teachers, and
community leaders); and

3. make affirmation that help one become more lovable and

capable as an adolescent.
 WHAT DO YOU THINK
ARE THE CHALLENGES
FACED BY FILIPINO
MIDDLE AND LATE
ADOLESCENTS TODAY?
THE MAN WHO BROKE MY NECK
Joshua Prager
QUESTIONS
1. What particular challenge did this man face?
2. What did he do so that he could take on the
challenge?
3. What enabled him to resolve his special
challenge?
4. Share a similar story, either yours or by
others you know who experienced a similar
challenge.
CHALLENGES
DURING
ADOLESCENCE
"HOW THE WORST MOMENTS IN OUR
LIVES MAKES US WHO WE ARE"
Andrew Solomon
 COMMON CHALLENGES NORMAL
ADOLESCENTS ENCOUNTER

1. Attitudes and Behavior Toward Sexuality and

Sexual Relationships.

-Puberty drives the adolescent to experience surges of sexual

desires, which often lead them to experimentation and exploration.
While this is often healthy to engage in, there is the danger of
losing control over one's sexual drives which may end up in lifetime
of regrets.
2. Academic Concerns

-Being responsible is called for when dealing with academic

challenges. Academic grades are not the only indicators of learning
but also dscipline, openness, perseverance, diligence, excellence,
curiosity, analytical and critical thinking, memory, understanding,
cooperation and team work, respecting other people's opinions and
beliefs, social interactions, leadership, and followership are some of
the important skills and values. Aside from learning these skills, one
also acquires knowledge while studying. Memorization and
comprehension are necessary elements in obtaining knowledge.
3. Group Belongingness

-An adolescent wants to belong. While there is an urge to be

independent and autonomous from his family and parents, there
is also an urge to seek a replacement of this support system,
this time in the form of social groupings such as school friends,
memberships in organizations, and community. An adolescent
with a low self-esteem might drawn toward organizations that
promise camaraderie in the form of walang-iwanan, do-or-die, or
one- for-all-and-all-for-one kind of social support.
4. Health and Nutrition

-A healthy mind and body is what every adolescent (and

everybody else) should strive for. However, adolescents,
because of their growing bodies and brains, are gifted with so
much energy that seems _inexhaustible, oftentimes resulting in
abuse of one's body and mind. Lack of sleep and poor eating
habits often result in disaster.
Learn to listen to your body.
5. Developing or Regaining Self-Esteem

-Adolescents who are creating their self-identity should be

objective and balanced when viewing themselves. Being
objective means seeing oneself as having both strengths and
weaknesses or having positive and negative traits. Balancing
how one see's oneself means to avoid over-emphasizing an
aspect of one's identity

-Adolescents at this stage are very self-conscious, and often

view themselves as unattractive, lacking the kind of physical look
that is often dictated by the advertising and image business
industries. For example, the surge in the use of skin whiteners
and how advertising extols women with fairer skin over those
with a darker complexion clearly reflect how many Filipinos
disdain their dark complexion.
 -Accepting one's body type is better than rejecting it when there
is not much one can do (except plastic surgery, liposuction,
regular exercise, and body building, among others) to alter it. In
improving one's image, consultants from the image industry offer
several options: finding out one's color direction (either for fairer
or darker skin or anywhere-in-between complexions), accepting
one's body type and selecting the appropriate cuts and designs
for one's clothing to improve the visual perception of one's overall
image, and celebrating one's physical beauty as one's own and
not as dictated by social norms or advertising.

-Grooming is also an important aspect of an adolescent's

lifestyle, which can affect his self-esteem. Proper grooming and
self-care can help improve one's feeling and attitude about
oneself.
6. Roles

-All human beings have roles to play in their lives. Roles are
part of one's identity.

-Roles seem separate and different from each other,

adolescents must learn to integrate all these roles and it
should be clear that these roles are related to the tasks
expected of them by others. When there is a disparity
between one's self-identity and the roles one play, then
confusion arises.
7. Material Poverty

-There are many stories about school children and adolescent

students who live in far-flung areas where infrastructure is not
available and of those who do not have much choice but to walk
when going to school.
8. Parents Working Abroad

-This is another social phenomenon experienced by many

Filipino families today linked to poverty are parents who leave
their families to work abroad to support the needs of their
families.

-In an article entitled "Migration and Filipino Children Left

Behind: A Literature Review" by Professor Melanie Reyes of the
Miriam College Women and Gender Institute for the UNICEF,
Professor Reyes wrote that several studies showed how
migration of parents is indeed. heartbreaking for children,
making them long for parental care, get confused over gender
roles, be vulnerable to abuse, and even develop consumerist
attitudes.
 - The behavior exhibited behind sadness, lonliness and
thoughts vary from person to person. Some may react negatively
by being angry at themselves or feel resentment toward the
absent parent/s, some may act in rebellious ways toward elders
who stay with them at home, or may become over-dependent on
their friends and other people who serve as substitutes for their
absent parents. Others will channel their emotions to buying
material things to compensate for the lost love and caring of a
parent; hence, the prevalence of materialism among
adolescents.

-Some children of OFWs often resort to emotional blackmail just

to get what they want, like a new gadget or an expensive pair of
shoes.
 - Those who react in a more positive way will see their situation
as a consequence of the socioeconomic needs of their family to
survive and have better lives. They see their parents who work
abroad as offering so much sacrifice for their welfare.

-Support systems are necessary for growing persons;

therefore, an adolescent with parents who work abroad should
be able to identify people he can trust and lean on for support
whenever he needs it. These can be family members, relatives,
or friends who are genuinely concerned for his welfare.
9. Career Choice

-When finding the right career, adolescents need to know what

their interests are, what things they find exciting and challenging,
and what their skills are. It has often been said that in pursuing a
career, look at what you love to do and are passionate about,
pursue it, make plans, execute the plans, and success will
eventually follow. But here is a word of caution: be ready to
make sacrifices before you can attain the kind of wealth and
fame that may come in doing what you love to do.
10. Relationships

-Maintaining healthy relationships require a certain level of

maturity. An adolescent who is still in the process of acquiring
maturity may often find maintaining relationships challenging.

-At home, a female adolescent who desires autonomy and

independence will encounter more parental objections.

-Among friends, adolescents can be more relaxed. This is the

stage when friendships develop easily and frequently.
Adolescents find it easier to bond with friends rather than with
family members who "do not understand them."
 -Envy due to comparisons is also a major cause of
breakdowns in relationships.
Adolescents who are still determining their self-identities
oftentimes become critical of others who do not conform to what
they like or believe in.

-Romantic relationships are inevitable and equally challenging

to an adolescent. When emotions are involved, it is often difficult
to be objective, and many adolescents are still developing their
skills in understanding their emotions.
Breakups in romantic relationships occur very frequently among
adolescents because of immaturity.
11. Values and Beliefs

-The challenge of knowing what is important and of great value

to an adolescent is linked to one's self-concept and identity. An
adolescent who puts great value in life will preserve life in all
instances. This value may be reflected in an adolescent's stand
against the death penalty or any senseless crimes that take
away people's right to live.
While to some, safety and security might be of value to them, it
is because lives may be put at risk if people are not safe and
secure.
12. Other Challenges

-There are many other challenges facing adolescents, and

some may not even be aware that they are experiencing them,
such as depression.
THREE FILIPINO ADOLESCENTS,
THREE HEROES

GREGORIO DEL EGDAR JOPSON EFREN

PILAR PEÑAFLORIDA
 GREGORIO DEL
PILAR
-Gregorio del Pilar was fondly called as
“Goyong” and eventually referred to by his
fellow revolutionaries as "Boy General" for
being the youngest ever to be
commissioned as such by the Filipino
revolutionary forces that fought the
Spaniards and the Americans.

-Born in Bulacan on November 14, 1875.

He graduated from the Ateneo Municipal
de Manila with a bachelor's degree.

-Joined the revolutionary forces at 20 and

was killed in the Battle of Tirad Pass in
Ilocos Sur (December 2, 1899)
EDGAR JOPSON
-Edgar Jopson ("Ediop") was born on
September 1, 1948, of middle-class parents
who owned a small grocery store in
Sampaloc, Manila.

-He graduated as the valedictorian of his

high school class in Ateneo. He was an
active high school student, joining
organizations such as the Ateneo
Catechetical Instruction League, Solidarity of
Mary, and the Student Catholic Action.

-While taking up law at the University of the

Philippines, he became the Student Council
President and the President of the National
Edgar Jopson Union of Students of the
Philippines (NUSP).
EDGAR JOPSON
-He was wlso one of the Ten Outstanding
Young Men of the Philippines (TOYM) in
1970.

-He was a moderate activist during Martial

Law years under President Marcos.

-He joined the revolutionary forces of the

underground movement. In 1979, he was
arrested and tortured in prison. He
managed to escape imprisonment and
continued his underground work. In 1982,
while eluding arrest, he was gunned down
on his way out. He was 34.
 EFREN
PEÑAFLORIDA
-Efren Peñaflorida ("Efren") was just 16
ears old when he started an organization
called Dynamic Teen Company with his
fellow students to keep adolescents like
him away from trouble.

-His organization helped poor children

who couldn’t afford to go to school by
innovating the “pushcart classroom” which
is made of “kariton”. The pushcart carries
school supplies and books which they use
for the classes that they hold in unusual
places, such as dumpsites and
cemeteries.
 EFREN
PEÑAFLORIDA
-His parents were of humble means and they
lived in an open dumpsite somewhere in
Cavite City.

-He graduated from grade school and high

school with the help of scholarships and
financial assistance. He graduated from San
Sebastian College Recoletos de Cavite with
a degree in Computer Technology. He
continued his studies at the Cavite State
University with a degree in Secondary
Education and graduated as cum laude in
2006.

-Awarded CNN Hero of the Year (November

22,2009)
 DEFINING 31

RESPONSIBILITIES AND
EXPECTATIONS

If you were to identify these roles, they will include all of these: First of all, you are a member of
the human race. Second, you are a citizen of the world and of the Philippines. Third, you are a
resident of your city, town, and barangay. Fourth, you are a member of your family and probably
have siblings and a set of parents. Fifth, you are a student in a local public or private high school.
Sixth, you are a friend to somebody, and this relationship may be romantic or friendly. Seventh,
you are probably a member of an informal friendly group or student organization. Seventh, you are
a child of the universe, a child of God. Lastly, you are you, and you have responsibilities to yourself
as your own personal caregiver. Based on these roles, what do you think are your responsibilities
and what are expected of you? For each of these roles, what values should you have in order for
you to fulfill your responsibilities? On the table below, fill in the blank boxes with your thoughts and
feelings about what your responsibilities and what others expect from you. You may use separate
sheets of paper to fill up this table.
 The Values I Need to My What are Expected of
My Roles Fulfill My Role Responsibilities Me Based on My
Effectively Based on My Role Role

A Member of the
Human Race

A Citizen of the
Philippines

A Resident of my
City/Town

A Member of my
Family

A Student at
_________________

A Friend to
Someone

A Member of a
Social Group/Org
A Child of a
Universe/ Child of
God

I Am Me
 33

SUMMARY
1. There are special challenges faced by adolescents, which
result from the changes that are happening to them.

2. These challenges are also related to the crisis during the

adolescence phase as theorized by Erik Erikson concerning
identity and role confusion. If this crisis is not resolved, it will
continue to persist and may continue even into adulthood.

3. Attitude plays an important role in facing these challenges. If

these challenges are taken as necessary stepping-stones toward
greater maturity, the adolescent can then transition more smoothly
to adulthood with more confidence and self-
esteem.
 34

SUMMARY
4. These are the challenges a middle and late
adolescent may be experiencing:
a. attitudes and behavior toward sexuality and sexual
relationships
b. academic concerns
c. group belongingness health and nutrition
e. developing or regaining self-esteem
f. roles
g. material poverty j. relationships
h. parents working abroad k. values and beliefs
i. career choices l. other challenges
 35

SUMMARY
5. Expectations are tied to one's roles and
responsibilities. People's expectations of you are
clarified and can become manageable if your roles and
responsibilities are well defined.
THANK YOU
FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION
AND ATTENTION, WE HOPE
ALL OF YOU LEARNED
SOMETHING