Stories of Daughters Growing Up Without Father

RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
College of Arts and Sciences i
STORIES OF DAUGHTERS GROWING UP WITHOUT A FATHER
An Undergraduate Thesis Presented to the Faculty

of the College of Arts and Sciences
Rizal Technological University
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree

Bachelor of Science in Psychology
by
Raven C. Aguilar
Czarina Faith Cabarloc
Monica I. Lanuza
Edzon T. Pusing
Roy Alvin Sobrevega
January 2024
College of Arts and Sciences ii
APPROVAL SHEET
This thesis entitled “Stories of Daughters Growing up without a Father”,
prepared and submitted by Raven C. Aguilar, Czarina Faith Cabarloc, Monica I. Lañuza,
Edzon T. Pusing, and Roy Alvin Sobrevega in partial fulfillment of the requirements for
the degree Bachelor of Science in Psychology, has been examined and is hereby
recommended for Oral Examination.
January 9, 2024 MARY BETH C. MIRANDA, MA, LPT, RPm
Date Adviser
PANEL OF EXAMINERS
Approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Bachelor of Science in
Psychology with a grade of ____________________
DYNEHGRE P. CASASOLA, MA, RPm
Chairman
AMORSOLO F. ESPIRITU, MA, RPsy, RPm LILIBETH T. CORTEZ, LPT. MA
Member Member
Accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Bachelor of
Science in Psychology
DR. RODRIGO DP. TOMAS, RGC
Date Dean, CAS

College of Arts and Sciences iii
ABSTRACT
This qualitative study explores the lived experiences of daughters growing up
without a father in Metro Manila. The researchers aim to understand the emotional and
psychological impact of father absence and explore the motivations and coping
mechanisms employed by the adolescent daughters. The participants for the study were
required to meet specific criteria: (1) the father did not make an effort to establish a
connection with the daughter, (2) the father made an attempt to know the daughter but
voluntarily chose to leave, or (3) the daughter should not have had any father figures present
during her upbringing. The researchers conducted interviews with ten participants who met
these criteria, aiming to gather rich insights into their experiences and perspectives.
The research delved into the experiences of daughters raised without fathers,
uncovering challenges. Participants described their experiences with economic challenges
and self-discovery difficulties, alongside the impact of father-daughter issues during
upbringing on their financial stability, emotional bonds with others, and societal roles. They
experienced economic challenges, emotional vulnerability, developed relationship patterns,
and challenges in social expectation. Coping strategies, including social connections as
emotional support, cognitive strategies, and spiritual and emotional well-being, were
identified. Overall, the study offers valuable insights into the complex dynamics of growing
up without paternal guidance, emphasizing the importance of holistic support systems for
individuals facing similar circumstances.
Keywords: Father-daughter relationship, Growing up without a Father

College of Arts and Sciences iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The completion of this paper would not have been possible without the invaluable
assistance from institutions and individuals who supported me/us throughout this journey.
We extend our sincere acknowledgements to each of them.
First and foremost, the researchers would like to express gratitude to the Almighty
God for providing the strength and wisdom needed to overcome the challenges faced during
this endeavor.
Researchers were indebted to Rizal Technological University for the opportunities,
generosity, and unwavering support. The institution's contributions have played a pivotal
role in shaping me/us into a goal-oriented and resilient individual.
A heartfelt thanks goes to the College of Arts and Sciences, including the dean,
college staff, department head, and professors, for their unwavering support and trust
throughout this process.
Extend appreciation to the thesis-mates for their dedication and effort amid
numerous challenges faced during this study.
Deepest thanks to the families for their unwavering emotional and financial support,
enabling me/us to persevere through this academic journey.
To the esteemed thesis adviser, Ms. Mary Beth C. Miranda, your guidance,
assistance, comments, suggestions, patience, and expertise have been instrumental in the
success of this study.
Lastly, we acknowledge and thank ourselves for the perseverance and
determination that made this academic achievement possible.

College of Arts and Sciences v
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE……………………………………..………………………………………i
APPROVAL SHEET ………………..………………………………………………….ii
ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………………...iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……..……………………………………...……………….iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS………………………………………………………………..v
LIST OF FIGURES……………………………………………………………………...xiii
LIST OF TABLES……………………………………………………………………….ix
CHAPTER PAGE
I. THE PROBLEM AND CONTEXT………………………………………......1
Introduction….…..………………..………………..………………..…………1
Research Problem…………………..………………..…..……………………7
Theoretical Framework………………..………………………..……………...8
Conceptual Framework………………..……………………..………..……..10
Scope and Delimitation of the Study………………..………...…..………...11
Significance of the Study………………..………………..….....………........12
Definitions of terms………………..………………..……....………………….13
II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURES……………………………….......14
Family Structure……………………………………………………………......14
Importance of Complete Family………………………………………………14
Impact of Complete Family …………………………………………………...16
Personal Development…………………………………………………………16
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CHAPTER PAGE
Father and Daughter Relationships……………………………………………18
Financial Situation………………………………………………………………..18
Factors of Absentee Father………………….………………………………….20
Lived Experiences………………………………………………………………..21
Sexual Activity……………………………………….…………………………...22
Single Parents……………………………………………………………………23
Attachment……………………………………,………………………………….23
Social Development……………………………………………………………...24
Social Role………………………………………………….…………………….25
Synthesis………………………………………………………………………….26
III. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY……………………..……………………….…28
Research Method……………………………………...…………………………28
Sampling…………………………………………………….…………………….28
Participants…………………………………………………….………………….28
Ethical Consideration…………………………………………………………….30
Research Setting………………………………………………………………….30
Research Instruments………………………………………………..…………..30
Data Gathering Procedure……………………………………………..………..31
IV. PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION……..…………………...32
The experiences of daughters related to the absence of a father figure in their
life……………..…………………………………………………………………...32
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CHAPTER PAGE
How the presence of father-daughter issues during upbringing impacts the
participant’s financial stability, emotional bonds with others and societal
roles..…………………………………………………………………………..45
Coping Mechanism…………………………………………………………...62
V. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION…………………….…………74
Conclusion…………………………………………………………..…………74
Recommendation……………………………………………………………...76
BIBLIOGRAPHY……………………………………………………….……...79
APPENDICES…………………………………………………………….……86
Interview/Transcript…………………………………………………………….86
Process Data Analysis………………………………………………………..123
Reflection/Reflexivity………………………………………………………….149
Audio/Video…………………………………………………………………….158
Photos of Actual Fieldwork……………………………………………………159
Participants Validation……………………………………………….………..165
Signed Communication………………………………………………………..178
Certification of Experts…………………………………………………….…..185
Validated Interview Guide Questionnaire……………………………………189
Validated Themes……………………………………………………………...198
Informed Consent………………………………………………………………208
Assent Form…………………………………………………………………….209
Curriculum Vitae………………………………………………………………..220
College of Arts and Sciences viii
LIST OF FIGURES
FIGURE PAGE
1 The Conceptual Framework………………………………………………….……..10
2 Thematic Map of Research Objective 1……………………………………………32
5 Legends for the Responses of Participants……………………………………….123

College of Arts and Sciences ix
LIST OF TABLES
TABLES PAGE
1 The Process of Creating Formulated Meaning from Significant Statements
for Research Question 1……….………………………………………………...123
for Research Question 2…….…………………………………………………...135
for Research Question 3…………………………………………………………144

College of Arts and Sciences 1
CHAPTER I
THE PROBLEM AND ITS CONTEXT
Introduction
Movies like "Parenthood" (1989), "The Royal Tenenbaums" (2001), "Coco" (2017),
and "Instant Family" (2018) provided a diverse and intricate portrayal of family dynamics in
the 21st century. These films explored themes such as personal growth, cultural clashes,
acceptance, and the exploration of one's identity within the context of familial relationships.
They offered an optimistic and heartwarming perspective on families, emphasizing the
strength, love, and support that family bonds provided. These movies highlighted the
transformative power of family connections and the positive influence that a caring and
nurturing family environment can have on individuals' lives.
In the vast tapestry of life, where our individual threads intertwine, there exists a
radiant cornerstone that we hold dear: the concept of family. Like a shimmering constellation
in the night sky, family illuminates our world with its own unique constellation of love,
connection, and unwavering support. As defined by Barnard (2023), family is a fundamental
social unit comprising individuals who share kinship through blood relations, marriage, or
adoption. While typically encompassing parents and their children, it encompassed a
broader network of relatives such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Family
members established a profound sense of belonging and forge intimate connections,
offering emotional support, care, and guidance. As per Mondal (2015), the role of family in
socializing and nurturing individuals is paramount. Within the family, children acquire
values, beliefs, and traditions that shape their identity and conduct. Moreover, family serves
as a primary source of affection, companionship, and security. The notion of family

manifested diversely across cultures and societies. Some cultures defined family beyond
biological or legal ties, extending it to encompass tight-knit communities or chosen families.
Additionally, family structures have evolved over time, and contemporary families embrace
a variety of forms, including single-parent households, blended families, same-sex parent
families, and extended families residing together.
The core of a family lies in the profound bonds, love, and support that bind its
members together, regardless of the specific arrangement or configuration. A complete
family consists of a married couple and their biological or adopted children. The potential to
create a nurturing and stable environment that can positively impact the overall well-being
of its members. Such families provided a sense of belonging, emotional support, and a
foundation for personal growth. Children growing up in complete families often benefit from
having both parental figures actively involved in their lives, which contributes to their
cognitive, emotional, and social development. Research by Pribesh, S., Carson, J. S.,
Dufur, M. J., Yue, Y., & Morgan, K. (2020) examined the impact of dual-parent involvement
on children's well-being through a systematic review of longitudinal studies. The findings
revealed that children with both parents actively involved experienced improved cognitive
development, higher academic achievement, enhanced emotional well-being, and stronger
social skills compared to those in single-parent or non-traditional family structures.
Additionally, a meta-analysis by Fan et al. (2017) found that children with dual-parent
involvement achieved higher academic success, including better grades, test scores, and
overall educational attainment. These studies provided empirical evidence supporting the
positive influence of dual-parent involvement on children's cognitive, emotional, and social
development, highlighted the importance of active engagement from both parents in
creating a supportive and enriching family environment.

Mothers and fathers had distinct roles in their children's lives, with mothers excelling
in providing nurturing and emotional support, while fathers focused on discipline,
boundaries, and encouraging independence. They both served as role models, with
mothers showcasing nurturing and empathy, and fathers exemplifying strength and
independence. Children benefited from the diverse influences and lessons provided by both
parents. They significantly influenced a child's understanding of gender roles and
socialization. Mothers played a crucial role in guiding gender identity and teaching gender-
specific norms and behaviors. Fathers, on the other hand, provided a unique perspective
on masculinity and served as examples of male role models, shaping a child's perception
of gender. The study by Kawabata et al. (2011) examined how maternal and paternal
parenting styles relate to relational aggression in children and adolescents. Maternal
parenting characterized by warmth, support, and appropriate control was associated with
lower levels of relational aggression. Similarly, the paternal warmth and support were also
linked to reduced relational aggression, albeit with a smaller effect size. The association
between paternal parenting and relational aggression was stronger in boys than in girls.
These findings highlighted the importance of nurturing and supportive parenting from both
mothers and fathers in reducing relational aggression.
Parenting styles also vary between mothers and fathers. Although they are not set
in stone, mothers are more hands-on and nurturing while fathers adopt an authoritative or
hands-off approach. However, these styles differ based on individual characteristics,
cultural backgrounds, and personal parenting philosophies. It is important to note that the
impact of mothers and fathers is not limited to these generalizations. In a study by Turner,
Chandler, and Heffer (2009), the researchers explore how parenting styles, achievement
motivation, and self-efficacy impact college students' academic performance. The findings
showed that students with authoritative parents, who offered support, warmth, and
reasonable control, achieved higher academic success compared to those with different
parenting styles. Additionally, students with strong achievement motivation and self-efficacy
demonstrated improved academic performance. These results highlighted the significance
of parenting styles, motivation, and self-belief in shaping college students' academic
outcomes.
Every family is unique, and the influence of parents on children varies based on their
individual strengths, parenting choices, and the specific dynamics within the family. A child's
development benefits from the active and involved presence of both mothers and fathers,
creating a balanced and supportive parenting environment. In conclusion, the combined
efforts of mothers and fathers contributed to the holistic development of children. They
provided diverse perspectives, love, support, and guidance as children navigate their
journey to adulthood. While the specific roles and impacts differ, the ultimate goal achieved
created a nurturing and supportive environment that allowed children to thrive and grow into
well-rounded individuals.
Family dynamics have frequently been regarded as critical to comprehending high-
risk behavior in adolescents. When it comes to the role of the father, his guidelines,
knowledge, care, and support are required for a child's cognitive development and proper
regulation. Furthermore, an adolescent's viewpoint can be influenced in either a positive or
negative way, and the actions they take have a significant impact on their life. It is contended
that the presence of the father improved the emotional well-being of a female adolescent
(Sharma, 2021). However, if the father is absent from a child’s development, it makes it
difficult for them to mature. A father's absence is frequently detrimental linked to emotional
disturbances such as aggression, violent behavior, lack of social competence as well as

academic issues (Kismet, 2022). This phenomenon occurred for a variety of reasons,
including death before a child is born or leaving the family to love another woman or
separation. Although David Brooks (2017) suggested in his article titled 'Why Fathers Leave
Their Children' that fathers do not abandon their families due to a lack of love or laziness,
he argues that they do so because they feel inadequate or unworthy. Brooks suggested that
some fathers may feel incapable of providing for their families or believe that they are not
good enough as fathers or partners. This sense of unworthiness led them to withdraw from
their familial responsibilities and ultimately abandon their families.
Currently, there’s a lot of research study that already discussed the experiences of
adolescents who have an absentee father such as “The Effects of Absent Biological Father
on Female Biological Maturity: Results from a Nationally Representative Sample of
Adolescents” by TenEyck, M., and Sayed, S. This study explores females who grow up
without a father have an earlier onset of puberty and reach pubertal maturity sooner than
their peers who grew up in a home without their present father. “Lived Experiences of Young
Adults in Father-Absent Homes: Struggles and Challenges,” by Castro, D., Velasco, P.,
Moscare, J. and Dioquino, J. Where this study investigated how young adults who grew up
without their fathers coped with the challenges they faced. “Absentee Fathers'
Intergenerational Impact on Developing Children” by Austin, Neil M.A. This study examined
the impact of absentee fathers on children and explores how involving a father figure can
help alleviate the negative consequences experienced by these children. Despite the
prevalence of fathers abandoning their daughters, there is a limited amount of research that
specifically has examined the effects of this phenomenon. There’s a gap in some research
that identifies and understands the challenges and perceptions in the sense of behavior,
financial and social life of female adolescents who grew up with an absentee father. There
are other studies who already address this gap, in which the study identified the socio-
economic factors, and the way fathers perceived them would have a notable impact on the
difficulties experienced by their children (Salami and Okeke, 2018). Therefore, the
researchers proposed to conduct a study that would explore the lived experiences of female
adolescents who grew up without a father.
While it is important to approach this topic with sensitivity and acknowledge that
every individual’s experiences are unique, there are several potential factors that contribute
to the development of certain perceptions and challenges faced by female adolescents in
this situation. This perception of female adolescents who grow up without a father is a
complex and multifaceted issue, often referred to as "daddy issues."
Fathers played a significant role as a male role model in a child’s life, providing
guidance, support, and a sense of security. When a father is absent, there is a lack of
positive male influence that results in uncertainty about male-female relationships and
results in difficulty forming healthy relationship attachments, and challenges in developing
a strong sense of identity and self-worth.
Growing up without a father’s presence has led to various emotional and
psychological challenges. Feelings of abandonment, rejection, and inadequacy arose,
particularly if the absence is perceived as a personal rejection by the father. These emotions
contributed to low self-esteem, trust issues, and a longing for validation and acceptance
from male figures. Since the absence of a father influenced the way female adolescents
perceived and navigated romantic relationships, some may seek validation and approval
from partners, leading to a pattern of engaging in unhealthy or abusive relationships. Others
struggle with commitment and have difficulties trusting and forming secure attachments,
which impact their ability to develop and maintain healthy, fulfilling relationships.
The lack of a father's affirmation and presence results in a search for validation
elsewhere, potentially leading to seeking attention from others and engaged in risky
behaviors. Additionally, the absence of a father's influence in shaping one's cultural, familial,
and personal identity created a sense of loss or confusion regarding one's place in the world.
The primary aim of this study is to understand the emotional and psychological
impact of growing up without a father and explore the motivations and coping mechanisms
that young women employ to navigate their circumstances. In some research, many females
who grew up without a father developed resilience, sought alternative sources of support
and mentorship, and thrived in their personal and professional lives. Supportive
relationships, therapy, and community resources played a vital role in helping individuals
navigate and address these challenges, fostering healing, growth, and the development of
healthy perceptions and relationships. Through this study, the researchers uncover the
experiences that female adolescents faced when growing up without a father and explores
different factors that contributed to these female adolescents' perceptions, with a primary
focus on their social development in relation to financial circumstances, relationships, and
societal roles.
Research Problems
The objective of this study was to explore the lived experiences of female
adolescents growing up without a father, knowing the impact of fatherlessness to their life
experiences, the researchers explored the underlying factors affecting their current
behavior, explores the emotions and motivations of the female adolescents in life, and
assessed their insight about themselves as they identify their character development.
Specifically, the study seeks to answer.
1. How did the female participants describe their experiences related to the absence of a
father figure in their lives?
2. How did the presence of father-daughter issues during upbringing impact the participant's
financial stability, emotional bonds with others, and societal roles?
3. How do they cope with these experiences?
Theoretical Framework
Sociocultural Theory of Cognitive Development
Vygotsky's perspective on children's learning aligns with Piaget's view that children
are naturally curious and actively engaged in their own learning process, actively
constructing their understanding of the world. However, Vygotsky placed more emphasis
on the social aspects of development compared to Piaget's emphasis on self-initiated
discovery. Vygotsky introduced the concept of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD),
which represents the gap between a child's current level of development and their potential
level of development with the assistance of more skilled individuals. In the ZPD, social
interaction plays a crucial role in supporting a child's cognitive development, led to the
acquisition of higher-level reasoning abilities. Vygotsky believed that social dialogues within
the ZPD have two important features that contribute to learning: they provide support and
guidance, and they promote the development of higher mental functions. In summary,
Vygotsky's theory highlights the significance of social interaction and guidance in a child's
development within the Zone of Proximal Development. It suggested that through social
interactions and support from more knowledgeable individuals, children acquire new skills
and advance their cognitive abilities, ultimately leading to the development of higher mental
functions.
Growing up with an absentee father has significant implications for the experiences
of female adolescents, and Vygotsky's sociocultural theory provided some general insights
into understanding these dynamics. According to Vygotsky (1978), social interactions and
the cultural context played a crucial role in cognitive development. In the case of female
adolescents without a father figure, the absence of a male influenced can impact their social
interactions and learning experiences. They may have limited exposure to certain
perspectives, experiences, and skills typically associated with fathers, potentially affecting
their cognitive and social development. The absence of a father's guidance and support
also creates a need for alternative sources of scaffolding and mentorship from other family
members, friends, or mentors. Additionally, the construction of gender identity and the
understanding of gender roles was influenced by the absence of a father, as adolescents
may rely on alternative sources to shape their perception of masculinity and male-female
relationships. Emotional and psychological impacts are also considered, as the absence of
a father can affect the adolescent's emotional well-being and self-esteem. Provided
appropriate support systems, counseling, and opportunities for emotional expression, it
helped address these challenges and promote healthy development. It's important to
recognize that individual experiences can vary, and contextual factors should be taken into
account when understanding the unique experiences of female adolescents growing up with
an absentee father.
Conceptual Framework
Figure 1. The Conceptual Framework
The primary objective of this research study has acquired a comprehensive
understanding of the lived experiences of female adolescents who have grown up with an
absentee father. The study specifically explores different factors that contributed to these
female adolescents' perceptions, with a primary focus on their social development in relation
to financial circumstances, relationships, and societal roles. Additionally, the research
delved into the profound effects on the coping mechanisms employed by those female
adolescents as they navigated their social development. This entailed gaining insight into
the strategies they had developed to confront the challenges they encountered, ultimately
shedding light on the significant influence these factors had on their ability to adapt and
effectively navigate their daily lives.

Scope and Delimitations
The researchers seek participants who are currently living in Metro Manila,
specifically Makati City, Taguig City, Pasig City, and Mandaluyong City. Participants who
live outside of the previously stated cities were not chosen for this study.
In terms of the focus study, the study tackled the lived experiences of female
adolescents who were raised in the absence of a father figure. It delved into various factors
that shaped these female adolescents’ perspectives, particularly focusing on how their
social development was influenced by financial circumstances, relationships, and societal
roles. It also investigated the profound effects on the coping strategies employed by female
adolescents as they navigated through their social development. Due to this, the
researchers did not collect any male participants or individuals who were considered outside
the age range defined by the researchers for this study in order for the sample size to
appropriately represent the population. To gather the appropriate participants for this study,
the researchers used the purposive sampling approach to gather adolescent female
participants who fit the predetermined criteria of the research. Adhering to the research's
three predetermined criteria, situations where the father passed away or remained unaware
of the daughter's existence were excluded. The researchers only considered participants if
the father was currently alive and aware of the daughter's existence. As per the first criterion,
the father had to have had no interaction with the daughter, not even minor ones, for the
researchers to consider the participants. Regarding the second criterion, the father had to
have lived with the daughter for over 3 years before leaving abruptly; instances where they
lived together for less than 3 years or had only a brief introduction been not considered by
the researchers. Corresponding to the third criterion, participants who had a stepfather or
relatives (such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, or cousins) act as father figures during their
upbringing were not considered by the researchers. This study will be conducted in the year
2023. Once the researchers gathered the appropriate participants and the participants
provided their informed consent, the research would then proceed to a face-to-face
interview with the participants of the study which will only focus on their experiences and
motivation focusing on their social development in relation to financial circumstances,
relationships, and societal roles.
Significance of the Study
The adaptation of this study significantly contributed to the wealth of knowledge on
the Effect of Female Adolescents Growing up without a Father in the following ways:
To single mothers. It helped them properly guide and assist their children to make better
decisions and establish good mental, physical, and emotional health for their children.
To the community. The study promoted awareness of the challenges faced in households
without a father figure and emphasized the value of a strong foundation for families to lead
better, more cohesive lives.
To future researchers. This study provided valuable information on this topic, offering
helpful pointers to aid in the review of related literature and in conducting further research.
To government agencies. It helped them understand the issues faced by children in such
situations, enabling them to take appropriate actions and create laws that could benefit
children experiencing these challenges.

Definition of terms
Adolescence. A phase of life that is frequently characterized by notable transformations.
The age ranges from 16 to 18 years old are generally considered the adolescent period.
According to Lazzara (2020), adolescence is the period of development that begins at
puberty and ends at early adulthood or emerging adulthood.
Absent father. A father who lacks involvement in his daughter’s life. According to LSData
(n.d.), an absent father is a male parent who is not living with his child.
Daughter. Refers to a 16- to 18-year-old female who grew up without her respective father
and currently has issues with him and their relationship. According to Oxford Languages
(n.d.), a daughter is a girl or a woman in relation to either or both of her parents.
Father. A father is a male parent who is responsible for providing care, support, and
guidance to his children. In this study, the male parents abandon their daughters due to
various reasons. According to Oxford Languages (n.d.), a father is a man in relation to his
child or children.
Father-daughter relationship. Father-daughter relationship pertains to the quality of the
relationship based on the perceptions and the experiences of the daughters. According to
Hayat (2023), father-daughter relationship is a bond characterized by love, trust, and
companionship, built on the foundation of mutual understanding and support.

CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURES
Family Structure
The measuring of children's living arrangements had lagged, focusing mostly on the
connections between children and their parents while mainly ignoring sibling composition,
despite the diversity of children's family situations. The authors examined patterns of family
complexity among a nationally representative sample of children aged 0–17 living in a
variety of family configurations using data from the 2008 Survey of Income and Program
Participation (N = 23,985). They also look at the separate and combined effects of family
complexity and structure on children's economic well-being. Family complexity was
independently correlated with economic disadvantage, namely with a lower ratio of income
to needs and a higher propensity to receive public assistance. Family structure played a
factor in the role of family complexity, and there was a positive correlation between family
complexity and receiving public aid.
Importance of Complete Family
Family, school, and society were three educational settings that helped children
develop into whole individuals. The foundation for a child's development was their family. A
family with children became a victim of the issue in both education at school and in the
community if, for some reason, there was a family conflict that was not resolved. For this
reason, a family's unity served as the primary tenet for the advancement of children's
education. In order for the child to succeed in life, the family needed to help him develop a
variety of skills, including self-control and self-worth. Children who had healthy self-esteem
enjoyed interacting with other children because they felt at ease and loved doing things
together. Children's self-esteem developed well when parents were able to give attention
and affection. On the other hand, obstacles were viewed as a source of anxiety and irritation
by kids who lacked self-esteem. Speaking of self-esteem, most psychologists concurred
that it had an impact on conduct, which in turn influenced how a person interacted with
others. Self-esteem refers to how one felt about oneself and the behaviors that showed
these sentiments. In addition to being influenced by the environment or other systems
outside of oneself, one of the elements that affected social skills was one's own sense of
worth. Self-esteem was not entirely a product of innate factors. Involving parents in their
children's education had a beneficial effect; it was an active process, and if parents were
motivated, initiatives that came from them could become real activities.
Having a complete family could build a good foundation for them, and they believed
that they could overcome any kind of possibilities that they might encounter so long as they
had each other to help. They were very resilient and could even overcome a situation of
being far away from their loved ones. They could endure a lot of hardships if they could
provide what they could for their family. They also taught respect when it came to their family
members. This was most applicable to the youngsters, and they were taught to say “po”
and “opo” to the people who were older. Saying these words was a sign of respect whenever
anyone was communicating with someone who was older or to someone that they did not
know.
A lot of conflicts may occur, and a lot of problems will be encountered and will be
unavoidable. There are some issues like sibling rivalry and tends to develop until they grow
up. As they grow older, the competition gets better as well. Some of them want to prove that
they are better by being more acknowledged by their parents to prove that they are superior.
There is no such thing as a perfect family. There are some who still have issues with their
family that they cannot solve until they grow up with hatred until their loved ones die. Having
these issues doesn’t exactly mean that they do not love each other or that the family is no
longer complete. Some conflicts cannot be solved that easily and it takes time for the person
to heal and understand and start accepting a matter of situation to resolve a conflict.
Impact of Complete Family
Children's abilities, resources, and attitudes that they brought to school were
significantly influenced by the familial contexts in which they resided. Researchers who were
interested in family structure had discovered that children who lived with two married,
heterosexual biological parents performed better academically than children from other
family types, perhaps as a result of more resources, fewer stressors, or different selectivity
patterns. Family structure was significantly influenced by socioeconomic stratification, with
low-income families experiencing greater volatility. We contended that changes in and out
of family structures, which might lessen a particular resource crucial to children's academic
outcomes—parental participation—attenuated the impact of family structure. This might
have exacerbated the growing academic gaps between classes that had already been
observed. The researchers examined the stability and transitions of family relationships at
age 10/11 years. The researchers discovered that variations in parental engagement had
an effect on academic results but were only perceptible in families that went through both a
transition and single parenting.
Personal Development
Adolescence was a stage in life where individuals went through different
experiences that changed their personal views and ideas. There were different factors that
could have hindered one’s life satisfaction and well-being, influencing an adolescent’s
perspective towards life, and one of them was parental absence (Sealmony & Marañon,
2020). According to Dela Rosa (2021), children without fathers were more prone to
struggling with psychological, spiritual, emotional, and academic problems; they were also
prone to committing crimes or becoming victims of child abuse. Ahmad, Alay & Quereshi,
Muhammad (2014) had said that fathers had been portrayed in many ways, including as
sex role models, normal observers, and nurturing individuals. A father also had an integral
role for their kids, especially adolescent women, in developing their womanhood which
couldn’t simply be replaced by their mother. In the perspective of a daughter, their father
served as a model for their ideal partner once they were ready to be in a relationship while
also affecting her self-esteem. Due to this, a healthy father-daughter relationship was
essential because without it the daughter might have had difficulties with their future
marriage, career, and general wellbeing (Fausto, 2016).
Research indicated that girls and young women who lacked stable father figures
were more prone to engaging in inappropriate sexual conduct, facing issues like low self-
esteem, dropping out of school, early pregnancy, and poverty, as well as encountering
challenges in their marriages and exhibiting psychological problems (Mendle et al., 2009;
Pruett et al., 2009). Other investigations had uncovered that daughters who had fathers who
were absent experienced psychological repercussions, including feelings of insecurity,
struggles in forming close relationships with the opposite sex, adopting attention-seeking
behaviors, and holding negative views about men and relationships (Krohn & Bogan, 2001).
Despite previous examinations shedding light on the social and psychological difficulties
faced by daughters without present father figures, only limited research had delved into the
personal experiences of these women concerning the choices they made in their lives
(Bryan, 2014; Jackson, 2010).

According to Brown (2018), many people admitted they had struggled with feeling
left alone and not valuable due to not having a father's love. Some had turned to drugs,
alcohol, risky sex, bad relationships, or other harmful actions to cope with the pain of not
having a dad around.
In conclusion, facing and overcoming the challenges of growing up without a father
was crucial for ensuring healthy emotional, psychological, and social development in
children. While the absence of a father could present difficulties, children could develop
resilience, seek positive role models, and access support systems to help them navigate
these challenges successfully.
Father and Daughter Relationships
According to Lamb (2010), Fathers can play an important role throughout the
fundamental development stages of their children. Several investigations in recent years
have revealed the father-daughter interactions have a profound impact on both father and
daughters, as well as society. The study found that the negative impact of these rigid gender
roles and relationships is also evident in father’s decisions about their daughter’s
educational pursuits, including spending less on their daughters as it is not considered a
good investment, and after marriage, their daughters. Positive relationships with one's
father can have a significant impact on a child's well-being, academic journey, economic
standing, and emotional and physical well-being, particularly in daughters.
Financial Situation
Financial stability provides more advantage for all general health and wealth that go
far beyond just being able to pay bills on time, where financial status is the major cause of
problems in the world and this is the most fundamental strength of a country, that can solve
the problems of all the residents in a certain area.

According to All4kids there are many problems that a person can face when not
financially stable. The first and worst effect of not being financially stable is having mental
health problems coming from debt that is not payable because of being financially unstable.
Debt problems is one of the problems when a person is financially unstable, because of
lack of money many people tend to borrow to others as they pay something that they need,
last and definitely the worst of all is having a suicidal thought because of not being able to
pay all of the debts that they may have. All4kids also conclude that according to 86% of the
5,500 participants in the Money and Mental Health study who have experienced mental
health issues, their present financial condition or a change in their financial stability has
worsened those issues.
In conclusion , always keep in mind that achieving financial stability takes time and
is not possible immediately (even if you win the lotto). Making small progress in improving
your financial situation can not only improve your physical and mental health but also lessen
stress and boost the stability of your family as a whole. When teaching your kids the value
of money, one excellent lesson you can give them is to take control of your financial stability.
We wish you success in reaching your financial objectives in the upcoming year.
Salami and Okeke (2018), said that financial factors are ones that affect the
development of the children who are facing the problem of having an absentee father. With
the lack of financial support from their absentee father, the children now have trouble
keeping up with the socio-educational development of their age. The study also said that
they feel a bit inferior towards other children of their age when they see that they have a
complete family, and their father can provide the needs of their child.
It was common knowledge that financial support played a huge part when there was
an absentee father. The truth was that a child could feel that they didn’t deserve to be loved
and cared for because of what they saw from other fathers, that they didn’t have that kind
of support. In this case, it finally made them participate less and slowed their socio-
educational development.
Factors of Absentee Father
According to Fausto (2016), the number of children growing up with an absentee
father has been gradually increasing in the Philippines. The possible factors as to why the
phenomenon had become more prominent were due to broken marriages, fathers working
abroad, lesbian parents, and mothers who preferred to raise their children without a father.
A city in Pampanga called Angeles City was known to have a huge number of sex
tourism, which had resulted in the number of children without fathers reaching an alarming
level and might have been a huge problem for the society where the local government had
failed to control the situation. It had been said that the children without fathers in Angeles
City were offspring of different nationalities who visited or had tours in the city. Some local
government officials said that the situation should have been acknowledged to lessen or
raise awareness of the growing number of children without fathers, as most children who
were a result of “sex tourism” tended to be neglected and abandoned in the streets, now
begging for alms and staying on the streets to survive (Malabanan, 2019).
To sum up, there are many factors on why there are absentee fathers that exist in
this world. But the question is, do people, especially women, deserve this kind of treatment?
No, because the father has the potential to influence their daughter’s growth and personal
development whether positive or negative (Dominguez, 2017).
Lived Experiences
In a university in Minneapolis, Brown (2018) conducted a study which has the same
concept as what this study intends to explore. Her study is about the lived experiences of
daughters who have absent fathers. She concluded that financial and emotional hardships
characterized the lived experiences of the participants due to the loss of their father's care
and earnings. The participants also stated the importance of knowing how to be
independent, how to appreciate the people who are there for you and being motivated to
provide a better life for their own children. Brown stated that the absence of the participants'
fathers helped them shape their decision-making patterns in various aspects as well.
Although Brown's study has the same concept as what the researchers of this study want
to explore, she left out the limitations of her study, and one of those is its demographic
profile, which we want to focus on. This may vary with the participants' age, race,
socioeconomic status, or marital and parental status. In addition, the norm of the study could
lead to different results and conclusions as well, that's why the researchers decided to
pursue this study.
Velasco et al (2016), examined how young adults who grew up without their fathers
coped with the challenges they faced. The findings revealed that these individuals
experienced a range of difficulties, including emotional and financial issues. The study
emphasizes the importance of providing a supportive environment to children and the
significant impact it can have on their development.

As stated by Velasco et al (2016), the absence of a father brought them some
benefits, like it gave them a remarkable amount of strength built up from those experiences.
They have strived to overcome the adversities of life and made the best of the situation they
found themselves in.
Sexual Activity
The term “daddy issues” came from the concept that started with Freud’s father
complex. According to an article in Kentucky Counseling Center (2021), a person who was
not able to have a healthy relationship with their fathers may have impulses that can be
either positive or negative. A daughter with a father complex tends to develop unhealthy
relationships with men as the brain tries to recreate a relationship with their partner in order
to fix the unhealthy relationship they have with their fathers. Women develop a mindset that
sex can keep their partners from leaving them, that they want to feel love through sex as
their coping mechanism as sex can cover up their emotional wounds and to feel good about
themselves.
According to Foster, adolescent women who have absentee fathers engage in many
sexual activities that can lead to negative consequences such as teen pregnancy (Foster,
N.D). Not only teenage pregnancy can be a negative consequence of engaging in sexual
activity, but it can also lead to having a sexual disease, especially not practicing safe sex.
Now, why do women with absentee fathers engage more into sexual activities? A new
study published in Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (DelPriore and Hill, 2013)
suggests that women who have an absentee father during their childhood had strongly
affected their sexual behaviors once they reached their adolescence or adulthood. (Cullen,
2017) Since absentee fathers give a huge impact on adolescent women in terms of their
first sexual activity and self-esteem as when the father is not present, women tend to seek
male validation which often results in sexual activity (Glenn, 2018).
Single Parents
Austin (2020) delves into the issue of single-parent households, specifically those
without a father figure. They examine the impact of absentee fathers on children and explore
how involving a father figure can help alleviate the negative consequences experienced by
these children. They emphasize the importance of father involvement in children's lives and
the potential benefits for both children and society as a whole. There are also other studies
who deal with the difficulties faced in therapeutic interventions when addressing parenting
issues in different types of family situations. These situations include single parents who
are overwhelmed, separated, or divorced couples with high levels of conflict, and two-parent
families where one parent is either uninvolved or resists therapy.
Escudero and Friedlander (2017) suggests using specific alliance strategies to
empower families in cases where one parent is absent or when both parents are involved
in therapy but have opposing views on their child's behavior, such as substance abuse,
eating disorders, or LGBTQ+ identity. These alliance strategies are crucial in promoting
positive therapeutic outcomes and facilitating effective communication and collaboration
within families.
Attachment
According to Gordon, there are a variety of people that need the importance of
having someone to talk to. These are the following that needs someone to talk to. People
who are stressed out and have no idea how to cope are those who are in transition in life
such as going to a new job or facing divorce, wide-awake ones, and lastly those who are
having problems with their relationship.

It is important to have someone to talk to. It can be friends, support groups, family,
or relatives. All people have friends that they can lean on whatever they feel. Support groups
like church, seminars, etc. where they can express their feelings and emotions. The family
or relatives are the first people who are with us, they are the ones that can help by talking
to and having bond.
By talking to someone, it prevents isolation which enables one to express the
feelings that the person has and to not deal with it alone. When the mind is full of thoughts,
it also helps those people to talk for them to lessen their baggage of emotions. Lastly,
engaging with other people helps to relieve stress coming from the environment that a
person has.
According to Henk et al (2016), the early contacts between parents and children
influence cognitive and later, behavioral components of social connectivity. Expectations
are shaped through interactions with parents. The relationship of potential interaction and
perspectives of oneself and others. When a youngster sees the attachment figure in their
minds as present and available, they are securely bonded, responsive as a source of safety,
solace, or validation. He also mentioned that having attachment issues can lead to
emotional distance, discomfort with closeness or dependency on attachment figures, and
an urge for relying on one’s own.
Social Development
This study of Ultrike and Sabine (2019) explores the long-term relationships
between parenting, inter-parental conflict, and good respect by both parents to children's
emotional insecurity with their father and mother, with a focus on the father-child relationship
from a family systems approach. Additionally, elements of the relationship to both parents
are jointly evaluated in order to elucidate the role dads play in their children's social
development. Findings showed consistent correlations between inter parental conflict, a
lack of positive regard, and emotional insecurity, whereas parenting did not independently
correlate with either of these outcomes in children. When child outcomes were stabilized,
inter parental conflict predicted children's weaker pro social conduct and more peer
rejection. The emotional instability of children toward their father indicated peer rejection.
The results support the emotional security hypothesis and emphasize the value of father-
child ties in fostering healthy peer relationships.
Social Role
The interaction between a father and his daughter holds significance across different
phases of a woman's life, as indicated by studies conducted by Baggett, Shaffer, and
Muetzelfeld (2015) and Haaza, Kneavela, and Browning (2014). According to Pruett et al.
(2009), women who maintain a connection with their fathers exhibit improved academic
achievements and better social and emotional well-being. The way daughters perceive their
fathers is influenced by factors such as the cause of paternal absence and the emotional
closeness between them, as explored by Krampe and Newton (2012).
According to Brown (2018), the primary focus was to unravel the challenges and
complexities faced by these daughters as they progressed through life without the
foundational influence of a paternal figure. The profound impact of absent fathers on these
daughters, both during their formative years and as they emerged into adulthood, engaging
with various societal spheres such as their households, educational environments,
communities, and decision-making processes.
Moreover, the daughters articulated that their fathers' absence significantly
influenced their relationship decision-making patterns. This influence manifested through
normalizing detrimental behaviors in men, such as deception, mistreatment, or

abandonment, or the cultivation of a predisposition to approach men with caution and
skepticism. Additionally, the daughters' decision-making trajectories were shaped by the
absence of a male perspective and the guidance a fatherly figure traditionally offers.
Through this collective support, these women can transcend the hurdles associated with
their distinctive upbringing, fostering a more equitable and understanding societal
landscape.
Synthesis
The aforementioned studies were chosen to be part of the related literature of this
study as they served as a guide to understand and fulfill the objectives of the study at hand.
The studies previously stated tackled different information pertaining to the experiences of
daughters with absent fathers. Specifically, the topics discussed focused on the personality
development, financial situation, lived experiences, and sexual activities of the daughter
who grew up without the father. The studies also provided information pertaining to the
factors as to why a father became absent in the daughter’s lives and the struggles of being
a single parent raising their child. Fathers were known to be the head of the family and
integral role models for their kids. In the eyes of a daughter, the fathers not only served as
parents who could assist them at times of need or frameworks for their ideal characteristics,
but they also served as models for their ideal partners when they were ready enough to be
in a relationship. The father’s role was not limited to the development of the child; they also
had the responsibility to take care of their family financially and in situations where the safety
of the family was at stake. Although having a complete family was ideal, for some, it was
difficult to achieve. Some families had to go on without a father by their side, which could
have been due to multiple reasons such as broken marriages, the father working abroad,
lesbian parents, and mothers who preferred to raise their child without a father. This led to
multiple challenges such as the personal development of the child being at stake, the
financial situation of the family, and the increased workload of the single parent. Without a
father figure being present in the daughter’s early stages of life, they did not have a proper
idea of what their ideal partner should be in their lives, which may have influenced their
future partners or sexual activities. This could have led to the women engaging in sexual
activities more often and without the proper protection or guidance, resulting in negative
consequences such as sexual diseases or teenage pregnancy. This may have also led to
the daughters struggling to meet the socio-educational development of their age due to the
financial struggles some families faced when the father was not there to provide for their
needs. For some women, they believed that their experiences growing up without their
fathers brought them the strength they needed to become independent. However, not
everyone with the same experiences was able to say the same thing. One of the goals of
this study was for the voices of women who grew up without a father to be heard and to let
their experiences in life be known to the public. Although the studies stated in this chapter
gave an idea of what these women had been through, they did not tackle the emotional and
psychological impact of these experiences or the coping mechanisms and motivations for
them to keep moving forward in life. By having these studies as a guide, it allowed the
researchers to have a guide to complete the objectives of the current study.

CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Method Used
The researchers conducted qualitative research about the lived experiences of a
female adolescent growing up without a father. That being said, the study used a
phenomenological research design. With the use of the phenomenological design, the
researchers were able to focus on the lived experiences of a female adolescent growing up
without a father. The researchers were able to gather more in-depth information about their
social development in relation to their financial circumstances, attachment towards other
people, and social role.
Sampling
In order to gather the appropriate participants for this study, the researchers used
the purposive sampling method so that the participants could appropriately represent the
population that the study focused on. The main purpose of using the sampling method was
to ensure the quality of our analysis by ensuring the right amount of data was achievable.
Participants
The participants of this study were female adolescents with an absentee father. The
researchers sought participants from Metro Manila, particularly Makati City, Taguig City,
Pasig City, and Mandaluyong City. They had three predetermined criteria; (1) the father did
not attempt to know the daughter, (2) the father attempted to know the daughter but decided
to leave her voluntarily, or (3) the daughter should not have any father figures around her
while growing up. The participants who had that kind of family condition were considered.
Once the participants were selected and they provided their consent for the participants
who were at legal age and parent’s assent for the participants who were underage, they
were interviewed about their lived experiences.
The researchers conducted 1 to 2 sessions, each lasting about 30 minutes, for
interviews, gathering information from 10 participants purposely selected based on
predetermined criteria in various cities within Metro Manila. Specifically, 7 participants were
from Makati, 1 from Pasig, 1 from Taguig, and 1 from Mandaluyong. Among the participants,
8 were 18 years old, while 2 were 16 and 17 years old, classified as adolescents in this
study.
There are three participants meeting the first predetermined criteria: participant 1,
an 18-year-old female from Makati, who just recently experienced having a stepfather;
participant 2, a 16-year-old female from Makati, living with a single mother ever since; and
participant 3, an 18-year-old female from Makati, who has had a stepfather. None of these
participants have met their fathers, although their fathers are aware of their existence.
There are also three participants meeting the second predetermined criteria.
Participant 4, an 18-year-old female from Taguig, lived with her father for over or less than
5 years but suddenly left to build a new family with someone else. Participant 5, an 18-year-
old from Makati, lived with her father for 4 and a half years and suddenly left them.
Participant 6, an 18-year-old from Pasig, lived with her father for at most 7 years and never
returned to their family and had multiple stepfathers growing up.
And lastly, there are four participants who meet the third predetermined criteria.
Participant 7, an 18-year-old from Makati, has never met her father, and her mother remains
single. Participant 8, a 17-year-old from Mandaluyong, has never met her father, and her
mother remains single. Participant 9, an 18-year-old from Makati, lived with her father until
she was 10 months old, after which he left, and her mother has not been with someone else
since. Participant 10, an 18-year-old from Makati, has met her father only twice in her life
and has never experienced having a father figure or even stepfathers.
Ethical Considerations
The importance of making ethical considerations throughout the research process
is comparable to the significance of adopting an appropriate research approach and design.
Ethical concerns are a set of principles that influence this study's designs and processes. It
is crucial to understand and take these into consideration. The voluntary, informed, and
unharmed participation of research subjects is made possible by adhering to ethical
principles. Protecting participants against any kind of harm, whether it be on purpose or by
accident, is always an absolute requirement. It is necessary, in order to ensure the reliability
of this study, to conduct research in accordance with a set of ethical guidelines.
Research Setting
The researchers gathered respondents who were currently living in specific cities in
Metro Manila. These cities were Makati City, Taguig City, Pasig City, and Mandaluyong
City. Once the participants had been selected and agreed to partake in the study, the
researchers then conducted face-to-face interviews. The participants were asked about
their preferred place and availability for the interview. Taking the interview in the comfort of
the participants’ preference ensured the confidentiality of the participants as well as their
comfortability when it came to sharing sensitive and personal information. The interview
consisted of 2 to 3 sessions lasting for about 30 minutes to an hour each.
Research Instrument
To gather the information needed in this study, the researchers made use of a face-
to-face interview method. There were three research problems in this study which focused
on their a) lived experiences: what their experiences were growing up without a father; b)
social development in relation to their financial circumstances, attachment towards other
people, and social role; and c) coping mechanisms: what their coping mechanisms were.
Data Gathering Procedure
The researchers made sure to follow ethical procedures before conducting
interviews by obtaining written permission from the university, specifically from the dean or
department head. These officials provided a signed letter to confirm their approval for the
research to facilitate. To recruit participants for the study, the researchers sent a letter
explaining the purpose of the research and requesting their participation. The letter also
detailed how the interviews would be conducted, how confidentiality would be maintained,
and the potential benefits and advantages of taking part. If the participants agreed to
participate, they signed a consent form for the participants who were of legal age and an
assent form for the guardians of the minor participants that outlined the purpose of the
research, the expected duration of the interviews, and any potential risks or benefits. The
participants were asked about their preferred place and availability for the interview in four
main cities of Metro Manila, namely Mandaluyong, Makati, Pasig, and Taguig City. Each
session lasted for about 30 minutes to an hour, with 2 to 3 sessions, and the researchers
used semi-structured questions to encourage the participants to provide detailed
responses. To maintain the confidentiality of the participants, the researchers kept the
interview recordings, transcripts, and consent forms in a secure location. These procedures
ensured that the data collection process was ethical and efficient. The researchers used
thematic analysis to interpret the data and responses gathered from the participants.
CHAPTER IV
PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
This chapter presents the data gathered from the respondents through semi-
structured interviews. The presented data reveals the stories of daughters growing up
without a father.
1. How did the female participants describe their experiences related to the
absence of a father figure in their life?
Figure 2. The participants’ description of experiences related to the absence of a father

figure in their life.
Figure 2 illustrates information gathered from daughters regarding their experiences
growing up without a father. The analysis reveals that the participants describe their
experiences related to the absence of a father figure in life as experiencing emotional
discontentment and struggles, as well as difficulties in self-discovery. Participants who
experience emotional discontentment and struggles mainly encounter life dissatisfaction,
emotional distress, and insecurity. While most participants also experienced difficulties with
self-discovery, which deals with their self-sufficiency and relationship with mother.
Experienced Emotional Discontentment and Struggles. The participants
describe their experiences related to the absence of a father figure in life, experiencing
emotional discontentment and struggles corresponding with participant 1's statement:
"Challenges that I faced, since I didn't have a father growing up, I think is I always thinking
like my life will be different, that's really it. I feel like my life is different when my dad is here.
Probably we're not here" which means that the participant's life would have been different
if her father was present. Most participants mainly encounter dissatisfaction, emotional
distress, and insecurity.
Life dissatisfaction signifies a feeling of not being fulfilled or satisfied with what is
currently experienced or attained. In the context of the absence of a father figure, participant
9 emphasizes feeling that it is unfair, considering that some individuals have complete
families, "Na unfair talaga ang buhay kasi yung iba kompleto ang pamilya tapos yung akin
hindi." This sentiment was echoed by other participants, who also expressed feelings of
unfairness when comparing their situation to those who have complete families:
"Malungkot po kasi parang ang unfair ng mundo saakin ganoon." -
Participant 5
"Hmm. Parang life is unfair, no? Bakit yung iba complete o bakit sa iyo?" -
Participant 4
While several participants are afflicted by a sense of perceived injustice, such as:
"During childhood I always think about if I have a father like that my life will
be different." – Participant 1
"Feeling mo ang unfair ng mundo kasi pwede namang isa ka sa may normal
at buong pamilya. Eh bakit napunta ka pa sa complicated na pamilya diba."
– Participant 6
Other participants expressed feeling heartbroken and lonely as forms of life
dissatisfaction stemming from not having a father:
"And, ayun, parang it's heartbreaking kasi hindi kayo complete as a family."
– Participant 4
"I can’t exactly feel something aside from being brokenhearted.” – Participant
"May time na busy si mama tapos wala akong ibang malapitan, kasi si mama
lang mayroon ako eh” – Participant 8
“Pinakachallege yung loneliness." – Participant 6
Emotional distress specifically denotes a range of negative feelings and mental
anguish experienced as a response to circumstances. As stated by participant 8, “I always
feel sad and mad at the same time. Sad kasi siyempre wala akong tatay ever since.” Other
participants share similar feelings of sadness and anger regarding the absence of a father
figure in their lives, experiencing emotional distress. Their statements reflect this, such as:
"During my younger years, hindi ako tanggap ng grandparents ko and wala
din namang magawa si mama about it." – Participant 3

"Until now pa din naman po is nalulungkot at nasasaktan ako kapag naiisip
ko wala akong tatay." – Participant 2
"Nakakasama po ng loob kasi sino ba naman gustong lumaki na walang
tatay diba po?" – Participant 9
"It's sad until now it's still sad.” – Participant 1
“Hmm, mahirap po kasi hindi ko po naranasan ang pagmamahal ng isang
ama" – Participant 9
"Dati kasi noong bata ako, galit ako kay papa tapos parang paghihiganti ang
nasa isip ko." – Participant 8
"Nag iba yung tingin ko sa mga lalaki, they’re monsters." – Participant 3
"Having no father during growing up is yung feeling na parang empty ka, na
you're missing one parent, obviously." – Participant 4
"Parang hindi po ako kumpleto kasi minsan lang kami mag usap ni mama
tapos about pa sa pera ang usapan hahaha ganoon po." – Participant 5
Some participants expressed longing for their father:
"Actually until now in my 18 years of existence here on earth, I still shed a
couple of tears when I think about my dad." – Participant 1
"Noong nakikita ko mga classmates and friends ko na may father figure sila.
Tsaka ko naramdaman yung pangungulila sa tatay." – Participant 8
"Nangungulila pa rin po ako hanggang ngayon sa kanya." – Participant 5
"Parang nakakainggit siyang tingnan kasi longing talaga ako sa father’s
love." – Participant 7
"Dati palagi akong nagpi-pray na sana soon gustuhin akong makasama ulit
ng dad ko. Kahit isang araw lang. Kahit magkaroon lang kami ng
communication." – Participant 3
"Parang may hinahanap kang pagmamahal ng buong pamilya, ng meron
man lang sumasama sayo, lumalaki, parang there’s something may
hinahanap-hanap kang pagmamahal na hindi mo mare-receive sa ibang tao
kundi yung tatay at nanay mo lang." – Participant 7
"Siguro yung care na gusto mong makuha, yung alaga na dapat natatamasa
mo. Kaso hindi mo siya makuha kasi wala naman na siya sa tabi. Like yung
mga ano, kung paano kanya ika-guide. Yes, yung paano kanya asikaso,
yung paano kanya ipagtanggol kapag kailangan mo. Paano kanya i-comfort
pag gusto mo, pag need mo talaga siya." – Participant 10
"Hmm. Lagi kong hinahanap yung, ah... yun nga, yung father figure na yung
love and affection ng isang ama." – Participant 4
Insecurity is feeling uncertain or lacking confidence in oneself or a situation which
most of the participants experiences growing up until now. According to participant 2,
"Masakit po kasi minsan napapa isip ako bakit iniwan ng tatay ko? Na, hindi ba ako worth
it ng love and care niya para sa akin?" suffering from the pain of questioning one's value
and worthiness to receive love and care from their father arises when considering why their
father left. As emphasized by other participants:
"I was always with my mom lang. tsaka ko lang naramdaman yung parang
may kulang noong nakikita ko mga classmates and friends ko na may father
figure sila." – Participant 8

"So, ayun, parang sa sarili mo, you just feel na parang, ummm. na parang
ano bang nagawa mong kulang or what is wrong with you. Ganon." –
Participant 4
"Minsan na qu-question ko yung sarili ko pati na rin si mama, kung bakit kami
iniwan ni papa tapos anong kulang ganoon po." – Participant 5
"I guess the biggest challenge growing up would be expressing myself. I
never learned how to communicate with other people. Hindi ko ma-express
lahat ng feelings ko." – Participant 3
"So yeah, I grew up trying to be accepted, asking for validation and
attention." Participant 3 added.
"What if I have a father like that my life will be new to me I really just always
think about what I will never have a father like that my life will be new to me
my personality will not be like that." – Participant 1
“Everytime na may nagpapaalala sa akin na, hindi kumpleto yung pamilya
ko, naaawa ako sa sarili ko." – Participant 3
“Kapag nagsstart kang magtanong bakit wala kang tatay, sunod sunod yung
pagseself-pity.” – Participant 6
Most participants express a feeling of envy of other people having a complete family,
such as:
"Um, so ano, masakit. Masakit ang karanasan kasi yung ingit na sobrang
bigat niya sa puso." – Participant 10
"Mahirap po kasi nung elementary ako, meron kaming ‘family day’ sa school
tapos nakikita ko yung mga friends at classmate ko kumpleto yung family
nila tapos ako hindi." – Participant 2

"For me, ano, sobrang hirap niya kasi, like, naiingit ka sa iba na kompleto
yung pamilya. May nakakasama sa pang-araw-araw nila. Mm-hmm. Iba pa
rin yung feeling. Iba yung feeling na kompleto ka na." – Participant 10
"Umm, to be honest, it feels very sad because, ummm... Every time na pag
I see na complete yung family nila, parang yung feeling na inggit ka, and
nakikita mo yung iba na complete nga." – Participant 4
"Kasi diba… kapag buo yung pamilya parang at ease ka kasi may
masasandalan ka." – Participant 6
"I'm not afraid of anyone unlike other adults. I know a lot of my friends who
have a father they're scared of their dad but unlike me." – Participant 1
Participants' responses consistently highlight a recurring theme of dissatisfaction
stemming from the absence of a father figure in their lives. They express emotional
discontentment and struggles related to this absence. Participant 1 believes life would have
been different if their father had been present. Participant 9 feels it's unfair compared to
those with complete families. Similarly, Participant 6 wishes for a normal and complete
family but ends up in a complicated one. Participant 5 expresses sadness over the
unfairness of not having a father. Participant 4 sees life as unfair witnessing complete
families. Both Participant 3 and 4 feel heartbroken for not having a complete family.
Participant 8 had no one else to turn to, and Participant 6 finds loneliness the most
challenging aspect. In summary, the responses reflect the participants' dissatisfaction with
their life circumstances, particularly regarding the absence of a father figure. Participant 8
feels sad and mad for not having a father, while participant 2 experiences early rejection.
Participant 1 still feels sad about not having a father. For participant 9, it's difficult because
they never experienced a father's love. Participant 8 harbors anger towards their father and
thoughts of revenge. Participant 3 sees men as monsters, and participant 4 feels emptiness
for not having a father. Participant 5 feels incomplete because they rarely talk to their mom,
and when they do, it's usually about money. Tears well up for participant 6 whenever they
remember their father. Participant 8 and participant 5 continue to feel a sense of longing for
a father figure, while participant 7 longs for a father's love. Participant 3 used to pray that
someday her father would be with her again or even have communication. Participant 7 is
searching for love from a complete family, something that can only be received from
parents. Lastly, participant 10 yearns for the guidance, care, protection, and comfort that a
father should provide but is unable to receive it due to his absence. Participant 4 always
seeks the love and affection of a father figure. Participants express emotional distress
stemming from the absence or strained relationships with their fathers, manifesting as
sadness, anger, longing, and a sense of incompleteness. They yearn for paternal love,
guidance, and acceptance, highlighting the profound impact of fatherhood on emotional
well-being. Many participants exhibit low self-esteem wherein participant 2 experiences the
pain of questioning their own value and worthiness of love and care from their father,
stemming from why their father left. Participant 8 feels a sense of lacking when they see
classmates and friends with father figures. Participant 4 feels a sense of lacking or that
there's something wrong with themselves. Participant 5 wonders why they were abandoned
by their father and what's lacking within themselves. Participant 3 faces challenges in
expressing themselves and struggles to effectively communicate feelings, growing up
seeking acceptance, validation, and attention. Participant 1 considers a new life and
personality if their father was present. Additionally, participant 3 adds that they feel self-pity
when reminded of the incomplete family. Participant 6 experiences a cascade of self-pity
when questions about the absence of a father arise. While other participants also
experience envy growing up without a father. Participant 10 experiences a painful sense of
envy due to the absence of a father, weighing heavily on the heart. Participant 2 finds it
difficult to see friends and classmates with complete families. Participant 10 adds that they
feel envious of others with complete families, expressing sadness because of this envy.
Participant 4 also feels sad due to envy of others with complete families. Participant 6
believes having a complete family provides a sense of security and support. Participant 1,
unlike their friends who fear their disciplinarian dads, is not afraid of anyone because they
don't have a father. The participants share experiences of deep insecurity stemming from
the absence of their fathers. This insecurity manifests as low self-esteem, feelings of lacking
or inadequacy, and a painful sense of envy towards peers with complete families.
According to Light (2023), the absence of a father figure significantly impacts a
daughter's emotional well-being, leading to feelings of abandonment, rejection, and doubt.
This absence can contribute to emotional challenges such as depression and anxiety, as
daughters may struggle to feel valued and confident without their father's presence.
Furthermore, without paternal guidance, young women may find it difficult to develop a
strong sense of self, impacting their beliefs, values, and decision-making abilities, ultimately
hindering personal and professional growth. Similarly, East, L., Jackson, D., & O'Brien, L.
(2007) underscore the disruptive effects of father absence on daughters' relationships,
respect, and emotional well-being. The participants' insights align with these findings, as
they express ongoing struggles and emotional discontentment stemming from their
experiences of father absence. These insights emphasize the profound and enduring
emotional consequences of growing up without a father, highlighting the importance of
understanding and addressing these challenges to support individuals in their journey
towards emotional well-being. (Light, 2023; East et al., 2007).

Experienced Self-Discovery Difficulties. The participants describe their
experiences related to the absence of a father figure in life, emphasizing difficulties in self-
discovery, as emphasized by participant 4, “Ummm, medyo naging matured na din ako
when it comes sa... alam mo yun, parang ako nalang naging father din. Like, I just became
my own person nalang.” The participant became more mature and independent, taking on
the role of their own father figure in their life, exhibiting self-sufficiency. This is a common
experience among other participants, as mentioned by:
"And then, ngayong malaki na ko, I experienced a lot from my step-dads
before which led me to explore different things." – Participant 3
"I became a lesbian." Participant 3 added.
"I was really happy whenever she introduced me to her new guy. Parang it
alters my brain na, it doesn’t matter at all kahit sino nalang maging daddy
ko." – Participant 3
"Siguro ang pinakachallege is pangangapa sa buhay. Meaning, parang kang
nag-iisa sa mundo." – Participant 5
"When I don't have a father since child the impact is that I'm stubborn
because no one is disciplining me as a dad." – Participant 1
"Kapag naiisip ko wala akong tatay. Pero siguro po ay naging independent
nalang din po ako." – Participant 2
"Pero ngayong 18 ka na, you can say na para independent ka na." –
Participant 4
"Naging independent po ako, natuto po akong tumayo sa mga sarili kong
paa kasi kaming dalawa lang ng mama ko ang magkasama." – Participant 9

"I realized na there are certain things na hindi mo makakamtan and it has a
reason. Ngayon, na realized ko na kaya ko maging better person even
though walang tatay sa tabi ko." – Participant 8
"Realized that there are certain things they won't experience, and it serves a
purpose." Participant 8 added.
While other participants shared about their maternal relationships as part of their
self-sufficiency:
"Nag iba yung tingin ko sa mga lalaki, they’re monsters, that I should take
care of my mom, my friends, and my partner." – Participant 3
"I always think about how like sad my mom is because I don't have a father
or like she doesn't have a husband with her." – Participant 1
"Nakikita ko po yung mama ko na ginagawa po lahat para sa akin kasi siya
lang po ang meron ako." – Participant 9
Most participants shared experiences of self-sufficiency. Participant 4 became more
mature and independent, taking on the role of their own father figure in their life. Participant
3 had various experiences that led to exploring different things. They became a lesbian due
to a negative perception of men and felt happy when introduced to their mother's boyfriend,
regardless of who became their father. Participant 5's biggest challenge is feeling lost in life
and being alone in the world. Participant 1's upbringing without a father has led to them
being stubborn and unafraid of authority figures. Participants 2 and 3 became independent,
while Participant 9 embraced independence, navigating life with just their mother.
Participant 8 realized that there are certain things they won't experience, and it serves a
purpose, increasing their understanding of circumstances. Additionally, participants shared
experiences with maternal relationships. Participant 3 feels a strong sense of responsibility

to take care of their mother, friends, and partner. Participant 1 worries about how sad her
mom might be without a husband, and Participant 9 admires their mother's selfless actions
and sacrifices. Many participants underwent experiences of self-discovery amidst difficulties
stemming from the absence of father wherein it revolves around their self-sufficiency and
maternal relationship.
The insights from Kushner (2023) underscore the profound impact of a father's
absence on a daughter's psychological well-being, prompting questions of fault and
abandonment. However, through the lens of the fairy tale "The Girl Without Hands," Kushner
offers a narrative of resilience and self-discovery, where despite facing adversity alone, the
protagonist finds her own strength and courage. This notion aligns with the observations
made by Satata (2021) regarding children from broken homes, who often anticipate greater
independence and maturity outside their immediate family environment. Similarly,
Yusmaniar, Mustika, & Fatimah (2021) highlight the adverse effects of broken homes on
students' self-concept and social relationships, indicating the challenges associated with
navigating personal growth and identity formation within such contexts. Despite these
difficulties, participants in the study expressed ongoing fears and attachment issues, yet
also demonstrated resilience and the potential for meaningful relationships, as emphasized
by Moore (2016). Overall, these findings underscore the complexities of self-discovery
amidst experiences of self-sufficiency and within maternal relationships.
The study reveals that participants describe their experiences of not having a father
as encompassing emotional discontentment and struggles as well as difficulties in self-
discovery. The absence of a father figure significantly impacts their emotional well-being,
leading to feelings of abandonment, rejection, and doubt, as highlighted by Light (2023) and
East et al. (2007). Participants express ongoing struggles and emotional discontentment
stemming from their experiences of father absence, echoing the findings of these studies.
Additionally, the participants' narratives reflect challenges related to self-discovery amidst
experiences of self-sufficiency and within maternal relationships, as illuminated by Kushner
(2023), Satata (2021), Yusmaniar et al. (2021), and Moore (2016). Despite these difficulties,
participants also demonstrate resilience and the potential for meaningful relationships,
underscoring the multifaceted nature of their experiences and the enduring impact of father
absence on their emotional well-being and personal growth.

2. How did the presence of father-daughter issues during upbringing impact the
participant's financial stability, emotional bonds with others and societal
roles?
Figure 3. The impact of the presence of father-daughter issues during upbringing in the
participant’s financial stability, emotional bonds with others and societal roles.
Figure 3 depicts the impact of father-daughter issues during upbringing on their
financial stability, emotional bonds with others, and societal roles. The analysis reveals that
participants experienced economic challenges, experienced emotional vulnerability and
and developed relationship patterns, and lastly experienced challenges in social
expectations. Participants experienced economic challenges, faced economic precarity and
motivated to overcome them. Most participants experienced emotional vulnerability,
exhibiting fear of abandonment, lack of trust, had attachment issues., and being selective
with friends. Additionally, some developed relationship patterns due to a lack of parental
guidance, which affected their relationship preferences. Lastly, many participants
experienced challenges in social expectations which led them to social isolation, academic
journey and rebellious behavior.
Experienced Economic Challenges. Difficulties or obstacles encountered within
an economy, such as recession, inflation, unemployment, or budget deficits, which can
hinder growth and stability. Some participants experienced economic precarity refers to a
state of financial insecurity or instability, where individuals or households lack reliable
income, face uncertainty about their economic future, and may struggle to meet basic needs
such as housing, and food. In line with this, participant 9 mentioned that, "Naging mahirap
po nung una kasi si mama lang yung bumubuhay sa amin, pero mula po nung 2018 naging
maginhawa na po buhay namin kasi si mama nagkaroon po ng magandang work." In this
scenario, the participants' lives were initially challenging because the mother was the sole
provider. However, their situation improved significantly after their mother secured a good
job. Most participants highlighted that their financial stability depended solely on their
mother's income. Some participant's experienced financial difficulty for solely depending on
mother's income:
"If siguro nung bata ako, dun kami mahirap. Kaya nagdesisyon si mama na
mag OFW." – Participant 6
"And yun, during nung parang childhood ko, yung financial status namin was
really hard kasi nga yung mom ko. She only had... yung work niya kasi was
parang minimum wage lang. So, it's not enough to carry all that burden na
nagpapaaral ka ng dalawang anak. Plus yung food and all those random
finances pa." – Participant 4

"Ummm, naging mahirap since it was only my mom who was taking all the
care." Participant 4 added.
"Sobrang hirap po, kasi minsan si mama hindi na ako binibigyan kasi alam
niya nga na may trabaho na ako. Pero hindi niya alam yung hirap ko sa pag
ma-manage mapagkasiya lang yung pera ko sa isang linggo ganoon." –
Participant 5
"Siguro, in terms of sa financial needs namin, dun kasi talaga may problem.
Like what I said, si mama lang nagsusuporta saming dalawa ng kapatid ko."
– Participant 4
While some participants' mothers' employment has positively contributed to their
family's economic situation:
"Uhm, hindi naman po kami nagkaroon ng financial problem ng Mom ko
since birth ko kasi maganda naman po work ng Mom ko." – Participant 2
"My mom has a job, so it has never been an issue with us." – Participant 3
"Since may trabaho naman si mama, ngayon nakakaluwagluwag na kami."
– Participant 6
Several participants emphasized constraints in pursuing education and learning
experiences due to the absence of paternal support, such as:
"Ummm, kasi, kunyari eto, parang opportunity mo siguro sa pag-aaral mo."
– Participant 4
"Sa ibang school ako nag-aaral ngayon and probably may more chances
ako na mas maganda educational ko since yung ngayon, kasi laging pinag-
iisipan ko yung financial burden ng pag-aaral ko. Yun nga, sa pagdo-doktor,
medyo 50-50 na kasi malaki yung financial burden." – Participant 1

"So many opportunities that I missed. One of that is yung makapag-aral sa
dream university at yung dream course ko, wala eh mahal ang tuition hindi
kaya ni mama mag-isa yon." – Participant 8
Being motivated by circumstances implies that one's drive or inspiration to act stems
from the situations or events surrounding them. Corroborating with participant 8's statement,
"Nanghihinayang ako, but alam ko na madami pang opportunities na makukuha ko kahit
walang daddy figure. Yung goal ko nalang ngayon is makatapos ng pag-aaral kahit hindi na
sa dream university ko. Focus ko nalang ngayon is maging better," it is evident that they
are committed to personal development and becoming a better version of themselves,
despite the absence of a paternal figure. As other participants share similar sentiments,
exemplified by statements like:
"Dahil nga po nung naranasan po namin maging mahirap noon, nagkaroon
po ako ng goal na kapag tumanda ako or makapagtapos, gusto ko po bigyan
ng maganda buhay si mama para makabawi sa lahat ng sakripisyo na para
sa amin." – Participant 9
"Mas namumotivate ako na mag-pursige sa studies ko. Mas namumotivate
din ako na tuloy yung, um, uh, siguro matutuloy ko yung medical journey ko."
– Participant 1
"Naging masipag naman ako and naging competitive which is nagagamit ko
naman hanggang ngayon. Up until now, I still want to prove myself but not
just to them but also para din sa sarili ko." – Participant 3
Some participants in the study shared their experiences of financial hardship, which
stemmed from relying solely on their mother's income. Participant 9 described how life
initially posed challenges as their mother was the sole provider, but things improved as she
secured a good job. Participant 6 revealed that their family's financial situation led their
mother to seek employment abroad. Similarly, Participant 5 highlighted the struggles their
family faced in meeting economic needs due to dependence on the mother's income.
Participant 4 also expressed experiencing financial difficulty due to this dependency, while
Participant 5 endured financial hardship without their mother's knowledge. These
challenges underscored the significance of paternal support in enabling financial stability
and educational opportunities. Conversely, some participants noted the positive impact of
their mothers' employment on the family's economic situation. Participants 2, 3, and 6
acknowledged how their mothers' jobs contributed positively to their families' financial well-
being, highlighting the importance of maternal support in overcoming financial constraints.
Furthermore, several participants emphasized the constraints they faced in pursuing
education due to the absence of paternal support. Participant 4 lamented the limitations in
their educational and learning experiences resulting from this absence, while Participant 1
expressed the burden of financial constraints on their educational opportunities. Participant
8 echoed these sentiments, articulating a sense of missed opportunities related to their
aspirations for higher education. Despite these challenges, participants demonstrated
resilience and determination. Participant 9 set a goal to provide their mother with a better
life as a gesture of gratitude for her sacrifices during times of poverty. Participant 1 remained
motivated to excel academically and pursue a medical career, despite lacking a father
figure. Similarly, Participant 3 maintained a strong work ethic and competitive spirit, driven
by intrinsic goals and a desire for self-improvement. These narratives illustrate the complex
interplay of economic precarity and motivation by circumstances.
The participants' narratives vividly illustrate the profound impact of father absence,
particularly regarding economic challenges. Their stories reveal a heavy reliance on

mothers for financial support, navigating complexities such as early employment, perceived
missed opportunities, and a steadfast determination to improve their circumstances. The
intricate interplay between financial struggles and paternal absence becomes unmistakable,
shaping their perspectives and life trajectories. Despite these obstacles, their resilience and
unwavering determination to overcome the complexities associated with growing up without
a father shine through. This exploration uncovers the nuanced intricacies of their journeys,
highlighting the enduring influence of father absence on their pursuit of a more fulfilling life.
As Tiongson (2023) suggests, the absence of a father often correlates with a significant
decrease in household income, placing a substantial burden on the remaining parent,
typically the mother, who may struggle to meet the family's basic needs. Brown (2018)
emphasizes that the emotional toll of financial struggles, especially when the father loses
employment, further exacerbates the challenges faced by daughters growing up without a
father. This sentiment is echoed by Castetter (2020), who underscores that the absence of
a father often leads to long-term financial difficulties. In essence, the absence of a father
not only impacts finances but also deeply influences emotions and social dynamics,
presenting long-term challenges in managing both economic stability and emotional well-
being.
Experienced Emotional Vulnerability. It refers to the state of being open to feeling
sensitive or exposed to emotional fluctuations due to past experiences or current
circumstances, which aligns with the perspective of participant 1, "Hindi talaga ako pala
attached. Since yun nga, maaga ko naranasan yung parang lust of love. I always tell myself
na even with my friends, even sa relationship ko. Goods lang, ganun. Yung mababaw lang."
This perspective reflects not easily getting attached and keeping emotional connections at
a surface level as a way of managing emotions due to feeling deprived of love. Some
participants exhibit attachment issues with their statements, such as:
"Medyo nagkaroon ako ng problem when it comes sa attachments. Mabilis
ako maattach kasi siguro nagkicrave ako sa attention and love. To the point
na kahit bare minimum mapa-friends or romantic relationships is parang
milestones na sakin. Feeling ko special na ko non, parang assuming na." –
Participant 6
"Tsaka hindi ako ganoon ka-showy ng feelings ko, kahit kay mama hindi ako
nakakapag kuwento ng araw ko ewan ko." – Participant 8
"In terms naman sa romantic relationship parang pag nasa point na ako nang
medyo tumatagal relationship um i tend to overthink myself na parang if
parang kaya ba magtagal to alam mo yun parang ino overthink ko lang din
yung whole relationship na if im good enough or if ano pa yung mga ganun
parang pasad yun." – Participant 4
“Never ako nagkaroon ng relationship na parang nagtagal or like meron ako
naging relationship before pero it also ended up with the guy hurting me
hurting my feelings and ayun.” Participant 4 added.
While several participants developed trust issues and consistently engaged in
overthinking, as evidenced by the statements:
"Nagkaroon din ng trust issues and always over thinking." – Participant 4
"Hirap po ako mag tiwala sa iba eh." – Participant 2
"Uhmm, being in a relationship po siguro. Parang nagiging unang
perspective ko kaagad sa mga lalaki eh sa una lang magaling ganoon.
Parang hindi na’ko naniniwala sa mga sinasabi nila." – Participant 5

"Ang hirap din kumilala ng lalaki na makakasama mo. Kasi, di mo naman
alam kung totoo ba yung pinapakita sa'yo. Kung seryoso ba ka siya.
Nakakatakot din kasi baka at some point maging katulad din. Lokohin ka o
ganun." – Participant 10
Alternatively, there are participants who consistently express a fear of being left
behind through their statements:
"Lagi po kasi akong natatakot maiwanan." – Participant 2
"Kasi naiisip ko baka pati si mama iwan nalang din ako. So kailangan kong
galingan. Kailangan kong maging mabuting anak. Baka kasi iwan nalang din
nya ako kapag hindi." – Participant 6
While the majority of participants recognize having few friends due to frequent
overthinking, as indicated by their statements:
"Konti lang po friends ko to be honest, kasi madalas po ako mag overthink
eh." – Participant 2
"Kasi po iilan lang po talaga friends ko." Participant 2 added.
"Ngayon i only have a very small circle of friends na lang na alam kong may
trust ako sa kanila and na very close kami parang ride or die ko na sila." –
Participant 4
"Medyo ilag lang po ako sa mga male friends po ganoon but I have male
friends pero hindi po marami." – Participant 5
Although, there are still participants who have positive experiences with people and
friendships despite being fatherless, as highlighted by participant 3, "Mostly, people are
good naman sa akin. That's why I have really good friends. Being fatherless naman is never
an issue when it comes to making friends."

Some participants in the study exhibit attachment issues as a way of managing
emotions due to feeling deprived of love, similar to Participant 1. Participant 6 struggled with
attachments, easily becoming attached due to craving attention and love, often assuming
to be special even with minimal affection. Participant 8 demonstrated emotional reservation,
even with their mother. Participant 4 tended to overthink their worthiness in lasting
relationships, having never experienced one that didn't end with hurt feelings. Additionally,
several participants developed trust issues and engaged in consistent overthinking.
Participant 4 experienced trust issues and persistent overthinking, while Participant 2 faced
challenges in trusting others. Participant 5 became skeptical about relationships, particularly
distrusting men, and Participant 10 expressed fear of potential deception and repeating past
negative experiences.Conversely, some participants consistently expressed a fear of being
left behind. Participant 2 shared a constant fear of abandonment, while Participant 6, striving
to be a good daughter, also harbored a fear of being left behind if not. Furthermore, the
majority of participants recognized having few friends due to frequent overthinking.
Participant 2 acknowledged their limited social circle due to overthinking, while Participant
4 consciously focused on relationships that offered value and depth, avoiding superficial
connections. Participant 5 tended to be cautious around male friends, maintaining a limited
circle of friendships, and Participant 3, despite being fatherless, had positive experiences
with people and friendships. Participants experienced emotional vulnerability due to
attachment issues, trust issues, fear of abandonment, and overthinking, impacting their
ability to form and maintain relationships.
According to attachment theory, children's socioemotional development relies
heavily on the quality of their relationships, particularly with peers and parents. The absence
of a robust father-daughter relationship significantly influences a woman's perceptions of

men, affecting her social development and relationship exploration. This observation
resonates with findings by Castetter (2020), who emphasized the pivotal role of father-
daughter interactions in shaping future relationships with men. Mendle et al. (2009) and
Pruett et al. (2009) further highlight the challenges faced by girls who grow up without a
father figure, including diminished self-esteem, psychological struggles, and complexities in
romantic relationships. The absence of a strong father-daughter bond may lead to
distortions in perceptions of men, impacting various aspects of emotional well-being and
relationship dynamics. These findings underscore the emotional vulnerability experienced
by individuals lacking a supportive father-daughter relationship, highlighting the far-reaching
consequences on social development and emotional health.
Developed Relationship Patterns. Refers to established habits, behaviors, and
dynamics that occur within a relationship over time. The absence of a father can influence
preferences in relationships, as expressed by participant 1, "Nakaka-affect na wala akong
father sa pagka-explore ko ng relationship with other people. Kasi gusto ko yung parang
guy na can show protection aking. Kasi since wala nga akong dad, hindi ko naramdaman
na yung protected skills kahit may mothers ako. Iba parang talaga, parang protection galing
sa father." This desire for a partner who can provide a sense of protection is echoed by
other participants' statements:
"Yun yung isa ko pang napansin dahil naghahanap nga ako ng father figure,
yung mas naaattract ako sa older men." – Participant 7
"Sa friends? Siguro ang hirap magkaroon ng... lalalang friends, lalo na kung
lalaki. Kasi, syempre, wala kang tatay. Hindi mo alam kung paano yung
takbo ng utak eh." – Participant 10

"Sa relationship naman, ayun nga. Ang hirap din kumilala ng lalaki na
makakasama mo. Kasi, di mo naman alam kung totoo ba yung pinapakita
sa'yo." Participant 10 added.
Lack of parental guidance can create difficulties in a daughter's relationships, as
expressed by participant 4: "Parang ano siya for me like kung magde date man ako or
magkaroon ng boyfriend naghinder sakin yung iniisip ko na if I only had a father alam niya
din kung ano yung parang qualities. Parang sya kasi yung magjudge diba, kung okay yung
lalaki o hindi." This lack of paternal guidance can result in uncertainty about partner choices.
Other participants shared similar experiences, such as:
"Iba pa rin talaga kapag nagbibigay ng advice niya, father, about sa guy.
Kasi, syempre, tatay siya. Alam niya yung galawan. Alam niya yung
galawan." – Participant 10
"It was kind of difficult. One day, narealize ko nalang na nagiging katulad na
ko ni mom at the young age. I met a lot of different guys from different age
ranges hahahahahha. Then, that’s the time when I decided to explore and
yet I am happy right now with my girlfriend." – Participant 3
"Ka-impact siya kasi... Well, yun nga. Walang fatherly figure na... Parang
nag-gaguide na dapat matakot ka sa... Mom and the... Sa mama mo, or sa
brothers mo. Hmm, Easy. It's not easy." – Participant 1
"Pero sa paghahanap ng partner, parang may standard na hindi dapat ganito
yung magiging partner ko, hindi dapat maging katulad ng tatay ko." –
Participant 7
"Sa friends? Siguro ang hirap magkaroon ng... lalalang friends, lalo na kung
lalaki. Kasi, syempre, wala kang tatay. Hindi mo alam kung paano yung
takbo ng utak eh." – Participant 10
"I think as a daughter, nagampanan ko naman yung pagiging maayos na
anak." – Participant 3
"Masunurin kasi inuutusan nila ako. Parang yun yung way ng utang na loob
nung dati na hindi ko pa alam na hindi dapat magkaroon ng utang na loob."
– Participant 7
The absence of a father can significantly influence preferences in relationships, as
expressed by the participants. Participant 1 noted that this absence influenced a preference
for partners who could provide a sense of protection, stemming from not experiencing such
protection due to the lack of a father figure. Participant 7, driven by a desire for a father
figure, found herself attracted to older men. Participant 10 highlighted the challenge of
building friendships, particularly with men, without a father figure, leading to uncertainties
about understanding their mindset and choosing genuine partners in relationships.
Furthermore, the lack of parental guidance, particularly from a father, was cited as a source
of difficulty in assessing the suitability of partners. Participant 4 expressed how the absence
of paternal guidance could lead to uncertainty or hesitation in relationships. Participant 10
emphasized the unique perspective a father's advice about partners could provide.
Participant 3 adapted to different relationships based on their mother's actions,
underscoring the absence of paternal guidance. Lack of a paternal figure to provide
guidance and instill respect was also noted by Participant 3. Participant 7 actively sought
partners with qualities differing from those of her father, indicating a conscious effort to
deviate from paternal influence. Participant 10 reiterated the challenge of building

friendships without a father figure and its impact on understanding male mindsets.
Participant 3 expressed confidence in being a dutiful daughter, possibly influenced by the
absence of paternal guidance. Additionally, Participant 7's inclination to follow instructions
from others highlighted a sense of compliance and respect for authority figures. These
experiences underscore the profound impact of paternal absence on relationship
preferences which developed relationship patterns.
The participants in the study experienced significant challenges in social
development due to father-daughter issues, as highlighted by Moran (2022) and Newman
(2022). Moran's research underscores the correlation between the absence of a father
figure and difficulties in forming healthy relationships, as well as the emergence of rebellious
behaviors. Additionally, Newman suggests that girls without active bonds with their fathers
may exhibit behavioral challenges, leaning towards rebellion and defiance. This dual
dynamic was evident in the participants' narratives, where they grappled with rebellious
behavior while finding inspiration and motivation in their relationships with their mothers.
Furthermore, Donna Roberts' insights shed light on the unique and complex challenges
faced by fatherless daughters, including psychological, social, and emotional effects. These
daughters often experience an increased risk of depression, anxiety, and other mental
health problems, as well as engaging in risky behaviors such as drug use and early sexual
activity. Moreover, they may struggle in forming healthy relationships, experiencing feelings
of abandonment, and social isolation. Overall, the participants' experiences highlight the
profound impact of father-daughter issues on social expectations, influencing their approach
to relationships and contributing to behavioral challenges.
Experienced Challenges in Social Expectations. A daughter facing social
expectation challenges is having a tough time dealing with what society expects from her
based on her gender or family roles. Participant 7 stated, "Oo kasi tuwing may family
gathering, sinong pumupunta? Lola, Lola or mama. Samantalang mga kaibigan ko makikita
mong kumakain sa iba. Yung ganun ba, parang nakakainggit talaga kasi nasaan papa ko?
Parang nakaka-out of place, nakaka-lonely na walang parents sa tabi mo sa school."
Feeling out of place or different compared to others due to the absence of a father. Another
participant also shared the same thought about experiencing a sense of isolation as others
share their father-related topics:
"Kunwari sa meeting. May mga meeting sa school or awarding sa anak.
Katulad ng elementary ako. Kailangan ng parent. Hindi kaya makaano ng
mother mo. So walang ibang dadalo. Walang pupunta. So ikaw, dun ka na
lang. Mag-isa ka na lang doon. Ikaw mismo kukuha ng card mo kasi wala na
mga iba." – Participant 10
Also, other participants shared experiences difficulty in performing well in school due
to lack of guidance:
"In the younger years, ano talaga ako? Hindi ako magaling academically. As
in, mahina ako sa school. Since, hindi nga rin ako nakikinig sa nagtuturo sa
akin. Even my mom or mga kuya ko. Sa school, hindi ako nakikinig. Parang
wala pa siya sa priority school. So, siguro kung nandyan si dad, probably,
naturuan din ako ng maayos." – Participant 1
"I think, as I became a people pleasing person, nagkaroon din yun ng
mabuting outcome. I perform well in school." – Participant 3
Although, there are still participants who shared that being a good child involves
excelling in school. They enjoy the attention and recognition received for achievements in
school, participant 6 stated that, "As part of pagiging mabuting anak, kailangan ko din
galingan sa school. And medyo gusto ko ang school dahil sa attention and recognition na
binibigay sa akin, whenever I achieve something. It makes me happy."
Rebellious behavior is when someone breaks the rules or acts against what they're
supposed to do. Many participants engage in unhealthy habits at an early age to fill the void
left by the absence of paternal love and guidance, as participant 2 stated, "Hmm, hindi po
ako proud sa age ko pero I tried drinking and smoking. Sa totoo lang po, maaga din po ako
nag explore sexually. So yun nga, siguro po is to fill the void na nararamdaman ko po without
the love and guidance of my father." Similar sentiments were expressed by other
participants:
“Naging rebellious talaga ako nung high school ako. I even got suspended.
Sa point na yun. Tapos... Ayun nga. Um... Matigas din yung ulo ko when it
comes to my mom. Madalas kasi ako yung nasusunod.” – Participant 1
"Pero may time lang din noon na naging rebellious ako, where I tried to copy
my mom with a thought na I can find love with strangers." – Participant 3
"I try so many things na masama, you know alcohols ganoon." – Participant
"Lumaki akong makulit. Makulit kasi makulit talaga ako." – Participant 7
Facing challenges related to social expectations, Participant 7 expressed feeling out
of place due to the absence of a father and experiencing a sense of isolation when others
discuss father-related topics. Similarly, Participant 10 shared this sentiment, feeling left out
during events like school meetings or awards ceremonies. They also expressed envy
towards complete families attending such events. Furthermore, some participants struggled
academically due to the lack of guidance. Participant 1 and Participant 3 highlighted
difficulty in performing well in school, with Participant 3 noting that people-pleasing behavior
positively impacted academic performance. However, some participants found fulfillment in
excelling academically, viewing it as a way to receive attention and recognition. Participant
6 emphasized the importance of excelling in school and enjoyed the acknowledgment
received for achievements. Rebellious behavior emerged among several participants as a
response to the absence of paternal love and guidance. Participant 2 engaged in unhealthy
habits to fill the void left by paternal absence. Participant 1 admitted to rebellious behavior
during high school, even getting suspended, and described having a stubborn attitude
towards their mother's authority. Participant 3 also experienced a period of rebellion,
seeking love from strangers, while Participant 8 explored various experiences, including
alcohol consumption. Additionally, Participant 7 described themselves as naturally
mischievous. In summary, participants faced challenges related to social expectations,
manifesting in social isolation, rebellious behavior, and academic struggles.
According to research conducted by Peyper, Klerk, and Spies (2015), the absence
of emotionally present fathers has a significant negative impact on the emotional well-being
of young adult women. Their study reveals that such absence hinders emotional sharing,
diminishes trust, and alters the overall dynamic of their relationships with men. Moreover,
Kamau and Davies (2018) shed light on the nuanced experiences of young black women
who have grown up without a father figure. These experiences, marked by ambivalence and
complexity, have potential clinical implications for understanding and effectively addressing
these relationships within therapeutic settings. Furthermore, insights gleaned from these
studies suggest that some participants develop distinct relationship patterns as a coping
mechanism, underscoring the importance of tailored therapeutic interventions to address
these issues comprehensively.

The narratives of participants vividly illustrate the profound impact of father absence,
particularly regarding economic challenges. Tiongson (2023) highlights how the absence of
a father often correlates with a significant decrease in household income, placing a
substantial burden on the remaining parent, typically the mother, who may struggle to meet
the family's basic needs. Brown (2018) emphasizes that the emotional toll of financial
struggles, especially when the father loses employment, further exacerbates the challenges
faced by daughters growing up without a father. In essence, the absence of a father not
only impacts finances but also deeply influences emotions and social dynamics, presenting
long-term challenges in managing both economic stability and emotional well-being.
Additionally, participants' experiences underscore their emotional vulnerability, with findings
from Peyper, Klerk, and Spies (2015) indicating that the absence of emotionally present
fathers significantly hinders emotional sharing, diminishes trust, and alters the overall
dynamic of their relationships with men. Furthermore, the absence of a robust father-
daughter relationship significantly influences a woman's perceptions of men, affecting her
social development and relationship exploration. Castetter (2020) emphasized the pivotal
role of father-daughter interactions in shaping future relationships with men, while Mendle
et al. (2009) and Pruett et al. (2009) highlighted the challenges faced by girls who grow up
without a father figure, including diminished self-esteem, psychological struggles, and
complexities in romantic relationships. The participants' experiences also shed light on the
challenges in social development due to father-daughter issues, as highlighted by Moran
(2022) and Newman (2022). These findings underscore the multifaceted impact of growing
up without a father, encompassing economic challenges, emotional vulnerability,
development of relationship patterns, and challenges in social expectations, all of which
significantly shape the participants' life trajectories and emotional well-being.

3. How do they cope with these experiences?
Figure 4. Coping Mechanism
Figure 4 depicts three major coping mechanisms utilized by the participants to
overcome their circumstances, including emotional support, cognitive strategies, and
spiritual and emotional well-being. Participants derive emotional support through their
connections with family, social networks, and effective communication. Participants utilize
cognitive strategies such as reflection, personal empowerment, and distraction. Lastly but
not least, the majority of participants are focused on spiritual and emotional well-being
through spiritual connection, acceptance, forgiveness, and positivity.
Social Connections As Emotional Support. Relying on relationships with others
for comfort, empathy, and encouragement during difficult times. According to participant 1,
"I... I guess. Yes, I overcame the challenges of growing up without a father. As I know, as I
come closer with my mom, its better now that I overcome this problem by talking to my
family. So, I can express my feelings more now, even before," which suggests that
overcoming the challenges of growing up without a father is associated with building a closer
relationship with family. Moreover, participants shared comparable experiences of being
motivated by family and friends to cope up:
“Make my family proud kasi sila po talaga ang nandiyan para sa akin.” –
Participant 2
“Siguro dahil rin sa mga friends ko ngayon, at siyempre kay mama.” –
Participant 8
“Una po is iniisip ko palagi yung mga sacrifices ni mama.” – Participant 9
“And ayun, parang I just keep my mind off things with helping my mom.
Especially. Ayun, there's still so much she, there's still so much things also
na I wanted to show her. And to give to her. “ – Participant 4
“Lumalabas po ako with my friends.” – Participant 2
While other participants emphasize that communication serves as a coping
mechanism to express feelings:
"My coping mechanism in every challenges that I face is talking. I talk to other
people to express my feelings more." – Participant 1

"It’s fascinating kasi na makipag usap din sa strangers from time to time,
though risky sya for minors pero its nice din in some way." – Participant 6
Participants leaned on relationships with others for comfort, empathy, and
encouragement during difficult times. Participant 1 highlighted how overcoming the
challenges of growing up without a father led to building a closer relationship with family.
Similarly, others, like Participant 2, aimed to make their family proud, acknowledging the
steadfast support received from loved ones. Participant 8 also found motivation from family
and friends to cope up, while Participant 4 diverted their focus by helping their mom, driven
by the desire to show her and give her many things. Additionally, Participant 2 occasionally
went out with friends for distraction. Furthermore, some participants emphasized
communication as a coping mechanism to express feelings. Participant 1 highlighted the
importance of communication in processing emotions, while Participant 6 expressed a
fascination with speaking to strangers despite the potential dangers. In summary,
participants relied on social connections as emotional support, finding comfort, motivation,
and distraction through their relationships with family and friends. These connections served
as vital resources in navigating difficult circumstances and coping with emotional
challenges.
Lee, Su, and Yoshida (2005) found that social support can buffer the negative effects
of family conflict on positive affect and somatic distress in Asian American college students,
while problem-solving coping can improve positive affect when conflict is low. Thoits (2011)
mentioned that social relationships and support improve physical and psychological well-
being through seven mechanisms, including emotional sustenance and active coping
assistance from significant others and similar others. Connecting these studies, it becomes
evident that social support plays a crucial role in mitigating the adverse effects of stressors
on individuals' mental and physical health. Lee et al.'s findings on the buffering effects of
social support during family conflict align with Thoits' exploration of how social relationships
enhance well-being through emotional sustenance and coping assistance. Moreover, the
emphasis on problem-solving coping in low-conflict situations by Lee et al. resonates with
Thoits' discussion of active coping assistance as a mechanism for improving well-being. In
summary, both Lee et al. (2005) and Thoits (2011) highlight the importance of social
connections as sources of emotional support and coping assistance. These findings
underscore the significance of fostering strong social relationships and seeking support
from significant others and similar others to promote resilience and enhance overall
psychological and physical well-being.
Cognitive Strategies. A mental technique or approach individuals use to manage
and adapt to stress, challenges, or difficult situations. In accordance with participant 7’s
statement, "Or nung bata ako, nagddrawing ako or nagppainting. Pwede din siyang maging
coping mechanisms ganun. Syempre kapag busy ka na, nakakalimutan mo talaga yung
problema" interpreted as engaging in drawing or painting serves as a way to divert attention
from problems. Additionally, other participants share the idea that when individuals are
occupied, they tend to forget their problems, such as:
"Reading, music and online connection through omegle and ometv
hahahaha." – Participant 6
"Nanonood po ng Kdrama and painting po.” – Participant 2
“Mag basa ng mga novels kasi para po sakin nakaka relax po siya ng mind."
– Participant 9
"I grew up, trying a lot of musical instruments and I actually enyoy them.
Somehow, nakakalimutan ko sya dati na malungkot pala yung buhay kapag
may music or kapag nagpiplay ka ng instruments." – Participant 3
"Painting po talaga. Sobrang naging theraputic po sakin yung pag painting
kasi nagagamit ko po yung imaginations ko through art.” – Participant 2
“Effective din siguro yung music kasi nakakapagpa kalma sya." – Participant
"I always listen to music, everytime na ganoon tsaka pag nag be-break down
ako. Nakikinig lang talaga ‘ko sa music tapos kumakalma na’ko." –
Participant 8
On the other hand, some participants mentioned that diverting attention through
studies is effective, such as:
"Inaabala ko po sarili ko sa studies." – Participant 2
"Right now po, I am just doing my best with my studies po." Participant 2
added.
"The activities I've done lang was all throughout nagsastudy lang." –
Participant 4
"Usually po talaga nililibang ko po sarili ko sa studies." – Participant 9
"Coping mechanism ko nalang po siguro is mag aral maigi and mag focus
po sa mga pangarap ko." Participant 9 added.
Several participants use reflection through the act of talking to oneself, which
became a tool for introspection. Engaging in self-talk can lead to gaining insights and
understanding about one's own thoughts:

"Actually wala, kasi gusto ko sya maalala kaya pag nalulungkot ako
hinahayaan ko lang." – Participant 1
"Then I learned how to talk to myself. Nagsasalita ako mag isa, but not to the
point na nababaliw hahahah, kino-comfort ko lang yung sarili ko. Up until
now, effective pa rin yun. It helps me understand myself right now. When I’m
sad, angry, happy and anything else. It’s like checking up on yourself." –
Participant 3
"At first, I tried to comfort myself through talking by myself. Then, through
that mas nakilala ko yung sarili ko and learned how to be grateful for what I
have right now. It wasn’t that ideal and promising pero it taught me how to
accept and be positive about everything." – Participant 6
"I learned how to choose myself by talking to myself." – Participant 3
Moreover, some participants keeps the problems to oneself because of growing up
in a household does't care, such as:
"I remember when I was a kid, I learned how to cry silently just because I am
not allowed to cry kasi maiinis si Ahma." – Participant 3
"Siguro sinasarili ko na lang? Parang, kasi lumaki ako sa bahay na nagsabi
ka pero hindi nila aasikasuhin." – Participant 7
And participants want to prove that they can still have a fulfilling life despite growing
up without a father, believing it won't hinder them from achieving their dreams, stating that:
"Siguro yung naging coping mechanism ko was to prove him na he's missing
out so much. Na ayun nga na yung daughter nga na is ayun, magaling sa
school, or like, hindi nagkakaroon ng failing grades, gano'n. That he's
missing out so much. All these happening sa aming life. At the same time,
napiprove mo rin sa kanya na kaya mo mag-independent kahit wala siya.
And naprove ko na din sa kanya na parang even without him, kaya naman
din namin." – Participant 4
"Gusto ko po mapatunayan nalang din sa sarili ko na kaya ko po magkaroon
ng magandang buhay kahit lumaki akong walang tatay, na hindi po siya
magiging hadlang sa mga pangarap na gusto kong matupad." – Participant
Participant 7 highlighted the effectiveness of engaging in drawing or painting to
divert attention from problems, emphasizing how keeping busy can help in forgetting about
one's troubles. Similarly, Participant 6 found solace in hobbies such as reading, music, and
online connections. Participant 2 and Participant 9 also utilized painting and reading novels
as therapeutic outlets for relaxation. Moreover, Participant 3 shared how music and playing
musical instruments served as a means of forgetting the sadness in life. Reflecting on these
strategies, Participant 8 emphasized the calming effect of music, which they consistently
turned to for solace. On the other hand, some participants found diverting attention through
studies to be effective. Participant 2 and Participant 4 prioritized their studies as a way to
distract themselves and maintain focus on their aspirations. Participant 9 also found
calmness in studying and dedicated themselves to academic pursuits. Additionally, several
participants used reflection through self-talk as a tool for introspection. Participant 1
consciously allowed themselves to keep memories when feeling sad, while Participant 3
learned to engage in self-talk for self-comfort and understanding of their emotions.
Participant 6 and Participant 3 prioritized their well-being by engaging in internal dialogue
or self-talk. However, for some participants, growing up in an environment that lacked
emotional care led to keeping problems to themselves. Participant 3 and Participant 7

adapted to an environment where open emotional expression was discouraged, resorting
to silent crying and keeping problems to themselves. Despite these challenges, participants
expressed a determination to prove that they can lead fulfilling lives despite growing up
without a father. Participant 4 showcased academic success as a means of proving the
father's absence didn't hinder their independence and capabilities. Participant 9 shared the
same sentiment, believing in their ability to achieve their dreams despite the absence of a
father figure. Through cognitive strategies and resilience, participants strive to overcome
obstacles and pursue their aspirations. Cognitive strategies play a crucial role in how
individuals manage and adapt to stress and challenges.
Garnefski, Kraaij, and Spinhoven's (2001) research underscores the importance of
cognitive coping strategies in mitigating depression and anxiety symptoms among high
school students following negative life events. Their findings suggest that employing
effective cognitive coping mechanisms can significantly contribute to mental health
resilience in young individuals. In conclusion, their study highlights the potential for
interventions targeting cognitive coping skills to provide valuable support for adolescents
facing challenging circumstances, thereby promoting their psychological well-being and
enhancing their ability to navigate difficult life transitions. Also, Doron, Thomas-Ollivier,
Vachon, and Fortes-Bourbousson's (2013) exploration of cognitive coping profiles further
illuminates the significance of understanding individual coping strategies in mental health
assessment and prevention. By identifying specific cognitive coping patterns associated
with an increased risk of depression, their study offers valuable insights for mental health
promotion initiatives targeting vulnerable populations. Moreover, connecting these findings
to Garnefski, Kraaij, and Spinhoven's research highlights the potential synergy between
cognitive coping interventions and targeted mental health screenings. Together, these
studies underscore the importance of cognitive coping strategies as effective tools for
enhancing resilience and reducing the adverse impact of negative life events on mental
health among adolescents.
Spiritual and Emotional Well-being. Relying on practices like mindfulness,
meditation, prayer, or seeking a belief system to navigate challenges and maintain mental
balance is supported by the statement of participant 6, stating, "And siguro main factor din
yung positivity. These past few years, I learned that being negative about having problems
cannot help you at all. So, why not be positive nalang para mas magaan." This means
having the willingness to actively engage in positive thinking as a means of alleviating
burdens. Other participants emphasize overcoming challenges primarily through accepting
the reality that there's no such thing as a perfect family, providing statements such as:
“Overcome ko naman first of all is kasi tinanggap ko na. Tinanggap ko na
siya na that's the reality kasi wala namang perfect family talaga. And ayun
naman. Kaya parang yung nagsawa na ako, napagod na ako na. Kaya ayun,
tinanggap ko na lang siya.” – Participant 4
"Simple lang, acceptance and forgive lang. Pero hindi ko pa rin
nakakalimutan si papa, yung pag iwan niya saamin ni mama. Tanggap ko
naman na, hindi ko lang nakakalimutan." – Participant 5
"I think kasama din siguro yung time sa pagheal ko with this wound. As well
as, acceptance. Kasi ngayon naman masakit pa din pero may part na parang
tinatanggap ko na." – Participant 6
"Just accept the situation po ganoon. Kasi sobrang hirap. Laging sinasabi ni
mama na intindihin ko nalang sila ganoon." – Participant 8

More importantly, most of the participants purely trust God as a coping mechanism,
with them emphasizing statements such as:
"May time na sobrang nagbebreak down ako kasi na-miss ko talaga siya eh.
Yung time na yung bilang mag-isa ka tapos papasok siya sa isip mo. May
iiyak ka nalang. So, yung ginagawa ko, pray to God na sana maging okay
yung pakiramdam ko." – Participant 10
"I just trust God, purely." – Participant 3
"Uhmm ano, uma-attend ako before ng church sa friend ko. Sinasama niya
ako everytime na nag o-open up ako sakaniya pag naaalala ko si papa." –
Participant 5
Participants prioritize spiritual and emotional well-being through practices like
mindfulness, meditation, prayer, and embracing belief systems to navigate challenges and
maintain mental balance. Participant 6, for instance, demonstrates a willingness to actively
engage in positive thinking as a means of alleviating burdens. Others, such as Participant
4 and Participant 5, emphasize overcoming challenges by accepting the reality that there's
no such thing as a perfect family. They have grown weary or exhausted and simply accepted
this truth, with Participant 5 acknowledging the difficulty of fully moving on from the memory
of their father leaving. Time also plays a significant role in the healing process, as Participant
6 expresses being in the process of acceptance despite still feeling hurt. Moreover, many
participants rely on their faith in God as a coping mechanism. Participant 10, for example,
experiences emotional breakdowns due to missing their father but finds solace in prayer,
hoping for emotional healing. Participant 3 purely trusts in God, while Participant 5 finds
companionship and comfort in attending church with a friend who shares their feelings about
missing their father. These practices and beliefs serve as essential tools for participants in
finding peace and resilience amidst life's challenges.
The findings from Donihue's (2019) exploration of the emotional impact of absent
fathers resonate with the participants' reliance on spirituality as a coping mechanism. Both
narratives underscore the profound influence of father figures, whether present or absent,
on individuals' emotional well-being. The parallels drawn between earthly fathers and God
highlight the universal quest for comfort and strength in the face of adversity. Moreover, the
participants' shared experience of turning to God for solace aligns with Donihue's
examination of the emotional void left by emotionally and spiritually absent fathers. This
correlation emphasizes the significance of spirituality as a coping mechanism for navigating
life's challenges and finding emotional healing. Similarly, Simoni, Martone, and Kerwin's
(2002) study on spirituality and coping among women living with HIV/AIDS provides further
support for the importance of spiritual resources in promoting psychological adaptation. The
positive correlation between spirituality and psychological well-being underscores the role
of spiritual beliefs and practices in facilitating emotional resilience in the face of chronic
illness. In parallel to the participants' reliance on spirituality for coping, this research
highlights the therapeutic value of spiritual connections in overcoming adversity and finding
meaning in difficult circumstances. Together, these studies underscore the profound impact
of spirituality as a coping mechanism across diverse life experiences, emphasizing its
potential for promoting emotional well-being and psychological adaptation in the face of
adversity.The studies conducted by Lee, Su, and Yoshida (2005), Thoits (2011), Garnefski,
Kraaij, and Spinhoven (2001), Doron, Thomas-Ollivier, Vachon, and Fortes-Bourbousson
(2013), Donihue (2019), and Simoni, Martone, and Kerwin (2002) collectively highlight the
diverse array of coping mechanisms individuals employ to navigate life's challenges and
promote emotional well-being. Social support emerges as a crucial factor in buffering the
negative effects of stressors on mental and physical health, as illustrated by Lee et al. and
Thoits' findings. Cognitive coping strategies, as emphasized by Garnefski et al. and Doron
et al., offer valuable tools for enhancing resilience and reducing the impact of negative life
events on mental health. Additionally, the significance of spirituality as a coping mechanism,
explored by Donihue and Simoni et al., underscores the universal quest for comfort and
strength in the face of adversity. In summary, the synthesis of these studies underscores
the importance of effective coping mechanisms such as social connections, cognitive
strategies, and spirituality in promoting emotional well-being. Participants across various
contexts mentioned relying on these coping mechanisms to navigate challenges and find
emotional healing. This highlights the need for comprehensive approaches to support
individuals' coping efforts and enhance their overall psychological and emotional resilience.
CHAPTER V
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This chapter discusses the conclusions and recommendations of the researchers
with regards to the data that have been presented.
Conclusions
This research focused on distinct goals aimed at revealing the experiences of
daughters who grew up without a father, particularly concerning how female participants
describe their experiences related to the absence of their father figure in their lives, how the
presence of father-daughter issues during upbringing impacted the participants' financial
stability, emotional bonds with others, and societal roles, and how they cope with these
experiences.
Addressing research question 1, the participants' diverse experiences led to
shared themes contributing to a deeper comprehension of their life stories as daughters
growing up without a father. Focusing on their lived experiences, the impact of father-
daughter issues on the participants' social development in relation to their financial situation,
attachment towards other people, and social role, alongside an exploration of their coping
mechanisms. From the collected data, the participants conveyed a shared theme
highlighting that their life experiences unfolded with unique experiences. The study reveals
that participants describe their experiences of not having a father as encompassing
emotional discontentment and struggles, as well as difficulties in self-discovery. Those who
experience emotional discontentment and struggles primarily encounter life dissatisfaction,
emotional distress, and insecurity. Additionally, most participants experienced difficulties

with self-discovery, which involves navigating their self-sufficiency and relationship with
their mother. The absence of a father figure has significant emotional and developmental
impacts on daughters, manifesting in feelings of dissatisfaction, distress, and insecurity.
Moreover, the absence of paternal guidance can pose challenges in terms of self-discovery
and forming a sense of autonomy, particularly within the context of maternal relationships.
Collectively, the findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the complexity of the
experiences of daughters growing up without a father, offering a holistic view of the
participants' circumstances.
In accordance with research question 2, the data analysis reveals that participants
in the study faced a multitude of challenges across various domains, including economic,
emotional, relational, and social spheres. Economic challenges were prevalent among
participants, who experienced economic precarity and were motivated to overcome these
obstacles. Additionally, emotional vulnerability was a common theme, with participants
exhibiting fear of abandonment, lack of trust, attachment issues, and selectivity in
friendships. Furthermore, the absence of parental guidance led to the development of
relationship patterns that influenced participants' relationship preferences. Moreover, many
participants encountered challenges in meeting social expectations, which manifested in
social isolation, academic journey, and rebellious behavior. In conclusion, the study
highlights the diverse and complex experiences of individuals who have faced paternal
absence. The study elucidates the comprehensive effects of father-daughter issues on
participants' financial stability, emotional bonds with others, and societal roles, underscoring
the intricate interplay between these domains in shaping individuals' experiences.
In response with research question 3, there are three major coping mechanisms
utilized by the participants to overcome their circumstances, including social connections

such as emotional support, cognitive strategies, and spiritual and emotional well-being.
Participants derive social connections as emotional support through familial and social
bonds as well as effective communication. Participants utilize cognitive strategies such as
reflection, personal empowerment, and diverting attention through academic commitment
and finding hobbies. Lastly but not least, the majority of participants are focused on spiritual
and emotional well-being through spiritual connection, acceptance, forgiveness, and
positivity. The study sheds light on the coping mechanisms employed by individuals facing
adversity, particularly those growing up without fathers, revealing insights into their
strategies for navigating life's challenges.
The research delved into the experiences of daughters raised without fathers,
uncovering challenges. Participants described their experiences with economic challenges
and self-discovery difficulties, alongside the impact of father-daughter issues during
upbringing on their financial stability, emotional bonds with others, and societal roles. They
experienced economic challenges, emotional vulnerability, developed relationship patterns,
and challenges in social expectation. Coping strategies, including social connections as
emotional support, cognitive strategies, and spiritual and emotional well-being, were
identified. Overall, the study offers valuable insights into the complex dynamics of growing
up without paternal guidance, emphasizing the importance of holistic support systems for
individuals facing similar circumstances.
Recommendations
This study underscores the importance of broadening the research scope beyond
current perspectives on daughters growing up without fathers. The researchers advocate
for a thorough examination that spans multiple generations to strengthen future research
endeavors. To achieve this, the researchers suggest extending the study beyond the limits
of Metro Manila and exploring diverse cultural contexts. This expanded exploration is
deemed essential for establishing a more universally applicable comprehension of the
subject, acknowledging and integrating cultural variations into the narrative of father
absence.
Furthermore, the researchers express a desire to broaden the age range of
participants beyond female adolescents to include individuals at various life stages.
Longitudinal studies are seen as particularly valuable for tracking participants' experiences
over an extended period and gaining nuanced insights into the long-term effects of growing
up without a father.
Another suggested direction for further investigation involves exploring father-
daughter relationships marked by infrequent or limited interaction. Additionally, future
studies could benefit from considering alternative father figures, such as stepfathers or other
relatives, to capture a more comprehensive examination of paternal influence on social
development.
Moreover, future research endeavors could consider the inclusion of male
participants for a comparative analysis of experiences between genders, enriching
comprehension of the broader implications of father absence on social development.
Additionally, comparative studies juxtaposing the experiences of daughters growing
up without fathers with those having positive father-daughter relationships could underscore
distinct challenges and strengths inherent to each group. This methodology seeks to foster
a detailed understanding of the intricate impact of father absence.
Lastly, delving into the evolving roles of mothers in the absence of fathers and
comprehending how maternal support and parenting styles contribute to daughters'

development is another promising avenue for exploration. This inquiry aims to shed light on
the complex dynamics within single-parent households, emphasizing the pivotal role played
by maternal figures in shaping the experiences of daughters.
For future researchers, it is advisable to prolong the study duration and conduct
multiple interview sessions to gain a more comprehensive understanding of participants' life
experiences. Additionally, broadening the geographical scope of the study and including
parental perspectives would contribute to a more holistic and nuanced understanding of
their circumstances in line with family dynamics.

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APPENDICES
INTERVIEW/TRANSCRIPT
Interviewer: Roy Alvin Sobrevega (Researcher 5)
Interviewee: Participant 1 | 18 years old | Makati City
Date of Interview: November 26, 2023
[Begin Transcript]
Researcher 5: We will now proceed to the main questions of the interview. So um

before anything else this part of the interview guide questions will answer the
perception that was experienced by the female adolescents who grew up without a
father so for my first question um what was it like for you growing up without a father
in your present life during childhood?
Participant 1: Okay so during childhood I always think about if I have a father like
that my life will be different um what if I have a father like that my life will be new to
me I really just always think about what I will never have a father like that my life will
be new to me my personality will not be like that and I will not be thinking about this
if there is a father like that...
Researcher 5: I see so um what are the challenges that you grew up without a
father questions that you grew up without a father
Participant 1: Challenges that I faced, since I didn't have a father growing up, I think
is I always thinking like my life will be different, that's really it. I feel like my life is
different when my dad is here. Probably we're not here.
Researcher 5: So for my next question, how do you feel every time you remember
that you don't have a father who will guide you?
Participant 1: Actually until now in my 18 years of existence here on earth, I still
shed a couple of tears when I think about my dad because I always think about how
like sad my mom is because I don't have a father or like she doesn't have a husband
with her and it's sad until now it's still sad.
Researcher 5: How does not having a father during childhood differ from its impact
on you as an adult?
Participant 5: I guess it has an impact on me when I don't have a father since child
the impact is that I'm stubborn because no one is disciplining me as a dad or I'm not
afraid of anyone unlike other adults I know a lot of my friends who have a father
they're scared of their dad but unlike me I don't have anyone to talk to.
Researcher 5: Okay so for my next, question um how did having an absent father
affect your financial situation?
Participant 1: I think super na affect yung financial situation namin. Okay. So
probably, kung kasama namin si dad, yun nga, iba talaga yung life namin.
Researcher 5: So, how did the absence of your father impact your access to
resources and opportunities? Like, kung paano naka-apekto sa'yo na mag-explore
ng other opportunities, ganun?
Participant 1: Ayun nga, I guess naka-impact talaga siya kasi siguro kung kasama
naming si dad, um, sa ibang school ako nag-aaral ngayon and probably may more
chances ako na mas maganda educational ko since yung ngayon, kasi laging pinag-
iisipan ko yung financial burden ng pag-aaral ko. Yun nga, sa pagdo-doktor, medyo
50-50 na kasi malaki yung financial burden. Siguro kung unlike kasama namin si
dad, ma-sisupport yun. Okay. Okay. Ang hirap ata i-English mo, di ba kailangan mo
mag-English dito?
Researcher 5: So, um, how did this shape your aspirations and goals? Um. Relating
dun sa may question before, ha? Okay. Yung parang, ano, yung resources, ganun?
Participant 1: Actually, positive pa rin siya for me. Kasi mas namumotivate ako na
mag-pursige sa studies ko. Mas namumotivate din ako na tuloy yung, um, uh, siguro
matutuloy ko yung medical journey ko.
Researcher 5: So, it's a positive inspiration. Hmm. Okay. So, um, does your, um...
father have another family that supports, that he supports financially?
Participant 1: Hmm. Siguro, pag naisip ko. Hindi ko naisip yan. Hindi ko naisip if
there is other family. Um, I guess, if may ibang family siya, tapos nandun siya. I
guess, mas okay. So, I guess, okay lang kung meron siyang family na sinusuport.
Basta may, like, anak siya. Na responsibility talaga sa father.
Researcher 5: Okay. So, um, for my next question, um, did having an absent father
hinder you from having a better life?
Participant 1: Yes! Yes, truly. Kasi, um, yun nga, my life will really be different if my
dad is alive right now. And supporting us. And I think, um, my family will not be like
this. Like, living here in Makati or in Taguig. Um, and probably, okay din yung mga
life ng brothers ko. Since, there will be guidance along the way.
Researcher 5: So, um, in what ways did growing up with an absent father affect
your ability to form relationships?
Participant 1: Grabe naman yung question na yan. Um, teka. pagisipan ko. I guess,
uh, it doesn't really, um, affect my relationship, um, my relationship, uh, ano ba't
tawag doon? Status? No? Hmm, parang ganun na rin. Oo, it doesn't really affect.
Wait lang, ha? Wait lang. Parang hindi. I think, I think nakaka-affect nga siya.
Nakaka-affect na wala akong father sa pagka-explore ko ng relationship with other
people. Kasi gusto ko yung parang guy na can show protection aking. Kasi since
wala nga akong dad, hindi ko naramdaman na yung protected skills kahit may
mothers ako. Iba parang talaga, parang protection galing sa father. Hmm. So, I think
isa ko sa gaya is yung protected. Hindi talaga ako pala attached. Since yun nga,
maaga ko naranasan yung parang lust of love. I always tell myself na even with my
friends, even sa relationship ko. Goods lang, ganun. Yung mababaw lang.
Researcher 5: So, has this evolved as you've entered childhood?
Partisipant 1: Yeah, of course. Kasi before, siguro ang gusto ko lang sa friends,
ganun. I am more on, parang respectful. Pero ngayon, gusto ko yung respect. Ano
ba? Wait lang, nahirapan akong magsagot. Kung nag-evolve ba yung tingin ko?
Researcher 5: Like yung ano mong yun, yung sabi mo yung protective, nag-evolve
ba yun hanggang ngayon? Gusto mo pa rin ba protective yung guy?
Participant 1: Alright. Actually, gusto ko pa rin talaga ng protective. Even before...
Even nung bata pa ako, gusto ko talaga yung parang can protect me. Yung
nararamdaman ko na kaya niya ako protectahan. In a way, hindi isa physically
ganun. Parang emotionally. Even bata pa ako, malalim ako mag-isip ng bata. Tama
ba yung sagot ka? Tama naman, tama naman. Okay, kung nabahala mo, friends.
Researcher 5: So, how was your experience in maintaining close relationship with
others? Like through friends or through romantic relationships, ganun? Hmm…
Participant 1: Teka. Siguro... Even nung bata ako, hindi talaga ako pala attached.
Alam ko sa sarili ko na huwag ako ma-attach sa isang tao since yun nga, maaga ko
naranasan yung parang lust of love. I always tell myself na... Dapat hindi masyadong
malalim yung attachment sa isang tao. Even with my friends, even sa relationship
ko. Goods lang, ganun. Yung mababaw lang. Pero hindi yung parang...
Researcher 5: So, for my next question... In what ways did the absence of your
father impact your relationships with your family members? Or like sa kapatid mo,
sa grandparents mo, kahit sa mother mo? Okay naman yung relationships mo sa
mother mo, sa mga siblings mo.
Participant 1: Hindi naman naka-affect yung ano... Yung relationship ko sa iba.
Siguro... Siguro kung nandito nga si dad, may takot din ako sa mga kuya ko. Pero
as of now, wala eh. Hindi ako takot kila kuya, kay mami. Wala. Hmm... Ka-impact
siya kasi... Well, yun nga. Walang fatherly figure na... Parang nag-gaguide na dapat
matakot ka sa... Mom and the... Sa mama mo, or sa brothers mo. Hmm, Easy. It's
not easy.
Researcher 5: So, um... How did an absent father affect you as a daughter? As a
daughter? Like in general?
Participant 1: Like ano, um... Naging mabuting daughter ka ba ganun? Naging
okay ba yung outcome mo? I guess naging okay naman ako. Ayun nga. naging...
Since wala nga akong dad to, like, discipline me and guide me... Um... Naging
rebellious talaga ako nung high school ako. I even got suspended. Sa point na yun.
Tapos... Ayun nga. Um... Matigas din yung ulo ko when it comes to my mom.
Madalas kasi ako yung nasusunod. Hmm... So, ayun. Ayun. Pero, in a way, as I
grow older, mas na-realize ko how to be a good daughter sa mom ko. At wala si
dad.
Researcher 5: Hmm... So, um... In school, how did the absence and father affect
you?
Participant 1: Uh... Like in younger years or now?
Researcher 5: Both.
Participant 1: In the younger years, ano talaga ako? Hindi ako magaling
academically. As in, mahina ako sa school. Since, hindi nga rin ako nakikinig sa
nagtuturo sa akin. Even my mom or mga kuya ko. Sa school, hindi ako nakikinig.
Parang wala pa siya sa priority school. So, siguro kung nandyan si dad, probably,
naturuan din ako ng maayos. Ano, as I grow older, mas narealize ko how to be a
good daughter sa mom ko. Hindi ako magaling academically. In my college, yes.
Yes. Okay nga siya. Kasi, nag-improve na rin ako academically. Mas na-prioritize
ko nga yung education.
Researcher 5: Another question naman is, how did you overcome your situation?
Participant 1: I... I guess. Yes, I overcome the challenges of growing up without a
father. As I know, as I come closer with my mom, its better now that I overcome this
problem by talking to my family. So, I can express my feelings more now, even
before. Because before, I just felt that I don't have a father. But now, I can tell him
that I'm sad because I hope my dad is here.
Researcher 5: So, what are your coping mechanisms to all these experiences?
Participant 1: My coping mechanism in every challenges that I face is talking. I talk
to other people to express my feelings more.
Researcher 5: So, would you consider an effective coping mechanism and should
it be recommend by others? people that has the same situation.
Participant 1: Yeah of course I recommend talking to someone if you have uh if
you're facing challenges on your own must maybe give me advices or like even the
actual action that i keep talking about your problems can be really really.
Researcher 5: So um what activities did you engage in for you not to remember that
you don't have a father activities like what like you know what are the things you do
to not remember him.
Participant 1: Actually wala, kasi gusto ko sya maalala kaya pag nalulungkot ako
hinahayaan ko lang.
[End of Transcript]
Interviewer: Czarina Faith Cabarloc (Researcher 2)

[Begin Transcript]
Researcher 2: Hi, I am Czarina Faith Cabarloc, and I was assigned to interview you
today. We appreciate you *Participant’s Name*, for giving us the opportunity to talk
to you. Before we start, may I ask how’s your day?
Participant 2: Hi po, okay naman po ako!
Researcher 2: That’s good to hear, *Participant’s Name*! I would like to ask you for
a few pieces of information about your background and some of your experiences
growing up without a father.
Participant 2: Okay po. *nod*
Researcher 2: We want to gather this information to understand the stories of
daughters who grew up without a father. This interview will take 30 minutes up to 1
hour. Are you available to answer the questions at this time?
Participant 2: Sure po, Opo. *nod*
Researcher 2: Ngayon palang thank you for your answers, *Participant’s Name*,
we will now proceed to the main interview questions.
Participant 2: Okay po.
Researcher 2: So, for our first question. What is it like for you to grow up without
your father present in your life during childhood?
Participant 2: Mahirap po kasi nung elementary ako, meron kaming ‘family day’ sa
school tapos nakikita ko yung mga friends at classmate ko kumpleto yung family nila
tapos ako hindi. Minsan ang kasama ko pa noon lola ko lang or tita ko kasi yung
Mom ko nag wowork sa ibang bansa.
Researcher 2: I see. What are your challenges growing up without a father?
Participant 2: Siguro po is yung Mom ko OFW tapos wala din akong tatay. Ang
kasama ko lang palagi yung lola at tita ko, sila lang yung nag aasikaso sakin dito sa
pilipinas.
Researcher 2: How do you feel every time you remember that you don’t have a
father who will guide you?
Participant 2: Masakit po kasi minsan napapa isip ako bakit iniwan ng tatay ko?
Na, hindi ba ako worth it ng love and care niya para sa akin? Mga ganon po *laughs*.
Researcher 2: Hmm. How does not having a father during childhood differ from its
impact on you as an adult?
Participant 2: Sa ngayon po, di ko po alam kung may changes po sakin eh kasi
until now pa din naman po is nalulungkot at nasasaktan ako kapag naiisip ko wala
akong tatay. Pero siguro po ay naging independent nalang din po ako kasi ayun nga
po, wala akong tatay tapos yung Mom ko po nasa ibang bansa.
Researcher 2: How did having an absent father affect your financial situation?
*cough*
Participant 2: Uhm, hindi naman po kami nagkaroon ng financial problem ng Mom
ko since birth ko kasi maganda naman po work ng Mom ko.
Researcher 2: Oh, if you don’t mind me asking, pwede malaman work ng Mom
mo?
Participant 2: Nurse po siya sa Canada.

Researcher 2: Oh, okay. Also, sa tingin mo ba your father have another family that
he supports financially?
Participant 2: Siguro po kasi I am sure din naman po may sariling family na din po
siya eh.
Researcher 2: I see. Did having an absent father hinder you from having a better
life?
Participant 2: Minsan po. Minsan po kasi na ququestion ko yung sarili ko yung worth
it ba akong tao kung ang tatay ko hindi naman nakikita yung halaga ko bilang anak
niya? Pero kahit naman po ganon, sinisikap ko pa din naman po magpatuloy sa
buhay.
Researcher 2: Okay... In what ways did growing up with an absent father affect
your ability to form relationships?
Participant 2: Konti lang po friends ko to be honest, kasi madalas po ako mag
overthink eh. Lagi po kasi akong natatakot maiwanan.
Researcher 2: Has this evolved as you've entered adulthood?
Participant 2: Sa tingin ko po opo.
Researcher 2: Why naman?
Participant 2: Kasi po iilan lang po talaga friends ko, hirap po ako mag tiwala sa iba
eh.
Researcher 2: I see. How was your experience in maintaining close relationships
with other people? Like sa friendship, romantic relationship ganon.
Participant 2: Actually po, sobrang swerte ko lang din po sa mga friends ko kasi
kahit alam po nila yung pinagdadaanan ko, nandiyan lang po sila palagi sakin. Hindi
ko nga din po alam kung bakit friends ko pa din sila kahit mabilis po ako mag
overthink, kaya swerte po talaga ako sa kanila.
Researcher 2: It’s nice to know that you have good friends, *Participant’s Name*.
In what ways naman did the absence of your father impact your relationships with
other family members/ guardian? Sa siblings, grandparents, and mother mo.
Participant 2: Yung Mom ko po, okay naman po kami pero dahil nga po OFW siya,
di ko din po talaga siya nakaka bonding, kapag umuuwi lang po siya dito sa pilipinas.
Pero sa lola at tita ko naman po, okay naman po kami. Mabait po sila at maasikaso,
never po nila ako pinabayaan, lalo na po lola ko.
Researcher 2: Hmm, okay. How did having an absent father affect you as a
daughter?
Participant 2: Hmm, hindi po ako proud sa age ko pero I tried drinking and smoking.
Sa totoo lang po, maaga din po ako nag explore sexually. *laughs* Wala naming
ibang makakaalam diba? *laughs* syempre kasi yung age ko. So yun nga, siguro
po is to fill the void na nararamdaman ko po without the love and guidance of my
father.
Researcher 2: I see. In school, how did having an absent father affect you?
Participant 2: I think hindi naman po siya naka apekto sakin sa school since
magaganda naman po ang grades ko and never naman po ako napa tawag sa
guidance ever since hahaha.
Researcher 2: That’s good to know, *Participant’s Name*. Sa peers mo naman,
how did having an absent father affect you?
Participant 2: Ayun nga po, I have some trouble making new friends, bukod pa po
doon sa mga friends ko po talaga, kasi mabilis po ako mag overthink and takot
maiwanan po.
Researcher 2: Hmm, okay. How do you overcome these life experiences?
Participant 2: Right now po, I am just doing my best with my studies po and make
my family proud kasi sila po talaga ang nandiyan para sa akin.
Researcher 2: What are your coping mechanisms to all these experiences?
Participant 2: Inaabala ko po sarili ko sa studies tapos minsan po, lumalabas po
ako with my friends, nanonood po ng Kdrama and painting po.
Researcher 2: Oh, you paint pala. That’s nice! Would you consider your coping
mechanism effective and recommend it to other people in the same situation?
Participant 2: Yes po, kasi siguro po kapag ginagawa niyo pong busy yung sarili
niyo, minsan nakakalimutan din po yung mga problema na meron tayo. At saka po,
malaking tulong din po yung lumalabas with friends kasi may nakakausap or may
kasama ka pong tumawa.
Researcher 2: That’s true naman. What activities did you engage in for you not to
remember that you have an absent father?
Participant 2: Painting po talaga. Sobrang naging theraputic po sakin yung pag
painting kasi nagagamit ko po yung imaginations ko through art.
Researcher 2: I am sure you are an amazing artist, *Participant’s Name* and being
someone who didn’t grow up with a father by your side is not easy, yet you welcomed
us and contributed to our study. Anything that you want to add before we end this
interview?
Participant 2: Wala naman po and you’re welcome po *laughs*
Researcher 2: Please know that the following information and experiences that you
have shared with us are for research purposes only. Your trust is important to us,
your private information will not be shared with other people. Also, as researchers,
we want to inform you that our questions are intended for study only and we don’t
want you to feel invalidated and belittled. Thank you so much again, *Participant’s
Name*!
Participant 2: Thank you din po!
[End of Transcript]
Interviewer: Monica Lañuza (Researcher 3)

Date of Interview: October 28, 2023
[Begin Transcript]
Researcher 3: Hello, good afternoon. Have a seat, have a seat. Kamusta? Hindi ka
naman nahirapang pumunta dito?
Participant 3: Ay, hindi naman po. Familiar din naman po ako ng konti dito.
Researcher 3: Oh buti naman. Ano pala gusto mo? Order tayo. *Ordered food* So,
yeah. Let’s proceed na sa interview, okay lang ba?
Participant 3: Oo naman po, sure, sure. *laughs*
Researcher 3: Okay. What was it like for you growing up without your father present
in your life during childhood?
Participant 3: *Clear throat* It was really sad. I think. I developed a lot of negative
feelings sa kanya, sa family, sa buhay. Sa tingin ko nga I am still living as a kid
simula nung nagkaroon ako ng idea na wala akong tatay. Overall, it’s sad and
suffocating.
Researcher 3: I see, so bale okay lang naman na magproceed tayo sa mga
questions, right?
Participant 3: Yes. *nods*
Researcher 3: What are your challenges growing up without a father? Have you
experience any kind of challenges growing up? Kahit anong challenges.
Participant 3: There’s a lot. I mean, I can’t even count nga eh. *laughs* Although, I
guess the biggest challenge growing up would be expressing myself. I never learned
how to communicate with other people. Hindi ko ma-express lahat ng feelings ko. I
had a tough childhood. My mom was a tourism student and my dad was an engineer
abroad when they had me. Yung lola ko sa side ni mama, they were very
disappointed kasi nabuntis si mama. Nadelay yung pagiging flight attendant nya
because of me. Then yung dad ko pinanagutan naman nya yung pagiging tatay
sakin pero for just 5 years lang kasi he actually have a family sa UAE. My
grandparents can’t accept the fact na disgrasyada yung anak nila may pamilya pa
yung nakabuntis. After that ayon nagdisappear na sya. During my younger years,
hindi ako tanggap ng grandparents ko and wala din namang magawa si mama about
it. So yeah, I grew up trying to be accepted, asking for validation and attention.
Researcher 3: That’s interesting, how do you feel every time you remember that
you don’t have a father who will guide you?
Participant 3: I can’t exactly feel something aside from being brokenhearted.
Everytime na may nagpapaalala sa akin na, hindi kumpleto yung pamilya ko,
naaawa ako sa sarili ko. Dati palagi akong nagpi-pray na sana soon gustuhin akong
makasama ulit ng dad ko. Kahit isang araw lang. Kahit magkaroon lang kami ng
communication.
Researcher 3: Like ngayon, how does not having a father during childhood differ
from its impact on you as an adult?
Participant 3: When I was a kid, I used to be a people pleaser asking for validation
from my grandparents, my mom and her boyfriends. I was really happy whenever
she introduced me to her new guy. Parang it alters my brain na, it doesn’t matter at
all kahit sino nalang maging daddy ko. And then, ngayong malaki na ko, I
experienced a lot from my step-dads before which led me to explore different things.
Nag iba yung tingin ko sa mga lalaki, they’re monsters, that I should take care of my
mom, my friends, and my partner. I became a lesbian.
Participant 3: My mom has a job, so it has never been an issue with us.
How did the absence of your father impact your access to resources and
opportunities?
Participant 3: Siguro, when other people branded me as fatherless, which my
grandparents hated. I never had a chance to become a normal kid. Sobrang bata ko
pa pero kailangan ko na agad may mapatunayan because I don’t have a father. We
have Chinese blood in the family, that's why Ahma was very strict.
Researcher 3: How did this shape your aspirations and goals?
Participant 3: Ohh yeah, at least, naging masipag naman ako and naging
competitive which is nagagamit ko naman hanggang ngayon. Up until now, I still
want to prove myself but not just to them but also para din sa sarili ko.
Researcher 3: Does your father have another family that he supports financially?
Participant 3: Yes. As far as I can remember, his family was actually mayaman
abroad.
Researcher 3: How does it affect you?
Participant 3: It’s totally unfair to me, why can he become a father to his children
while me andito having a conversation about how he hurt me and me being
fatherless hahahahahha
Researcher 3: Did having an absent father hinder you from having a better life?
Participant 3: Yes, if he’s here with us. Hindi na maghahanap yung mom ko ng
happiness sa iba at hindi nya ko mapapabayaan. I’ll grow up having a complete and
happy family. And siguro, maipagtatanggol nya kami ni mom kila Ahma...
Researcher 3: In what ways did growing up with an absent father affect your ability
to form relationships?
Participant 3: It was kind of difficult. One day, narealize ko nalang na nagiging
katulad na ko ni mom at the young age. I met a lot of different guys from different
age ranges hahahahahha. Then, that’s the time when I decided to explore and yet I
am happy right now.
Researcher 3: How was your experience in maintaining close relationships with
other people?
Participant 3: Well, actually, friendship became my real family. I grew up with an
awesome person with her family guiding me. I was very grateful for their love and
kindness. Somehow naka experience ako ng pag aalaga with them. While in
romantic relationships, I had a hard time trying to find true happiness with someone.
Sobrang daming nangyari at muntik pang mangyari. And right now, I’m happy with
my special someone.
Researcher 3: In what ways did the absence of your father impact your relationships
with other family members/ guardian?
Participant 3: I think I never really had a chance to express my affection to them,
especially sa grandparents ko. Although, noong younger years ko trying hard ako
kasi sobrang lonely ko noon. Parang wala akong kakampi. My mom was always with
her new love life, my grandparents were too distant to me, and I don’t have a sibling.
Researcher 3: How did having an absent father affect you as a daughter?
Participant 3: I think as a daughter, nagampanan ko naman yung pagiging maayos

na anak. Pero may time lang din noon na naging rebellious ako, where I tried to copy
my mom with a thought na I can find love with strangers. But right now, my mom
and I are on good terms.
Researcher 3: In school, how did having an absent father affect you?
Participant 3: I think, as I became a people pleasing person, nagkaroon din yun ng
mabuting outcome. I perform well in school.
Researcher 3: Within your peers, how did having an absent father affect you?
Participant 3: Mostly, people are good naman sa akin. That's why I have really good
friends. Being fatherless naman is never an issue when it comes to making friends.
It’s just a major me problem, kasi sometimes nakakainggit talaga kapag yung friends
mo buo yung family.
Researcher 3: How do you overcome these life experiences?
Participant 3: I just trust God, purely.
Participant 3: I remember when I was a kid, I learned how to cry silently just
because I am not allowed to cry kasi maiinis si Ahma. Then I learned how to talk to
myself. Nagsasalita ako mag isa, but not to the point na nababaliw hahahah, kino-
comfort ko lang yung sarili ko. Up until now, effective pa rin yun. It helps me
understand myself right now. When I’m sad, angry, happy and anything else. It’s like
checking up on yourself.
Researcher 3: Would you consider your coping mechanism effective and
recommend it to other people in the same situation?
Participant 3: I think so, yes, they can try it as their coping mechanism. It may
sound like a crazy thingy, pero effective sya for me. I learned how to choose myself
by talking to myself.
Researcher 3: How about sa activities naman. Like, what activities did you engage
in for you not to remember that you have an absent father?
Participant 3: I grew up, trying a lot of musical instruments and I actually enyoy
them. Somehow, nakakalimutan ko sya dati na malungkot pala yung buhay kapag
may music or kapag nagpiplay ka ng instruments.
[End of Transcript]

Interviewee: Participant 4 | 18 years old | Taguig City
Date of Interview: October 16, 2023
[Begin Transcript]
Researcher 5: So, greetings. I am Roy Alvin Sobrevega and I was assigned to

interview today and we appreciate you, *Participant’s Name*, for giving us the
opportunity to talk to you. So, kamusta naman yung araw? How was your day?
Participant 4: Okay lang po.
Researcher 5: Good. So, ilang taon ka na pala, *Participant’s Name*?
Participant 4: Eighteen years old po.
Researcher 5: So, ummm. This part of the interview will answer the perception that
was experienced by the female adolescent who grew up without a father. So,
ummm. Ready ka na ba, *Participant’s Name*?
Participant 4: Yes. Okay.
Researcher 5: So, what was it like for you growing up without your father present
in your life during childhood? Umm…
Participant 4: Having no father during growing up is yung feeling na parang empty
ka, na you're missing one parent, obviously. And, ayun, parang it's heartbreaking
kasi hindi kayo complete as a family.
Researcher 5: So, ummm. Anong yung mga challenges na nag-grow up? Ayun,
sorry. What are the challenges growing up without a father?
Participant 4: Yung mga naging challenge ko was, first of all, is not having any
father figure. And, syempre, di ba nga yung father figure is ano daw? Parang siya
nga daw yung nagiging head of the family. So, I grew up without that. Okay. Mahirap
naman yung galing sitwasyon talaga.
Researcher 5: So, how do you feel every time you remember that you don't have a
Participant 4: Umm, to be honest, it feels very sad because, ummm... Every time
na pag I see na complete yung family nila, parang yung feeling na inggit ka, and
nakikita mo yung iba na complete nga. So, ayun, parang sa sarili mo, you just feel
na parang, ummm. na parang ano bang nagawa mong kulang or what is wrong with
you. Ganon. Hmm. Parang life is unfair, no? Bakit yung iba complete o bakit sa iyo?
Researcher 5: So, ummm, for my next question, ummm... How does not having a
father during childhood differ from its impact as a adult?
Participant 4: Like, kung ano yung naging epekto naman sa'yo sa childhood nga,
and ngayon naman sa'yong pagiging adult naman? Oh, dahil ngayon na 18 naman
na ako, ummm, medyo naging matured na din ako when it comes sa... alam mo yun,
parang ako nalang naging father din. Like, I just became my own person nalang.
Ganon. Lagi kong hinahanap yung, ah... yun nga, yung father figure na yung love
and affection ng isang mga... Hmm. Lagi kong hinahanap yung, ah... yun nga, yung
father figure na yung love and affection ng isang mga...parang, I wonder how it
would feel like having one. I see. Pero ngayong 18 ka na, you can say na para
independent ka na.
Researcher 5: Even though wala yung dad mo, Okay, so, ummm, how did having
an absent father affect your financial situation?
Participant 4: Ummm, naging mahirap since it was only my mom who was taking
all the care. I have a brother din lahat ng financial, plus dalawa kami. I have another
brother who's younger than me. So, ako yung ummm, oldest in the family. And
syempre, pag ikaw yung panganay, diba, you have to take... you have to carry all of
these responsibilities. And yun, during nung parang childhood ko, yung financial
status namin was really hard kasi nga yung mom ko. She only had... yung work niya
kasi was parang minimum wage lang. So, it's not enough to carry all that burden na
nagpapaaral ka ng dalawang anak. Plus, yung food and all those random finances
pa.
Researcher 5: Yung expenses sa bahay, no? Yung bills, electric bills, tuition fee pa
sa school. I see. So, ummm, how did the absence of father impact your access to
resources and opportunities? Please elaborate.
Participant 4: Ummm, like ano yung mga ano po. Ummm, kasi, kunyari eto, parang
opportunity mo siguro sa pag-aaral mo or opportunity mo sa pag-learn ng iba't-ibang
bagay na sa father mo lang malalaman, ganun. Siguro, mapakuwento ko lang is kasi
nung child, nung bata pa ako. Ummm, syempre kasi pag dad, pag boy. Parang...
Parang nag-step up gaming na. Nung elementary kasi ako, parang lagi akong
nabubully sa school ng iba't-ibang people na telling me na wala nga akong father,
ganun, ganun. So, ayun, parang walang nag-step up na father or ganun figure sa
akin nung parang elementary ako.
Researcher 5: Okay. So, next one is... Does your father help you? Another family
that he supports financially?
Participant 4: Ummm, I'm not sure kung may ibang family siya. Ang parang
damdaman at the same time na tingin mo na meron siyang family sa ibang babae.
Researcher 5: How does it affect you?
Participant 4: Siyempre, doon yung anger, frustrated. Lahat na lang ng sort of
emotions na parang ano tatawag ko
Researcher 5: Hmm. Pero matanong ko lang, medyo personal lang. Naku-consider
mo ba ngayon na mahal mo pa rin ba kayo yung father mo or hindi mo?
Participant 4: If I'm gonna be honest, may konting part na open. Pero majority
talaga na hindi. Kasi parang andun pa din yung anger ko sa kaniya. It doesn't change
any fact kasi. Really? Na he did all those things na iniwan nya kami. So, ayun.
Researcher 5: Okay, so next question naman is, did having an absent father hinder
you from having a better life?
Participant 4: Siguro, in terms of sa financial needs namin, dun kasi talaga may
problem. Like what I said, si mama lang nagsusuporta saming dalawa ng kapatid
ko, and siguro also emotional support. Kasi nung one year na yun and yung one
year na yun was hell kasi yung mom ko was also diagnosed with breast cancer so I
also had to I also had to do my part as a daughter na parang absent sa school para
masamahan yung mom ko and na parang since dalawa lang kami and ako nga yung
panganay yun yung emotional support na wala din tutulong sa amin kundi yung sarili
na namin and yung mom ko nang may
Researcher 5: Is there anything else that you would like to add sa part? Wala
naman? so next question naman tayo ummm in what? In ways did growing up with
an absent father affect your ability to form a relationship
Participant 4: Ah ah sorry ah relationships with ummm opposite sex or relationships
with other opposite sex ano like boyfriend romantic relationship feeling ko romantic
relationships feeling ko kasi ummm since growing up without a father. Parang ano
siya for me like kung magde date man ako or magkaroon ng boyfriend naghinder
sakin yung iniisip ko na if I only had a father alam niya din kung ano yung parang
qualities. Parang sya kasi yung magjudge diba, kung okay yung lalaki o hindi.
Researcher 5: So base siguro sa sagot mo so may mga guys kang nakilala siguro
tas hindi sila okay talaga?
Participant 4: Never ako nagkaroon ng relationship na parang nagtagal or like
meron ako naging relationship before pero it also ended up with the guy hurting me
hurting my feelings and ayun.
Researcher 5: So for the next question how does this evolve as you've entered
adulthood like paano to nag grow naging worse ba yung situation mo when it comes
to talking to other kind of guys pag darating ka sa romantic relationship ulit ganun
Participant 4: Ngayon siguro parang dahil na I've grown older became more wiser
parang hindi ako naghanap ng father figure anymore hinahanap ko nalang yung
parang tinatrust ko nalang din yung instincts ko yung guts ko ganun na telling me if
parang tama ba tong ginagawa ko is this the guy for me alam mo yun parang
kinapwestion ko nalang din yung sarili ko ayun. Nagkaroon din ng trust issues and
always over thinking
Researcher 5: and sabihin natin nga sa kilagit na relationship mo um kamusta
naman yung situation nyo okay naman sa friendship?
Participant 4: Parang okay naman, may ibang friends na syempre they come and
go yung iba nagsistay pa din and there are some friendships na pinaplastic ka lang
so yung mga friendships na mga naging friendships ko pala naparang nabackstab
kasi ako before syempre ni let go ko naman so ngayon i only have a very small circle
of friends na lang na alam kong may trust ako sa kanila and na very close kami
parang ride or die ko na sila. In terms naman sa romantic relationship parang pag
nasa point na ako nang medyo tumatagal relationship um i tend to overthink myself
na parang if parang kaya ba magtagal to alam mo yun parang ino overthink ko lang
din yung whole relationship na if im good enough or if ano pa yung mga ganun
parang pasad yun.
Researcher 5: Okay, so um for my next question naman um in what ways did the
absence of your father impact your relationships with other family members like sa
mga yun sa mga kapatid mo sa mga tita mo lolo lola ganun like ano yung naging
mood mo sa kanila
Participant 4: Um parang um yung question ba dyan is parang yung like yung family
members ko if they're holding grudge against yung father ganun ka um ano ba like
kung or kung ano yung din actually kung ano lang yung relationship ko with them
kung naapektohan ba ganun naapektohan ba yung relationship. Literal pero so far
um okay naman yung relationship ko sa kanila like ano lang talaga
Researcher 5: Okay so um how did having an absent father affect you as a daughter
Participant 4: Sya, um nag affect siya sa akin kasi parang wala nga akong father
figure and ayun parang growing up walang nagsistand up sa akin na parang giving
me extra emotional support walang nabibigay din ako extra financial support and
ayun parang dun siya naglap.
Researcher 5: In school how did having an absent father affect you sa school?
Participant 4: Nung ano naman ako um when i was in high school and elementary
ganun lang din parang i wasn't aware na yung fact na parang manhid lang din ako
sa fact na hindi naman din siya masyadong nakaka affect sa akin kasi hindi siya
masyadong nag affect sa akin kasi parang for me I think na okay lang siya and lagi
kong iniisip yung fact na babalik din naman siya um pero um di ka naman nagkaroon
ng trouble with coping up with other people wala naman akong problem with other
people na naman din and yung parang alam mo yun like pag nagkaka awards ka sa
school or graduation yung doon lang din yung wala akong father walang father
nagsistand up sa akin sa ganun it was always yung mom ko who has to be yung
father sa aming dalawa ng kapatid ko
Researcher 5: Um within your peers how did having an absent father affect you?
um um sa peers ko naman wala namang
Participant 4: Madaming things na nag affect sa akin siguro like yung fact lang din
na pag tinukon ako sa house ng friends ko yung stuff lang na ganun and seeing na
yung dad nila is parang matino ganun or like yung dad nila is nandyan nandyan lang
to help yung mom din ganun lang din parang nabivisualize ko na if my dad was just
like that. And sana naging okay lang kami all throughout. Like parang nakakaingit
ko sa ibang na sila meron, silang father na andyan sa sayo.
Researcher 5: I see. How did you overcome this life experience?
Participant 4: Overcome ko naman first of all is kasi tinanggap ko na. Tinanggap
ko na siya na that's the reality kasi wala namang perfect family talaga. And ayun
naman. Kaya parang yung nagsawa na ako, napagod na ako na. Kaya ayun,
tinanggap ko na lang siya.
Researcher 5: So, what are your coping mechanisms to all this experience? Coping
mechanisms? Like, Ginawa mo bang distraction, yung mga bagay-bagay para hindi
mo siya masyadong maramdaman?
Participant 4: Siguro yung naging coping mechanism ko was to prove him na he's
missing out so much. Na ayun nga na yung daughter nga na is ayun, magaling sa
school, or like, hindi nagkakaroon ng failing grades, gano'n. That he's missing out
so much. All these happening sa aming life. At the same time, napiprove mo rin sa
kanya na kaya mo mag-independent kahit wala siya. And naprove ko na din sa
kanya na parang even without him, kaya naman din namin. That's good.
Researcher 5: So, would you consider your coping mechanism effective and would
you recommend it to other people with the same situation?
Participant 4: Siguro I would consider it effective kasi sa sarili ko yun. That's how I
cope up with the problem with the situation. Pero siguro recommend it to other
people. Iba-iba din kasi yung situation ng ibang kanyang tao with the same issue,
situation. Kaya it all depends sa person na lang.
Researcher 5: So, what activities did you engage in for you not to remember that
you have an absent father?
Participant 4: The activities I've done lang was all throughout nagsastudy lang.
Working hard. Studying hard pala, not working. And ayun, parang I just keep my
mind off things with helping my mom. Especially. Ayun, there's still so much she,
there's still so much things also na I wanted to show her. And to give to her.
Researcher 5: Ayun. Okay. So, that ends our interview for today. Okay. So, that
ends our interview for today So, thank you *Participant’s Name* for the time that you
gave. Being someone who didn't grow up here without a father is not easy yet. You
welcomed us and contributed to our study. Anything that you would like to add before
we end this interview? Nothing more. Nothing further. Okay. So, the following
information and experience that you have shared with us are for you. We are here
for research purposes only. So, your trust is very important to us. Your private
information will not be shared with other people. Also, as researchers, we want to
inform you that our questions are intended only for studies. And we don't want you
to feel invalidated and victim. Thank you.
[End of Transcript]
Interviewer: Raven Jeil Aguilar (Researcher 1)

[Begin Transcript]
Researcher 1: Hello po! I am Raven Jeil Aguilar, and I was assigned to interview
you today. We appreciate you *Participant’s Name*, for giving us the opportunity to
talk to you. May I ask *Participant’s Name* how’s your day?
Participant 5: Ay thank you din po, ayos lang naman po ako ngayon.
Researcher 1: Good to hear po. I would like to ask you a few pieces of information
about your background and some of your experiences growing up without a father.
We want to gather this information to understand the stories of daughters who grew
up without a father.
Participant 5: Ok po.
Researcher 1: Okay, this interview will take 30 minutes up to 1 hour. *Participant’s
Name*, are you available to answer the questions at this time?
Participant 5: Go po ate.
Researcher 1: Okay, so we’ll now proceed with the interview. What was it like for
you growing up without your father present in your life during childhood?
Participant 5: Nangungulila pa rin po ako hanggang ngayon sa kanya.
Researcher 1: What are your challenges growing up without a father?
Participant 5: One of the challenges po siguro is yung lumalaki ako na parang
walang magulang po.
Researcher 1: How did you say so?
Participant 5: Uhmm kasi po hindi kami close ni mama and malayo ako sa mga
kamag-anak naming. Parang hindi po ako kumpleto kasi minsan lang kami mag
usap ni mama tapos about pa sa pera ang usapan hahaha ganoon po.
Participant 5: Malungkot po kasi parang ang unfair ng mundo saakin ganoon.
Minsan na qu-question ko yung sarili ko pati na rin si mama, kung bakit kami iniwan
ni papa tapos anong kulang ganoon po.
on you as an adult?
Participant 5: Yung childhood ko po kasi parang ang bigat eh, pero ngayon na
tumatanda na ako parang gumagaan na. Siguro kasi nakaka-intindi na’ko ng mga
bagay-bagay. Hindi sa naiintindihan ko si papa kung bakit niya kami iniwan kung
hindi dahil sa mga pagkukulang niya na hindi ko na hinahanap.
Participant 5: Sobrang hirap po, kasi minsan si mama hindi na ako binibigyan kasi
alam niya nga na may trabaho na ako. Pero hindi niya alam yung hirap ko sa pag
ma-manage mapagkasiya lang yung pera ko sa isang linggo ganoon.
Researcher 1: How did the absence of your father impact your access to resources
and opportunities?
Participant 5: You mean po ba na paano naapektuhan yung opportunities na
makukuha ko sana kung hindi lang siya umalis?
Researcher 1: Ahh yes po.

Participant 5: Uhmm, siguro po kung hindi niya lang kami iniwan noon eh kumpleto
kami ngayon. Siguro masaya at hindi ko na need mag work ganoon hahaha.
Participant 5: It shape my aspirations and goals po siguro because of my self.
Kinakausap ko po sarili ko minsan eh hahahaha about sa pag mo-motivate saakin
ganoon. Kasi wala naman gagawang iba para saakin.
Participant 5: Hindi ako sure. Honestly naman po eh kasi wala na po akong
pakialam sakanya.
Participant 5: No po, sa totoo lang eh mas lalo pa po akong nag-crave sa better life
naiyan. Sobrang gusto ko po maabot mga pangarap ko at hindi matulad sa pamilya
naming ngayon po.
Participant 5: Uhmm, being in a relationship po siguro. Parang nagiging unang
perspective ko kaagad sa mga lalaki eh sa una lang magaling ganoon. Parang hindi
na’ko naniniwala sa mga sinasabi nila.
Participant 5: I think yes po, pero hindi pa rin ako handa pumasok sa isang relasyon
po siguro ganoon. Hindi lang po talaga ready sa ngayon
other people? Specifically, sa ano mo, mga friendship, romantic relationship,
Participant 5: As what I have mention po is hindi pa po me handa, tsaka sa mga
friends naman po is open ako. Medyo ilag lang po ako sa mga male friends po
ganoon but I have male friends pero hindi po marami.
with other family members/ guardian? Siblings, grandparents, and mother.
Participant 5: Sa side po ni papa, wala naman po kaming contact kahit isa sa kanila,
kasi diba para san pa. Yung sa nanay ko naman po, sa family naming ngayon, okay
naman kami pero syempre di maiwasan yung parang awkwardness dahil sa mga
problema, ganon.
Participant 5: Siguro po is yung connection with my mom po. Laging wala sa bahay
tapos bihira nalang ako kausapin.
Researcher 1: How about in school, how did having an absent father affect you?
Participant 5: When I was a kid is mahirap siya kasi tinutukso ako dati noong
elementary ako na walang tatay ganoon. Pero now, wala naman kasi parang open
na e. open minded ganoon nakaka-intindi na lahat ng sitwasyon at lahat busy na
hindi para pa pakielaman yung daddy issue or issue ng iba.
Participant 5: So far, wala naman. Since lahat kami ay college at mga busy na
ganoon. Hindi naman nakaka-apekto yung absence ni papa ngayon para saakin.
Participant 5: Simple lang, acceptance and forgive lang. Pero hindi ko pa rin
nakakalimutan si papa, yung pag iwan niya saamin ni mama. Tanggap ko naman
na, hindi ko lang nakakalimutan.

Participant 5: Kumakain ako ng icecream mag-isa. Kasi lagi ngang wala si mama
and wala naman akong masyadong close friends ngayong college. Ganoon, eating
icecream tas lakad-lakad lang para ma-release yung stress kahit papaano. Minsan
pag sigaw rin, pumupunta ko sa ako lang yung tao okaya sa unan ganoon.
Participant 5: Yes, sobra. Sobrang helpful niya kasi para saakin. Pangit yung kini-
kimkim mo yung galit. Need rin iyan ilabas.
Researcher 1: What activities did you engage in for you not to remember that you
have absent father?
Participant 5: Uhmm ano, uma-attend ako before ng church sa friend ko. Sinasama
niya ako everytime na nag o-open up ako sakaniya pag naaalala ko si papa.
Researcher 1: Alright, thank you so much po *Participant’s Name* for the time that
you gave. Being someone who didn't grow up with a father by your side is not easy,
yet you welcomed us and contributed to our study. Anything that you want to add
before we end this interview?
Participant 5: uhmm, to all daughter’s who suffering without a father, please always
choose to have a better life kahit na walang gabay ng tatay ninyo or mama. Piliin
niyong hindi maging katulad nila pag nagka-pamilya na kayo.
Researcher 1: That’s a great message for all, thank you so much *Participant’s
Name* for that inspiring and motivational message po.
Participant 5: Thank you rin po.
Researcher 1: Alright, the following information and experiences that you have
shared with us are for research purposes only. Your trust is important to us your
private information will not be shared with other people. Also, as researchers, we
want to inform you that our questions are intended for study only and we don't want
you to feel invalidated and belittled. Thank you so much again *Participant’s Name*.
[End of Transcript]
Interviewer: Monica Lañuza (Researcher 3)

Interviewee: Participant 6 | 18 years old | Pasig City
[Begin Transcript]
Researcher 3: What was it like for you growing up without your father present in
your life during childhood?
Participant 6: Hmm. Magulo, disaster. Syempre mahirap, since wala nga akong
tatay need ni mama magwork ng maigi. To the point na lumaki akong si lola lang
ang kasama. Grateful naman ako sa lola ko, sa pag-aalaga nya. Pero syempre iba
pa din yung magkakasama at buo ang pamilya. So, ayon mahirap.
Researcher 3: *cough* What are your challenges growing up without a father?
*cough*
Participant 6: Siguro ang pinakachallege is pangangapa sa buhay. Meaning,
parang kang nag-iisa sa mundo. At siguro yung paghahanap mo sa isang bagay na
wala kang idea kung saan mo makikita. Paghahanap ng pagkalinga at pagmamahal
na yung mga tatay lang yung pwede magbigay. Kasi diba… kapag buo yung pamilya
parang at ease ka kasi may masasandalan ka. Ganoon, pinakachallege yung
loneliness.
Participant 6: Malungkot. May inggit. Sobrang daming tanong. Kapag nagsstart
kang magtanong bakit wala kang tatay, sunod sunod yung pagseself-pity. Feeling
mo ang unfair ng mundo kasi pwede namang isa ka sa may normal at buong
pamilya. Eh bakit napunta ka pa sa complicated na pamilya diba.
on you as an adult? Like hanggang ngayon.
Participant 6: Parang narealize ko, noong bata pa ako mas nagpofocus lang ako
kung bakit wala si papa. Hanggang sa kinalakihan ko na yun. I think may mga bagay
akong kayang gawin para lang makaexperience ng pagkalinga ng isang ama.
Sobrang laki ng impact sa mga desisyon ko ngayon nang dahil sa paglaki na walang
tatay.
Researcher 3: How did having an absent father affect your financial situation? Have
you experienced financial difficulty or not.
Participant 6: Since may trabaho naman si mama, ngayon nakakaluwagluwag na
kami. If siguro nung bata ako, dun kami mahirap. Kaya nagdesisyon si mama na
mag OFW.
Researcher 3: That’s nice, mabuti at hindi naman at nakakaluwag luwag na kayo
this time. How did the absence of your father impact your access to resources and
opportunities?
Participant 6: I think, wala naman masyado. Pero siguro yung chances na pwede
siyang mag advice about sa buhay ko. Yung opportunity na makapagguide sya
sakin. Kasi nabibigay naman lahat ni mama yun ngayon.
Researcher 3: How did this shape your aspirations and goals sa buhay?
Participant 6: Mas ginagalinangan kong magdesisyon. Mas nag iisip ako kung tama
ba yung mga gagawin ko. Kung nasa tamang landas ba ko. Kasi ayokong isipin ng
ibang tao na kaya siguro mali mali mga desisyon kasi wala akong tatay. Ayokong
malabel na ganon. Kasi kahit papaano napalaki naman akong tama ni mama at lola.
Minsan kapag nagseself-pity ako, sinasabayan ko ng pagmotivate sa sarili na
maging better para sa magulang ko, kung sino yung nasa tabi ko ngayon.
Researcher 3: Sorry to ask this but does your father have another family that he
supports financially?
Participant 6: Okay lang, ano k aba. *laughs* Hindi namin sure ni mama eh. And
wala kaming balita na kahit ano. Hindi din kasi alam ni mama kung alam ba ni papa
na buntis sya sa akin bago umalis si papa. Siguro meron na ngayong pamilya yon.
Matagal na din naman silang walang koneksyon ni mama. So ayon…
Researcher 3: Ohh, so how does it affect you?
Participant 6: Actually, hindi ko alam. Wala namang epekto sakin yun. Kasi hindi
ko sure if meron or wala. Hindi ko din alam mapifeel ko if meron man siyang pamilya.
Did having an absent father hinder you from having a better life?
Participant 6: Better life in terms of happiness, siguro yes. Siguro, kung nasa tabi
namin sya ni mama mas masaya. May maayos, maganda at buong pamilya kaming
matatawag,
Participant 6: Medyo nagkaroon ako ng problem when it comes sa attachments.
Mabilis ako maattach kasi siguro nagkicrave ako sa attention and love. To the point
na kahit bare minimum mapa-friends or romantic relationships is parang milestones
na sakin. Feeling ko special na ko non, parang assuming na hahahahah
Participant 6: I think yes, pero mas naging extreme. Pinalaki kasi ako ng lola ko na
maging grateful sa kahit simpleng bagay kahit mahirap kailangan magpasalamat
kasi may biyaya. Lahat daw ng natatanggap ko galing kay mama is biyaya. Which
is naaapply ko hanggang ngayon pati sa relasyon, kaibigan sa kahit sino.
other people? (Friendship, romantic relationship)
Participant 6: When it comes to closeness naman... Hmmm yeah mabilis akong
maattach kahit sobrang simple lang. Mabilis akong mainlove. Minsan nga kahit di
ko naman talaga gusto yung tao, tapos nagconfess sakin ginagrab ko na yung
opportunity. Para kasing feeling ko, baka last ko yun wag ko sasayangin. Baka hindi
na maulit, edi igrab ko na. Para akong nagkicrave sa atensyon na kahit sa simple at
parang laro lang nahuhulog agad ako.
with other family members/ guardian? (Siblings, grandparents, and mother)
Participant 6: Okay naman kami ni mama, medyo mas nagfocus lang sya sa
pagwowork hanggang ngayon. Pero kailangan ko nalang intindihin kasi nga sya lang
mag isa nagtataguyod sakin. Si lola naman, sobrang dami kong natutunan sa kanya.
And in good terms naman kami and yung iba naming relatives.
Participant 6: Sa tingin ko since wala nga si papa mas naging diligent ako, kasi
naiisip ko baka pati si mama iwan nalang din ako. So kailangan kong galingan.
Kailangan kong maging mabuting anak. Baka kasi iwan nalang din nya ako kapag
hindi.
Participant 6: As part of pagiging mabuting anak, kailangan ko din galingan sa

school. And medyo gusto ko ang school dahil sa attention and recognition na
binibigay sa akin, whenever I achieve something. It makes me happy…
Participant 6: Sa peers naman, civil naman. I’m good with my friends. Pero minsan
nagiging controlling ako kasi sensitive ako masyado. Kapag may mga times na
nagseselos ako kapag yung kaibigan ko may new friend, pumapasok sa isip ko agad
na baka iwan nalang din ako bigla. Minsan kapag hindi sila available nagtatampo
ako, which is toxic and immature pero minsan hindi ko maiwasang hindi mafeel yung
mga ganoon.
Participant 6: I think kasama din siguro yung time sa pagheal ko with this wound.
As well as, acceptance. Kasi ngayon naman masakit pa din pero may part na parang
tinatanggap ko na. Tanggap ko na there are still other things to be grateful for and
life is unfair in so many different ways sa bawat tao. And siguro main factor din yung
positivity. These past few years, I learned that being negative about having problems
cannot help you at all. So, why not be positive nalang para mas magaan.
Participant 6: I think yung coping mechanisms are through stages. At first, I tried to
comfort myself through talking by myself. Then, through that mas nakilala ko yung
sarili ko and learned how to be grateful for what I have right now. It wasn’t that ideal
and promising pero it taught me how to accept and be positive about everything.
Effective din siguro yung music kasi nakakapagpa kalma sya.
Participant 6: Yes naman. Effective sya sakin so may chance na magiging effective
din sya sa iba. Madaming effective na coping mechanism pero ang mahalaga
naman is basta hindi ka mapunta sa masasamang gawain. Hmmm… basta yun na
yun hahahaha
What activities did you engage in for you not to remember that you have an absent
father?
Participant 6: Reading, music and online connection through omegle and ometv
hahahaha. It’s fascinating kasi na makipag usap din sa strangers from time to time,
though risky sya for minors pero its nice din in some way.
[End of Transcript]
Interviewer: Edzon Pusing (Researcher 4)

[Begin Transcript]
Researcher 4: Hello! Good afternoon. I am Edzon, and I was assigned to interview

you today. We appreciate you, *Participant’s Name* for giving us the opportunity to
talk to you. May I ask *Participant’s Name*, how’s your day?
Participant 7: I’m fine. Ayos lang. Kagagaling lang ko lang sa part-time job. Medyo
tina-trangkaso kasi may ubo at sipon. Ikaw kumusta ka?
Researcher 4: Ayos lang naman. Uh, nahihirapan sa araw-araw dahil sa thesis pero
ayos lang naman. I would like to ask you for a few pieces of information about your
background and some of your experiences growing up without a father. We want to
gather this information to understand the stories of daughters who grew up without
a father. This interview will take 30 minutes up to 1 hour. *Participant’s Name*, are
you available to answer the questions at this time?
Participant 7: Yes. I’m available right now.
Researcher 4: We will now proceed to the interview questions. Paano yung buhay
mo nung lumaki ka mula sa pagkabata nang walang tatay?
Participant 7: Siguro ano, nafefeel kong may kulang sa akin as a person. Kasi
parang ano, parang walang nagguguide sayo na buong pamilya, walang father
figure kumbaga.
Researcher 4: Ano yung mga challenges na na-encounter mo habang lumalaki ka
nang walang father sa tabi mo?
Participant 7: Ayun siguro broken family. Nasa ano lang ako, nasa grandparent’s
ng mother side ko pero most of the time, wala si mama kasi nasa trabaho or may
ginagawa. Challenge is, alam mo yun, feeling mo may kulang sa pagkatao mo.
Parang may hinahanap kang pagmamahal ng buong pamilya, ng meron man lang
sumasama sayo, lumalaki, parang there’s something may hinahanap-hanap kang
pagmamahal na hindi mo mare-receive sa ibang tao kundi yung tatay at nanay mo
lang.
Researcher 4: Anong nararamdaman mo sa tuwing naaalala mong wala kang tatay
sa tabi to guide you?
Participant 7: Siguro inggit tuwing may nakikita akong complete family. Parang
nakakainggit siyang tingnan kasi longing talaga ako sa father’s love. It’s something
na kahit meron dyan na tita ko, mama ko, lola, na nagpapalaki sa akin, parang ano,
hindi pa din nila mapapalitan yung father’s love na hinahanap-hanap talaga ng, hindi
personality eh. May tawag dun eh. Ano ba. Parang human being? As a person?
Identity? Ayun.
Researcher 4: Paano nakaapekto yung paglaki mo simula pagkabata na wala kang
tatay sa ngayon na adult ka na?
Participant 7: Kita naman na nag-working student ako, nagpart-time, so imbis na
puro pag-aaral, kasi diba, as a student, full-time student ka talaga. Wala kang iisipin
kasi syempre sa parents mo dapat kukunin yung financially. Parents mo dapat nag-
aasikaso ng pangangailangan mo, pero ako heto ngayon nag-isip na magtrabaho
ako kahit medyo nahihirapan din sa studies. Then, kahit man lang, na-appreciate ko
man lang yung mama ko yung nagpalaki sa akin. Siya na gumastos sa lahat-lahat.
Parang ang hirap i-sink in na ganun yung tatay mo. Parang hindi ba kayo nag-isip
nung gumagawa kayo ng kababalaghan sa kama, parang ibang tao yung nagiging
burden, pati ako as a student kasi naaapektuhan yung studies ko eh.
Researcher 4: Paano nakaapekto yung pagkawala ng father mo sa tabi mo into
your financial situation?
Participant 7: Ayun nga sabi ko kanina, nagwowork, tapos humihingi pa ako sa
pera ni lola. Imbis na magiging savings kasi retired na sila, pension nila, sa akin
napupunta. Tapos may anak pa siya sa iba. Parang ang absurd. Parang nakakahiya.
May dalawa kang anak tapos magchachat ka kay lola, “ma hingi ako pera”. Hindi
para sa akin ah, para dun sa kapatid kong bunso. Saan ako? Ganun. Parang
kinikwestyon ko. Parang hindi ba nag-effort si papa. Siguro ano, siguro parang
nakaka-shameless. Ang shameless man lang nun. Hindi mo ba alam na yung anak
mo naghihirap, nagpupuyat para sa pagtatrabaho, isasabay yung pag-aaral, tapos
wala kang ginagawa to compensate it. Wala ka bang ano, ang kapal ng mukha.
*laughs*.
Researcher 4: In relation to that, paano nakaapekto yung pagkawala ng father mo
sa access mo sa resources and opportunities such school equipments for example.
Participant 7: Ah, hindi naman siya totaly nakaapekto kasi meron nang
nagpapaaral sakin since pinanganak ako, meron nang gumagastos. Like
nakakapag-aral ako sa private school, kumpleto ako ng gadgets nung bata pa lang.
Like sabihin natin 11 years old may bagong laptop, naka-iPhone, so hindi talaga
siya naka-affect or naka-impact sa financial pero magiging impact siya doon sa
taong gumagastos para sa akin kasi wala nga naman silang pamilya. Kaya nga hindi
naghanap ng asawa si tita so kasi gusto niya sa family or kanila naka-focus yung
panggastos tapos may isang lilitaw na lang bigla, nanganganak na, 2-month-old na
makikita nila, syempre nakaka-impact din yun sa kanila. Pero sa akin, hindi siya
totally, ngayon lang. Kasi namatay na si tita ko nung 16 ako, so ngayon lang kasi
syempre wala nang panggastos so kailangan ko nang magsarili. Maging
independent sa financial or kay mama.
Researcher 4: Let’s say hindi naman masyadong malaki yung impact ng pagkawala
ni father mo financially or sa mga resources sa paligid mo, pero paano nito na-shape
yung motivation ang goals mo to succeed in life? How does that make you a better
person?
Participant 7: Siguro sabihin nating sa standard na lang, isa sa mga naging epekto
yung parang hindi na ako mag-aaccept ng ibang lalake, or magmamahal ng ibang
lalake na kapag binuntis or inanakan, parang hindi siya acceptable sakin kasi gusto
ko yung magkakaroon man ako ng anak, gusto ko buong family talaga. Kasi ayaw
ko maranasan man lang nung ibang future kids yung naranasan ko na wala dyan
yung tatay. Then ayun nga, nakaapekto din yung standard sa paghahanap pa ng
aside sa tatagal kung yung ugali,
Researcher 4: Nasabi mo kanina na meron siyang ibang sinu-support na family, so
how does that affect you?
Participant 7: Parang nasaan ako? Parang hindi ba ko worth it paggastusan?
Paglaanan ng oras? Parang ang kapal naman ng mukha. May isa ka pang anak na
hindi mo man lang pinaggastusan nang buong buhay mo tapos mag-aanak ka tapos
doon maglalaan ka ng pera, Parang paano ako? Nasaan ako? Ayun ganun yung
thinking.
Participant 7: For me, oo. Aside sa mother ko, parang wala akong kasangga sa
buhay simula nung nagkakaroon ako ng existential crisis. Parang wala akong
napagsasabihan. For 8 years, na-bully ako. Sinasabi ko sa lola ko, sa tita ko na
nabubully ako, wala hindi sila naniniwala. Parang nakakaapekto talaga yung
pagkawala ng father kasi yung ibang tao, naiisip mo na napapagsabihan nila yung
tatay nila, alam mo yun may kasama ka, may hatid-sundo, kapag may gusto kayong
puntahan kasama yung papa mo, yung ganun. So naka-affect talaga siya kasi
naghahanap pa din talaga ako ng father figure which is, nakukuha ko siya sa partner
ko. Parang dahil siya yung pinaka-close na lalake sa buhay ko, doon ko natatanggap
yung treatment na gusto ko from a father figure.
Researcher 4: Nakaapekto ba yung pagkawala ng father sa tabi mo into yung ability
mo to form relationships can be both friendship and romantic relationship?
Participant 7: Sa friends ko, hindi naman kasi close naman din ako sa lalake before
kasi ma-socialize sa school so di ako nahihirapan sa friendship. Pero sa
paghahanap ng partner, parang may standard na hindi dapat ganito yung magiging
partner ko, hindi dapat maging katulad ng tatay ko. Yun yung isa ko pang napansin
dahil naghahanap nga ako ng father figure, yung mas naaattract ako sa older men.
For example, sa k-drama or Korean actors, if ipagcocompare mo yung younger actor
sa older actor, mas pipiliin ko yung older actor kahit mas gwapo yung younger actor,
kasi nakikita ko doon yung father figure eh. Pero hindi na ngayon na syempre may
jowa ako so bakit ako maaattract sa iba.
Researcher 4: Sabi mo nga hindi ka nahihirapan pagdating sa friendships pero sa
romantic relationships, may part na nahihirapan ka. Nag-evolved ba siya as you
have now entered near adulthood or nag-stay naman siya na same?
Participant 7: Same pa rin sa friendship na madali and sa partner, may hinahanap
pa din talaga. May standard or ideal type.
Researcher 4: Kumusta naman yung experience mo in maintaining close
relationships with other people?
Participant 7: In friendship, clingy ako. Parang lagi present when I’m in need, and
when they need me, pero hindi totally clingy sa lalake. Syempre alam ko yung
boundary na nagiging touchy, magkakaroon ng hug, sa babae lang. Sa romantic
relationship naman ay more in-depth, more intimate, at the same time parang
nagiging submissive din dahil diba ganun yung tingin? Like kapag tatay yung nag-
utos, susundin kasi tatay siya eh, ganun. Hindi ko nakikita yung sarili ko bilang
dominant. Nagpapa-under madalas kahit tatanga-tanga.
Researcher 4: Nakaapekto ba yung paglaki mo ng walang tatay sa relationships
mo towards your other family members/guardians?
Participant 7: Hindi naman kasi nandoon pa din yung, kahit hindi siya ramdam *her
father* simula nung iniwan niya ako, parang hindi naman siya naka-affect kasi close
pa din ako kila lola. Though hindi pa din ako totally comfortable kila lola makisama
dahil may hinanakit pa din ako sa ginawa nila sa akin nung bata ako.
Researcher 4: Paano nakaapekto yung paglaki mo nang walang father sayo as a
daughter?
Participant 7: Lumaki akong both makulit at masunurin. Makulit kasi makulit talaga
ako. Masunurin kasi inuutusan nila ako. Parang yun yung way ng utang na loob
nung dati na hindi ko pa alam na hindi dapat magkaroon ng utang na loob. Ayun
nga feeling ko, naiinggit talaga ako sa ibang pamilya.
Researcher 4: Sa school ba, nakakaapekto din yung paglaki mo ng walang father?
Participant 7: Oo kasi tuwing may family gathering, sinong pumupunta? Lola, Lola
or mama. Samantalang mga kaibigan ko makikita mong kumakain sa iba. Yung
ganun ba, parang nakakainggit talaga kasi nasaan papa ko? Parang nakaka-out of
place, nakaka-lonely na walang parents sa tabi mo sa school. Walang nagguiguide
sayo kung ano yung dapat ganito, kung ano dapat maghanap ng friends, walang
nagguiguide as a person.
Researcher 4: Speaking of friends, nakaapekto ba sa pakikipagkaibigan mo yung
paglaki mo ng walang tatay?
Participant 7: Hindi naman. Hindi naman masyadong nakaapekto.
Researcher 4: How do you overcome the life experience that you have mentioned?
Participant 7: Siguro sinasarili ko na lang? Parang, kasi lumaki ako sa bahay na
nagsabi ka pero hindi nila aasikasuhin. Parang wala silang sense of urgency?
Nagsabi ka tapos wala, parang wala lang sa kanila dahil wala naman silang pake.
Tapos ngayon, sa financially, nagtatrabaho ako. Emotionally, sarili ko lang, or
nagsasabi ko sa jowa ko most of the time. Parang nakikita ko na lang yung jowa ko
as a person na nandyan lagi, imbis yung family.
Researcher 4: When overcoming such obstacles, ano naman mga nakikita mo as
your coping mechanisms?
Participant 7: Mostly negative/unhealthy coping mechanisms. Sa gastos, kunyare
impulsive buying. Kunyare saglit lang nag-breakdown, maya-maya pupunta na
akong shoppe, pupunta na akong bns bibili ng photocard, ano pa kaya. Nag-
iisolation number. Bale number 1 isolation tapos 2 impulsive buying. And then 3 is
parang gusto kong kumain nang kumain, stress eating madalas. Tapos meron din
naman na gusto kong kasama yung jowa ko para makalimutan ko yung problema.
Researcher 4: Sa tingin mo ba yung mga coping mechanisms mo ay effective at
mairerecommend mo ba ito sa ibang mga tao in the same situation?
Participant 7: Two letters. N.O., no. It’s too negative yung majority. Number 1
isolation, hindi naman nakakabuti sa mental health dahil naiipon lang yung sama ng
loob sa atin. 2 is impulsive buying, paano kapag hindi nakakaipon? Nauubusan ng
pera. 3 stress eating, syempre nagkakaroon din ng problem din yan sa health kasi
pasok ka lang nang pasok pero hindi na kinakaya ng katawan. Yung number 4
naman, recommended talaga kasi kailangan mo talaga ng someone sa buhay mo
na makakasama mo kasi nanjan yung physical intimacy, emotional intimacy na
kailangan para ma-boost or mawala yung problem.
Researcher 4: Ano yung mga activities na ginagawa mo or you love doing para
makalimutan mo na hindi mo kasama papa mo?
Participant 7: Siguro with friends or with my boyfriend doing dates. Kasi kapag
kasama mo boyfriend mo and friends, masaya ka. Diba nakakalimutan mo. Or nung
bata ako, nagddrawing ako or nagppainting. Pwede din siyang maging coping
mechanisms ganun. Syempre kapag busy ka na, nakakalimutan mo talaga yung
problema. Yun lang po.
Researcher 4: Thank you *Participant’s Name* for the time that you gave. Being
someone who didn’t grow up with a father by your side is not easy, yet you welcomed
us and contributed to our study. Anything that you want to add before we end this
interview, *Participant’s Name*?
Participant 7: Wala naman na. Thank you for this opportunity. Sana matapos niyo
yung thesis.
Researcher 4: Okay. Thank you for that. The following information and experiences
that you have shared with us are for research purposes only. Your trust is important
to us, your private information will not be shared with other people. Also, as
researchers, we want to inform you that our questions are intended for study only
and we don’t want you to feel invalidated and belittled. Thank you so much again
*Participant’s Name*. Have a nice day!
[End of Transcript]
Interviewer: Raven Jeil Aguilar (Researcher 1)

Interviewee: Participant 8 | 17 years old | Mandaluyong City
[Begin Transcript]
Researcher 1: Hello po! I am Raven Jeil Aguilar, and I was assigned to interview
you today. We appreciate you *Participant’s Name*, for giving us the opportunity to
talk to you. May I ask *Participant’s Name* how’s your day?
Participant 8: Hi! So far ok naman ako hahaha medyo stress lang sa work but kaya
pa naman.
Researcher 1: Good to hear po na ok kayo at kinakaya niyo. I would like to ask you
growing up without a father. We want to gather this information to understand the
stories of daughters who grew up without a father.
Participant 8: Ok po, noted with that.
Researcher 1: Alright, this interview will take 30 minutes up to 1 hour. *Participant’s
Name*, are you available to answer the questions at this time?
Participant 8: Yes po.
Researcher 1: Are you ready, *Participant’s Name*? We will now proceed to the
main interview questions.
Participant 8: Ok po.
Researcher 1: What was it like for you growing up without your father present in
your life during childhood?
Participant 8: When I was a kid kasi parang hindi ako aware na nag e-exist pala
yung tatay ganiyan, I was always with my mom lang. tsaka ko lang naramdaman
yung parang may kulang noong nakikita ko mga classmates and friends ko na may
father figure sila. Tsaka ko naramdaman yung pangungulila sa tatay.
Researcher 1: What are your challenges growing up without a father?
Participant 8: Madami eh, ang hirap lang na nararamdaman ko lagi na may kulang
sa pagkatao ko. May time na busy si mama tapos wala akong ibang malapitan, kasi
si mama lang mayroon ako eh. One more thing is financial, hindi sapat yung sahod
ni mama para saamin dalawa plus bills pa.
Participant 8: I always feel sad and mad at the same time. Sad kasi siyempre wala
akong tatay ever since. Then, mad sa tatay ko. Galit ako sakaniya kasi never siya
nagpakilala at nagpakita saakin.
on you as an adult?
Participant 8: Dati kasi noong bata ako, galit ako kay papa tapos parang
paghihiganti ang nasa isip ko but now I realized na there are certain things na hindi
mo makakamtan and it has a reason. Ngayon, na realized ko na kaya ko maging
better person even though walang tatay sa tabi ko.
Participant 8: Sobrang hirap, kahit pag samahin yung sahod namin ni mama kulang
pa rin. Kaya nag decide ako na mag work para kahit papaano eh makatulong kay
mama kaso kinakapos talaga kami.
Researcher 1: How did the absence of your father impact your access to resources
and opportunities?
Participant 8: So many opportunities that I missed. One of that is yung makapag-
aral sa dream university at yung dream course ko, wala eh mahal ang tuition hindi
kaya ni mama mag-isa yon. Kung may tatay lang sana ako edi nakatulong siya kay
mama pati saakin.
Participant 8: Nanghihinayang ako but alam ko na madami pang opportunities na
makukuha ko kahit walang daddy figure. Yung goal ko nalang ngayon is makatapos
ng pag-aaral kahit hindi na sa dream university ko. Focus ko nalang ngayon is
maging better for myself.
Participant 8: Hindi ko alam eh, I have no idea nga kung nasaan siya at anong
itsura niya *laughs*
Researcher 1: Alright, ever since nga pala hindi mo siya naka-piling ano?
Participant 8: Yes po.
Participant 8: No, right now kasi masasabi ko na better life na nararanasan ko. Si
mama ko grabe kumayod para lang mabigay niya saakin yung ganitong buhay kahit
na walang tulong at aruga ng tatay. Napalaki niya naman akong maayos.
Participant 8: I think yung trust sa mga lalaki. Parang nagging trauma siya in such
ways to be in a relationship, wala akong tiwala sa mga lalaki. I mean may tiwala ako
sa mga friends ko ganoon pero other men who wants to be in a relationship with me,
wala *laughs* ayon.
Participant 8: Siguro hindi pa, hindi pa na he-heal yung daddy issue ko.
other people? Like sa friendship, romantic relationship and such.
Participant 8: Ok lang naman, sa mga friends ko we’re all good naman pero sa
romantic relationship is ayoko pa muna mag jowa.
Researcher 1: Ah ok, parang hindi pa buo yung tiwala mo sa mga lalaki dahil sa
absence ng tatay mo?
Participant 8: Yes po, tsaka bata pa po kasi yung pakiramdam ko. Like wala pa
akong balak pumasok sa isang relationship.
with other family members/ guardian? Sa siblings, grandparents, and mother mo.
Participant 8: I think before kasi nagkaroon kami ng conflict ni mama, ayon yung
time na nagtatanong na ako sakaniya about sa tatay ko then nagkasagutan kami.
After that, parang ano hindi na kami masiyado nagpapansinan ni mama dahil doon.
Participant 8: I try so many things na masama, you know alcohols ganoon. Tsaka
hindi ako ganoon ka-showy ng feelings ko, kahit kay mama hindi ako nakakapag
kuwento ng araw ko ewan ko.
Researcher 1: Alright, in school, how did having an absent father affect you?
Participant 8: I always felt left out. Every time na nagkukuwentuhan sila about
daddy nila ganoon. Tsaka I was being bullied because of my daddy issue during my
elementary days I think, ganoon.
Participant 8: They always bring up the past, they always put me again in that
situation. Sobrang hirap nila intindihin sa ganoong part nila everytime na
magsasama-sama kami.
Participant 8: Siguro dahil rin sa mga friends ko ngayon, at siyempre kay mama.
Researcher 1: Sa paanong paraan po sila nakatulong sa pag overcome ninyo?
Participant 8: Ahh they help me to move on and just accept the situation po ganoon.
Kasi sobrang hirap. Laging sinasabi ni mama na intindihin ko nalang sila ganoon.
Participant 8: I always listen to music, everytime na ganoon tsaka pag nag be-break
down ako. Nakikinig lang talaga ‘ko sa music tapos kumakalma na’ko.
Participant 8: Yes, sobrang effective niya. Hindi naman natatanggal yung sakit pero
nakaka-kalma siya.
have absent father?
Participant 8: Healing my inner child. I always play with little kids, spoiled rin saakin
yung mga pinsan kong maliliit kasi lahat binibigay ko sakanila. Mga bagay na hindi
ko naranasan eh pinaparanas ko sakanila.
Researcher 1: Alright, thank you so much po *Participant’s Name* for the time that
you gave. Being someone who didn't grow up with a father by your side is not easy,
Participant 8: Wala naman na po, salamat, thank you rin po.
Researcher 1: Alright, the following information and experiences that you have
shared with us are for research purposes only. Your trust is important to us, your
private information will not be shared with other people. Also, as researchers, we
want to inform you that our questions are intended for study only and we don't want
you to feel invalidated and belittled. Thank you so much again *Participant’s Name*.
[End of Transcript]
Interviewer: Czarina Faith Cabarloc (Researcher 2)

[Begin Transcript]
Researcher 2: Hi, I am Czarina Faith Cabarloc, and I was assigned to interview you
today. We appreciate you *Participant’s Name*, for giving us the opportunity to talk
to you. Before we start, may I ask how’s your day?
Participant 9: Hello, you’re welcome and thank you din po for including me sa thesis
niyo. I am doing good naman po so far, thank you for asking.
Researcher 2: That’s good to know, *Participant’s Name* I would like to ask you for
growing up without a father.
Participant 9: Sure, no problem po.
Researcher 2: We want to gather this information to understand the stories of
daughters who grew up without a father. This interview will take 30 minutes up to 1
hour. Are you available to answer the questions at this time?
Participant 9: Yes, po.
Researcher 2: Okay, great! Let’s start na. What is it like for you to grow up without
your father present in your life during childhood?
Participant 9: Hmm, mahirap po kasi hindi ko po naranasan ang pagmamahal ng
isang ama at mama ko lang po ang nakasama ko sa pag tanda, siya lang po yung
nandiyan para suportahan at buhayin po ako.
Researcher 2: I see. What are your challenges growing up without a father?
Participant 9: Siguro po is yung nakikita ko po yung mama ko na ginagawa po lahat
para sa akin kasi siya lang po ang meron ako.
Participant 9: Nakakasama po ng loob kasi sino ba naman gustong lumaki na
walang tatay diba po? Na unfair talaga ang buhay kasi yung iba kompleto ang
pamilya tapos yung akin hindi.
Researcher 2: Hmm. How does not having a father during childhood differ from its
impact on you as an adult?
Participant 9: Naging independent po ako, natuto po akong tumayo sa mga sarili
kong paa kasi kaming dalawa lang ng mama ko ang magkasama.
Participant 9: Naging mahirap po nung una kasi si mama lang yung bumubuhay sa
amin, pero mula po nung 2018 naging maginhawa na po buhay namin kasi si mama
nagkaroon po ng magandang work.
Researcher 2: Oh. How did the absence of your father impact your access to
resources and opportunities?
Participant 9: Nung bata po ako, medyo kapos po kami ni mama noon kaya may
mga bagay po kaming di mabili or magawa dahil yung pera na meron kami, dinadala
nalang po namin para sa pagkain.
Participant 9: Dahil nga po nung naranasan po namin maging mahirap noon,
nagkaroon po ako ng goal na kapag tumanda ako or makapagtapos, gusto ko po
bigyan ng maganda buhay si mama para makabawi sa lahat ng sakripisyo na para

sa amin.
Researcher 2: Nakakatuwa ka naman, *Participant’s Name*. I am sure, proud sayo
ang mama mo. Well, if you don’t mind me asking, sa tingin mo ba may ibang
sinusuportahan ang papa mo ngayon?
Participant 9: Sa totoo lang po, hindi ko po alam since hindi ko naman po siya
nakilala.
Researcher 2: Oo nga pala, sorry to ask that question.
Participant 9: No, it’s okay lang po!
Researcher 2: Let’s proceed na with the next question, ha? Did having an absent
father hinder you from having a better life?
Participant 9: Siguro po nung bata ako, akala ko hindi ako magkakaroon ng
magandang buhay since hindi nga po kami kompleto nila mama. Pero growing up,
I realize naman po na kaya ko naman po lalo na’t nakikita ko lahat ng mga sacrifices
na ginawa ni mama para sa akin at ayaw ko po maging hadlang yung hindi
pagkakaroon ng tatay sa buhay para masira ang buhay ko po.
Researcher 2: Hmm, okay. In what ways naman did growing up with an absent
father affect your ability to form relationships?
Participant 9: Serious relationships po ba like boyfriends?
Researcher 2: Any relationships naman kahit friendships kung wala ka pa nagiging
boyfriend.
Participant 9: Hmm, sa friends po hindi naman po siya naka apekto sakin kasi bata
pa lang po ako friendly na po daw talaga ako sabi ni mama at saka mabilis ko naman
po makasundo yung mga taong nakapaligid sakin. NGSB po ako hehehe.
Researcher 2: Oh, okay! Sa relationships with your family naman, in what ways did
the absence of your father impact your relationships with them? Meron ka pa bang
ibang relatives bukod sa mama mo?
Participant 9: Nakasama ko lang po noon yung lola ko sa mother side, pero
sobrang bata ko pa po noon kaya di ko din po maalala eh kasi bata pa lang po ako
namatay na po si lola pero sabi naman po ni mama noon favorite daw po ako bihisan
at bilhan ng mga laruan ng lola ko po dati.
Researcher 2: Oh, sorry to hear about that, *Participant’s Name*. Does that mean
walang mga kapatid ang mama mo?
Participant 9: Wala po eh, only child lang din po si mama.
Researcher 2: How about yung father ng mama mo? If you don’t mind me asking
lang ha.
Participant 9: Bata pa po si mama nung nawala si lolo po eh. Kaming dalawa
nalang po talaga ni mama ngayon.
Researcher 2: I see. Thank you for sharing this with me ha? I appreciate it.
Participant 9: No worries po!
Researcher 2: Next question naman, how did having an absent father affect you as
a daughter?
Participant 9: Hmm, sa tingin ko po naman po mabuti akong anak sa mama ko kasi
ako lang po ang meron siya, and na appreciate ko po lahat ng ginagawa niya sakin
kaya kahit wala po akong tatay hindi naman po siya naka apekto sakin like to the
point na nag rebelde po ako dahil wala akong tatay.
Participant 9: Nung bata ako, naiinggit po talaga ako kapag nakikita ko yung mga
kaibigan ko kasama mga tatay nila pero habang tumatanda ako, medyo nawawala
na din po yung inggit na yun.
Researcher 2: How do you overcome these life experiences? What are your coping
mechanisms to all these experiences?
Participant 9: Una po is iniisip ko palagi yung mga sacrifices ni mama. Second,
gusto ko po mapatunayan nalang din sa sarili ko na kaya ko po magkaroon ng
magandang buhay kahit lumaki akong walang tatay, na hindi po siya magiging
hadlang sa mga pangarap na gusto kong matupad. Coping mechanism ko nalang
po siguro is mag aral maigi and mag focus po sa mga pangarap ko.
Participant 9: Yes, po kasi, kung titingin lang po tayo sa mga negative sides ng
buhay natin, mahihirapan po tayong mag move forward. Unlike kung mag fofocus
tayo sa mga positive sides ng buhay natin, mas ma eencourage or ma iinspire po
tayong magkaroon ng maganda future.
have an absent father?
Participant 9: Usually po talaga nililibang ko po sarili ko sa studies, or mag basa ng
mga novels kasi para po sakin nakaka relax po siya ng mind hehehe.
Researcher 2: Oh, that’s nice! Well, thank you *Participant’s Name* for the time that
you gave. Being someone who didn’t grow up with a father by your side is not easy,
Participant 9: Wala naman po and thank you very much for having me. Nag enjoy
po ako sa interview natin.
Researcher 2: Ako din nag-enjoy, and we really appreciate the time and effort you
gave us for this interview. Please know that the following information and
experiences that you have shared with us are for research purposes only. Your trust
is important to us, your private information will not be shared with other people. Also,
as researchers, we want to inform you that our questions are intended for study only
and we don’t want you to feel invalidated and belittled. Thank you so much again
*Participant’s Name*
Participant 9: Thank you din po, sana kahit papano nakahelp po ako *laughs*
Researcher 2: You have a great day and stay safe always!
[End of Transcript]

[Begin Transcript]
Researcher 5: Pero okay lang pona irecord? Proof lang po na, ano, na, with the
interview po. So yung, ano, kasi ayaw niyang recorded yung buo. So ganito na lang
yung recording. Okay. So, um, greetings ma'am. My name is Roy Alvin Sobravega,
a student of RTU. And I was assigned to interview you for today. We appreciate you,
um, *Participant’s Name*, for, um, giving us this opportunity to talk to you. Okay. So,
um, how was your day?
Participant 10: Okay lang naman.
Researcher 5: Okay, *Participant’s Name*. So, we will now proceed to the main
interview. So, um, this part of the interview... So, um, the interview, um, guide
questions will answer the perception that was experienced by the female
adolescents who grew up without a father.
So, um, what was it like growing up without a father? Present... Ulit, ulit. What was
it like for you growing up without a father present in your life during childhood?
Participant 10: For me, ano, sobrang hirap niya kasi, like, naiingit ka sa iba na
kompleto yung pamilya. May nakakasama sa pang-araw-araw nila. Mm-hmm. Iba
pa rin yung feeling. Iba yung feeling na kompleto ka na. Yes. May hinahanap ka na
hindi pwedeng punan ng kahit sino. Yes, wala. That's a shame. Even though, parang
magkaron ka ng father figure, parang iba rin gusto nilagay yung feeling, di ba? Iba
rin. Parang biological father mo nila. Iba, iba.
Researcher 5: Yes. So, um, what are the challenges that you experienced growing
up without a father?
Participant 10: Yung challenges na yun, siguro yung care na gusto mong makuha,
yung alaga na dapat natatamasa mo. Kaso hindi mo siya makuha kasi wala naman
na siya sa tabi. Like yung mga ano, kung paano kanya ika-guide. Yes, yung paano
kanya asikaso, yung paano kanya ipagtanggol kapag kailangan mo. Paano kanya i-
comfort pag gusto mo, pag need mo talaga siya.
Researcher 5: I see. Very good answer. So, um, how do you feel every time you
remember that you don't have a father figure or a father who will guide you?
Participant 10: Um, so ano, masakit. Masakit ang parasahan kasi yung ingit na
sobrang bigat niya sa puso. So, like... Hindi mo alam kung paano siya ilalabas. So,
iiyak mo na lang. Like minsan, magpe-pray ka na lang kay God na bakit, bakit wala
akong tatay sa tabi ko. Yun ba? Minsan parang gusto mo siyang sisihin pero hindi
mo magawa. Kasi yun talaga yung gusto niya eh. Parang mas naging matapang ka
as person.
Researcher 5: How did an absent father affect your financial situation?
Participant 10: Sa financial, sobrang hirap. Kasi yung mama ko lang yung
nagpapaaral sa akin. Sobrang hirap niya sa amin kasi nahati yung responsibility
namin ni mama kung saan kami magbabayad ng upa, gano'n. One hundred percent
na kailangan may mag-a-adjust. Iba pa rin kapag may tatay sa loob ng bahay.
Researcher 5: Yeah. That's good. At least nga ba nakakatulong ka sa pera?
Participant 10: Yes, nakakatulong, kinakaya naman. Nakakayaan, kahit first year
pa lang, kakayanin. Yes. Easy.
Researcher 5: So, um... How did this shape your aspirations and goals?
Participant 10: Nagiging motivation ko siya na kahit wala siya sa tabi ko, kailangan
kong matapos yung goal ko sa buhay. Kahit para kahit papano, kung in other life,
masabi ko na nagawa ko yung gusto ko, na magiging proud siya sa akin. Kahit hindi
naman makita.
Researcher 5: At least, di ba, meron kang, ano, parang self-driven ka, may sarili
kang motivation. Kahit wala siya. Even though wala yung presence niya.
Participant 10: Yes.
Researcher 5: That's good. At least, you're, ano, you're, ano daw, parang ginagawa
mo siyang, ang maging strength mo, even though wala siya sa tabi mo. Okay. So,
um, does your father have a family? Family that he, or, that he supports financially?
Participant 10: Wala. Wala. Wala nang makita.
Researcher 5: Uh, proceed na ako sa next question which is, um, did having an
absent father hinder you from having a better life?
Participant 10: Kunyari may lalaki, niligawan ka. Dadaan talaga muna sa tao. yun
yung hindi ko pa nararamdaman. Siya yung mga baby side talaga. Oo, yun. Yung
approval niya. Yung approval niya. Hindi, never ko mararanasan.
Researcher 5: So, um, saan na ako? Lalo ako na pa. Okay. Um, in what ways did
growing up without an, with an absent father affect your ability to form relationships?
Like, um, ayun, pag meron kang relationship with friends or romantic relationship.
Ano? Ano? Start ka with friends, sige.
Participant 10: Sa friends? Siguro ang hirap magkaroon ng... lalalang friends, lalo
na kung lalaki. Kasi, syempre, wala kang tatay. Hindi mo alam kung paano yung
takbo ng utak eh. Kasi, di ba sinasabi natin, yung lalaki isa lang utak niya, may isa
lang takbo ng utak niya. Which is, makikita mo na parang totoo. Kasi, makikita mo
sa ibang friends mo ganun eh. So, parang ang hirap kumilala ng kaibigan na lalaki.
Kasi, paano kung hindi ka niya rin kaya protektahan? Hindi ka niya kaya alagaan ng
ganun as a friend, di ba? Iba pa rin kasi talaga kapag may guidance. Sa relationship
naman, ayun nga. Ang hirap din kumilala ng lalaki na makakasama mo. Kasi, di mo
naman alam kung totoo ba yung pinapakita sa'yo. Kung seryoso ba ka siya.
Nakakatakot din kasi baka at some point maging katulad din. Lokohin ka o ganun.
So, iba pa rin talaga kapag nagbibigay ng advice niya, father, about sa guy. Kasi,
syempre, tatay siya. Alam niya yung galawan. Alam niya yung galawan. Mababa
mas magaling pa. Kaya nga eh.
Researcher 5: Amazing. So, how was your experience in maintaining close
relationships with other people? Ayun na pala yun. Natanong ka na rin. With
friendship or romantic relationship? Which is kaka-explain mo na rin naman. Okay.
So, how does this, I don't know, has this evolved as you enter childhood? Like, ayun
nga yung relationship mo with ibang tao, parang nag-evolve ba yun? Kung nag-
worse ba siya or naging better ba? Ganun.
Participant 10: At some point, medyo worse. Lalo ng pagdating sa lalaki. Like, yung
mga gusto manligaw sa'yo. Kasi, syempre, may doubt sa'yo. Kasi hindi mo naman
alam kung ano yung gusto ba nila. Kung totoo ba, seryoso ba sila sa'yo or hindi.
Pero at some point, medyo okay naman. Kasi kahit walang tatay sa tabi mo, natututo
ka dahil sa people na nakapaligid sa'yo. Alam mo yung nagiging flow nung buhay
mo with them. Parang friendly advice na lang din, no? Since ako sa'yo father ako,
parang ganito kasi nangyari sa amin, ganyan. Kasi sila lang din nagbibigay ng
advice.
Researcher 5: I see. Okay. So, in what ways did the absence of your father impact
your relationship with other family members or guardian? Like sa tita mo o sa lola
mo, naapektohan ba yung relationship mo dun sa kanila?
Participant 10: Ngayon okay naman na kami. Okay lang naman kami ni mama.
Super close kami.
Researcher 5: I see, proceed tayo sa next question. How did an absent father affect
you as a daughter? Like in general na siya.
Participant 10: Ano? Super sakit sa akin. Kasi gusto ko rin yung may nayayakap
pag uwi ng bahay. May masasabi ka pa, nakauwi na ako. Pa susunduin mo ba ako
ng guide? Iba pa rin kasi talaga yung may nag-guide talaga sa'yo. Iba pa rin yung
may nakikita mo yung mga katrabaho mo, mga ka-schoolmate mo na sinusundo ng
tatay nila. Ganon. Misan may iiyak ka na lang, may ingit ka. Tapos may inis sa part
mo kasi ba't hindi mo kayang gawin sa akin yung kayang gawin ng ibang tatay.
Researcher 5: That's sad. That's very sad to hear. So in school, how did an absent
father affect you?
Participant 10: Ayan, like. Kunwari sa meeting. May mga meeting sa school or
awarding sa anak. Katulad ng elementary ako. Kailangan ng parent. Hindi kaya
makaano ng mother mo. So walang ibang aalong. Walang pupunta. So ikaw, dun
ka na lang. Mag-isa ka na lang doon. Ikaw mismo kukuha ng card mo kasi wala na
mga iba. Tapos nakikita mo, may iba kompleto pa. May tatay, may nanay. So parang
ano, nakakaingit. Tapos parang sobrang inaanap na sa akin. So parang ikaw din,
may ganun. May tatay ka, kompleto yung pamilya. Sana, wini-wish mo na sana
bumalik yung time na okay pa. Sobrang talagang nakakaingit. Siyempre yung
mother mo hindi na rin makakaingit kasi siya na rin yung nagtatrabaho. Siya na lang
din yung nagtatrabaho. Siya na rin yung nagtatrabaho. Tapos yung malungkot din
doon, yung kunyari mataas grades mo, di ba, hindi mo mag-fret sa father mo.
Parang walang magiging proud sa'yo. So parang, ayan na. Proud ka na lang parang.
Para sa sarili mo. Para sa mga tao. Di ba, ganito, may award ako, ganun. Hindi mo
masabi kasi wala ka lang pagsasabihan. Masaya rin. Siyempre, at some point
naman magiging proud din naman yung mother mo sa'yo. Iba pa rin kasi feeling. Iba
pa rin yung masasabi ng father, di ba. Yung iti-treat kita, sige, ganito ka lang kahit
ayaw ng natay mo. Kasi yung tatay mo gusto kang i-treat, ganun. Yun yung hindi
mo talaga maranasan.
Researcher 5: So, within your peers, how did an absent father affect you? Like sa
mga friends mo, ganun? O sa ibang mga makakilala mo? Acquaintances? Peers.
Hmm. But with your peers, yung mga tao na nakapaligid sa'yo, na-apekta mo na
yun, yung relationship mo sa ano na?
Participant 10: Hindi naman. Pag friends, okay naman din. Hindi naman. It's good.
Researcher 5: So, how do you overcome this life experience?
Participant 10: Ano? Like, I overcome this experience na siguro motivation na rin
para sa ibang kabataan. Na buo pa yung pamilya, lalo-lalo na yung may tatay. Na
sulitin nila yung time. Na andyan pa. Na andyan pa. Sulitin nila lahat ng ba- may
samaan man sila ng loob or wala. Sulitin nila kasi hindi nila alam kung end. Kung-
End pa yung biglang mawala. Yes. Biglang mawala. Malay mo magkaroon ng
problema, maghiwalay sila. Kaya ang motivation ko sa nila na kahit mahirap, ituloy
nila yung buhay na kasama nila yung mga mga kulang nila. Lalo-lalo na yung tatay
mo. Kaya hindi nila alam yung hirap ng pagiging tatay. Kasi mostly, kasi nakikita
lang natin hirap ng isang ina. Minsan, parang inaano natin yung hirap ng isang tatay
eh. Iba yung ano eh. Iba yung pananaw ng iba. Pero hindi nila alam. Mas maano
talaga pag iba yung nag-aano ng pamilya is yung tatay talaga. Pag mas mahal pa
rin yun ang tatay, iba yung tatag ng pamilya. Kaya motivation ko sa nila. Ayaw na.
Tuloy lang nila yung buhay nila. Sulitin nila bawat minuto. Oras na kasama yung
tatay. Kasi hindi naman habang buhay kasama mo.
Researcher 5: I see. So, see tayo sa next question which is, what are your coping
mechanisms to all these experiences? Like did you destract mo ba yung sarili mo?
From time to time, nagbeburst out ka ba ng emotions mo para maging walay
kabigla? Ganun?
Participant 10: May time na sobrang nagbebreak down ako kasi na-miss ko talaga
siya eh. Yung time na yung bilang mag-isa ka tapos papasok siya sa isip mo. May
iiyak ka nalang. So, yung ginagawa ko, pray to God na sana maging okay yung
pakiramdam ko na okay tayo ito. Okay lang din na kung wala man akong tatay
ngayon, it's okay lang kasi alam kong part talaga siya ng buhay. Then, ayun, sa iyak
ko na lang talaga siya nadadaan and pray na wala naman akong choice, kundi
tanggapin na lang.
Researcher 5: Pero it's good din, maganda rin talaga na umiiyak talaga ang tao.
Participant 10: Kaya ako umiiyak. Wala namang mawawala kung iiiyak mo yung
bigat na narami. Wala nang iiyak sa labas ng sarap ng maraming tao sa public place.
Pero yun,
Researcher 5: Okay. So, would you consider your coping mechanism effective?
And would you recommend it to other people that has the same situation?
Participant 10: Oo naman, effective siya for me. And may re-recommend ko siya
lalo na sa ibang kabataan na may hinay yung loob. Na kailangan nyo talagang i-
distract yung sa'yo. Kung ang nakakapag-distraction sa'yo is yung maglaro, mag-
aaral talaga, or kung, yan, trabaho, go lang. Kasi iba pa rin talaga kung nare-rest
nyo rin yung mind nyo. Hindi yung puro nag-overthinking. Puro overting. Puro iyak.
Kasi mas lalong nakakapanghina ng loob. So, kailangan din talaga natin ang
distraction sa buhay para mas naging okay tayo. At the same time, goods din na
from time to time umiiyak din sila, di ba? Kung sakaring di mo nilakaya.
Researcher 5: Yes. It's good din.
Participant 10: Kasi pangit din pag kinikim-kim-kim yung lahat ng emotions mo, di
ba? Ganda rin na umiiyak.
Researcher 5: That's good. Okay, um, what activities, um, did you engage in for
you not to remember that you have an absent father? Like ano yung mga ginagawa
mo para hindi mo siya maalala, gano'n?
Participant 10: Um, yung ginagawa ko para hindi mo siya maalala, siguro, ayun
kinakayod din sarili ko sa pag-aaral, busy sa buhay, sa bahay. Mas priority sila
mama ngayon kasi sila yung andyan. Mas nag-focus ako kung ano yung meron ako
sa present. Kesa doon sa past. Kasi hindi naman pwedeng itigil mo yung buhay mo
porket may nawala ng nakaraan. Kasi kahit anong gawin natin, hindi naman nang
mababalik talaga ang nakaraan.
Researcher 5: Yes. So, um, okay, um, thank you, *Participant’s Name*. So, um, for
the time that you gave us. So, being someone who didn't grow up without a father
by your side is not easy.
And yet you welcomed us and contributed to our study. So, I just want to let you
know that anything that you, um, said here, um, sa thesis namin will be confidential.
Hindi po siya lalabas. And for research purposes only. So, um, is there anything that
you would like to add before we end this, um, interview?
Participant 10: Wala naman.
Researcher 5: Wala naman. Okay, good. So, um, your trust is very important to us.
And your private information will not be shared with other people also. Um, also, um,
as researchers, you want to inform me that our questions are intended for only... for
study purposes only. And we don't want you to feel that your feelings are invalidated
or belittled. So, uh, thank you, *Participant’s Name*. Again. Thank you again,
*Participant’s Name*, for, uh, participating in our interview.
Participant 10: Okay Thank you so much.
[End of Transcript]
Process of Data Analysis
Figure 5: Legends for the responses of the participants
Participant 1 Participant 2 Participant 3 Participant 4 Participant 5
Participant 6 Participant 7 Participant 8 Participant 9 Participant 10
Table 1. The process of formulated meanings from significant statements for
research problem 1
FORMULATED CLUSTER EMERGENT

SIGNIFICANT STATEMENT
MEANING THEME THEME
During childhood I always Life would have been Life Experienced
think about if I have a father different if the Dissatisfaction Emotional
like that my life will be paricipant's father was Discontentment
different. present. and Struggles
Challenges that I faced, since

I didn't have a father growing
up, I think is I always thinking
like my life will be different,
that's really it. I feel like my life
is different when my dad is
here. Probably we're not here.
Feeling mo ang unfair ng Could have been part

mundo kasi pwede namang of a normal and
isa ka sa may normal at complete family but
buong pamilya. Eh bakit ended up in a
napunta ka pa sa complicated complicated one.
na pamilya diba.
Malungkot po kasi parang ang Feels sad for

unfair ng mundo saakin experiencing
ganoon. unfairness of not
having a father.
Hmm. Parang life is unfair, Life is unfair seeing

no? Bakit yung iba complete o complete families.
bakit sa iyo?
Na unfair talaga ang buhay Feels unfair,

kasi yung iba kompleto ang considering that some
pamilya tapos yung akin hindi. have complete
families.
And, ayun, parang it's Feel heartbroken for

heartbreaking kasi hindi kayo not having a complete
complete as a family. family.
I can’t exactly feel something

aside from being
brokenhearted. Everytime na
may nagpapaalala sa akin na,
hindi kumpleto yung pamilya
ko.
May time na busy si mama Had no one else to

tapos wala akong ibang turn to.
malapitan, kasi si mama lang
mayroon ako eh.
Pinakachallege yung The most challenging

loneliness. aspect is being lonely.
I was always with my mom Felt a sense of lacking Insecurity

lang. tsaka ko lang when saw classmates
naramdaman yung parang and friends with father
may kulang noong nakikita ko figures.
mga classmates and friends
ko na may father figure sila.
So, ayun, parang sa sarili mo, A feeling of lacking
you just feel na parang, something or feeling
ummm. na parang ano bang that there's something
nagawa mong kulang or what wrong with oneself.
is wrong with you. Ganon.
Minsan na qu-question ko Wondering why they
yung sarili ko pati na rin si were abandoned by
mama, kung bakit kami iniwan their father and what's
ni papa tapos anong kulang lacking within
ganoon po. themselves.
Masakit po kasi minsan The pain of
napapa isip ako bakit iniwan questioning one's
ng tatay ko? Na, hindi ba ako value and worthiness
worth it ng love and care niya of receiving love and
para sa akin? care from father arises
when considering why

their father left.
I guess the biggest challenge Theres a challenge in
growing up would be expressing oneself,
expressing myself. I never inability to effectively
learned how to communicate communicate feelings.
with other people. Hindi ko
ma-express lahat ng feelings
ko.
So yeah, I grew up trying to be Grew up seeking
accepted, asking for validation acceptance, asking for
and attention. validation, and craving
attention.
What if I have a father like that Considering a new life
my life will be new to me I and personality if the
really just always think about father was present in
what I will never have a father his life.
like that my life will be new to
me my personality will not be
like that.
Um, so ano, masakit. Masakit The absence of a
ang karanasan kasi yung ingit father caused a painful
na sobrang bigat niya sa experience of envy
puso. that weighs heavily on
the heart.
Mahirap po kasi nung Difficult to see friends
elementary ako, meron and classmates with a
kaming ‘family day’ sa school complete family.
tapos nakikita ko yung mga
friends at classmate ko
kumpleto yung family nila
tapos ako hindi.
For me, ano, sobrang hirap Feeling envious of
niya kasi, like, naiingit ka sa others with a complete
iba na kompleto yung pamilya. family.
May nakakasama sa pang-
araw-araw nila.
For me, ano, sobrang hirap
niya kasi, like, naiingit ka sa
iba na kompleto yung pamilya.
May nakakasama sa pang-
araw-araw nila. Mm-hmm. Iba
pa rin yung feeling. Iba yung It's a different thing

feeling na kompleto ka na. when you feel
complete with a
complete family.
Umm, to be honest, it feels Feeling sad because

very sad because, ummm... of being envious of
Every time na pag I see na others whose families
complete yung family nila, are complete.
parang yung feeling na inggit
ka, and nakikita mo yung iba
na complete nga.
Kasi diba… kapag buo yung Having a complete

pamilya parang at ease ka family provides a
kasi may masasandalan ka. sense of security and
support.
I'm not afraid of anyone unlike Not afraid of anyone

other adults I know a lot of my because they don't
friends who have a father have a father, unlike
they're scared of their dad but their friends who fear
unlike me. their disciplinarian
dads.
Everytime na may Feeling self-pity when

nagpapaalala sa akin na, hindi reminded of the
kumpleto yung pamilya ko, incomplete family.
naaawa ako sa sarili ko.
Kapag nagsstart kang When questions about

magtanong bakit wala kang the absence of a father
tatay, sunod sunod yung arise, it triggers a
pagseself-pity. cascade of self-pity.
During my younger years, Early experiences of Emotional

hindi ako tanggap ng rejection. Distress
grandparents ko and wala din
namang magawa si mama
about it.
Until now pa din naman po is Still feel sad and hurt

nalulungkot at nasasaktan ako whenever thinking
kapag naiisip ko wala akong about not having a
tatay. father
Nakakasama po ng loob kasi Feeling disheartened

sino ba naman gustong lumaki as growing up without
na walang tatay diba po? a father.
I always feel sad and mad at Feels sad and mad for
the same time. Sad kasi not having a father.
siyempre wala akong tatay
ever since.
It's sad until now it's still sad. The participant is still
sad about not having a
father.
Hmm, mahirap po kasi hindi It's difficult for them

ko po naranasan ang because they never
pagmamahal ng isang ama experienced a father's
love.
Dati kasi noong bata ako, galit Harbored anger

ako kay papa tapos parang towards father and
paghihiganti ang nasa isip ko. thoughts of revenge.
Actually until now in my 18 Tears well up

years of existence here on whenever
earth, I still shed a couple of remembering father.
tears when I think about my
dad.
Noong nakikita ko mga Feel a sense of

classmates and friends ko na longing for a father
may father figure sila. Tsaka figure when saw
ko naramdaman yung classmates who had
pangungulila sa tatay. one.
Nangungulila pa rin po ako Continued sense of

hanggang ngayon sa kanya. longing for a father.
Parang nakakainggit siyang Longing for a father's

tingnan kasi longing talaga love.
ako sa father’s love.
Dati palagi akong nagpi-pray Used to pray that

na sana soon gustuhin akong someday the father
makasama ulit ng dad ko. would be with her
Kahit isang araw lang. Kahit again or even have
magkaroon lang kami ng communication.
communication.
Parang may hinahanap kang Searching for love

pagmamahal ng buong from a complete family
pamilya, ng meron man lang that something can
sumasama sayo, lumalaki, only receive from
parang there’s something may parents.
hinahanap-hanap kang
pagmamahal na hindi mo
mare-receive sa ibang tao
kundi yung tatay at nanay mo
lang.
Siguro yung care na gusto Yearning for the

mong makuha, yung alaga na guidance, care,
dapat natatamasa mo. Kaso protection, and comfort
hindi mo siya makuha kasi that a father should
wala naman na siya sa tabi. provide, but unable to
Like yung mga ano, kung receive it due to his
paano kanya ika-guide. Yes, absence.
yung paano kanya asikaso,
yung paano kanya
ipagtanggol kapag kailangan
mo. Paano kanya i-comfort
pag gusto mo, pag need mo
talaga siya.
Hmm. Lagi kong hinahanap Always seek the love

yung, ah... yun nga, yung and affection of a
father figure na yung love and father figure.
affection ng isang ama.
Nag iba yung tingin ko sa mga Seeing men as

lalaki, they’re monsters. monsters.
Having no father during Feeling emptiness for

growing up is yung feeling na not having a father.
parang empty ka, na you're
missing one parent, obviously.
Parang hindi po ako kumpleto Feels incomplete for

kasi minsan lang kami mag them because they
usap ni mama tapos about pa rarely talk to their
sa pera ang usapan hahaha mom, and when they
ganoon po. do, it's usually about
money.
Nag iba yung tingin ko sa mga Feel a strong sense of Relationship Experienced
lalaki, they’re monsters, that I responsibility to take With Mother Self-Discovery
should take care of my mom, care of their mother, Difficulties
my friends, and my partner. friends, and partner.
I always think about how like Worrying about how

sad my mom is because I sad her mom might be
don't have a father or like she without a husband.
doesn't have a husband with
her.
Nakikita ko po yung mama ko Seeing mother's

na ginagawa po lahat para sa selfless actions and
akin kasi siya lang po ang sacrifices.
meron ako.
And then, ngayong malaki na Had various Self-

ko, I experienced a lot from experiences that led to Sufficiency
my step-dads before which led exploring different
me to explore different things. things.
I became a lesbian. Became a lesbian due

to negative perception
of men.
I was really happy whenever Feeling happy when

she introduced me to her new introduced to her
guy. Parang it alters my brain mother's boyfriend, it
na, it doesn’t matter at all kahit doesn't matter who
sino nalang maging daddy ko. becomes her father.
Siguro ang pinakachallege is Biggest challenge is

pangangapa sa buhay. feeling lost in life and
Meaning, parang kang nag- being alone in world.
iisa sa mundo.
When I don't have a father Growing up without a

since child the impact is that father has led to the
I'm stubborn because no one participant being
is disciplining me as a dad. stubborn and unafraid
of authority figures.
Kapag naiisip ko wala akong Became independent.

tatay. Pero siguro po ay
naging independent nalang
din po ako.
Pero ngayong 18 ka na, you

can say na para independent
ka na.
Naging independent po ako, Embraced

natuto po akong tumayo sa independence,
mga sarili kong paa kasi navigating life with just
kaming dalawa lang ng mama mother.
ko ang magkasama.
Ummm, medyo naging They became more

matured na din ako when it mature and
comes sa... alam mo yun, independent, taking on
parang ako nalang naging the role of their own
father din. Like, I just became father figure in their
my own person nalang. life.
I realized na there are certain Realized that there are

things na hindi mo certain things they
makakamtan and it has a won't experience, and
reason. Ngayon, na realized it serves a purpose.
ko na kaya ko maging better
person even though walang
tatay sa tabi ko.
Realized that there are certain Increasing

things they won't experience, understanding of
and it serves a purpose. circumstances.
research problem 2

MEANING THEME THEME
Uhm, hindi naman po kami Mothers employment Economic Experienced
nagkaroon ng financial problem has contributed Precarity Economic
ng Mom ko since birth ko kasi positively to family's Challenges
maganda naman po work ng economic situation.
Mom ko.
My mom has a job, so it has
never been an issue with us.
Since may trabaho naman si
mama, ngayon
nakakaluwagluwag na kami.
Naging mahirap po nung una Life was initially
kasi si mama lang yung challenging as the
bumubuhay sa amin, pero mother was the sole
mula po nung 2018 naging provider, but lives have
maginhawa na po buhay namin become comfortable
kasi si mama nagkaroon po ng due to her securing a
magandang work. good job.
If siguro nung bata ako, dun The family's financial
kami mahirap. Kaya situation became the
nagdesisyon si mama na mag reason for mother
OFW. seeking job abroad.
And yun, during nung parang The family is grappling
childhood ko, yung financial with challenges in
status namin was really hard meeting its economic
kasi nga yung mom ko. She needs due from relying
only had... yung work niya kasi solely on a mother's
was parang minimum wage income source.
lang. So, it's not enough to
carry all that burden na
nagpapaaral ka ng dalawang
anak. Plus yung food and all
those random finances pa.
Ummm, naging mahirap since Experience financial
it was only my mom who was difficulty for solely
taking all the care. depending on mother's
income.
Siguro, in terms of sa financial The family is grappling
needs namin, dun kasi talaga with challenges in
may problem. Like what I said, meeting its economic
si mama lang nagsusuporta needs due from relying
saming dalawa ng kapatid ko. solely on a mother's
income source.
Sobrang hirap po, kasi minsan Enduring financial
si mama hindi na ako hardship due to limited
binibigyan kasi alam niya nga income without the
na may trabaho na ako. Pero knowledge of mother.
hindi niya alam yung hirap ko
sa pag ma-manage
mapagkasiya lang yung pera
ko sa isang linggo ganoon.
Ummm, kasi, kunyari eto, Constraints in pursuing
parang opportunity mo siguro education and learning
sa pag-aaral mo. experiences due to
absence of paternal
support
Sa ibang school ako nag-aaral Have limited education
ngayon and probably may opportunities due to its
more chances ako na mas financial burden.
maganda educational ko since
yung ngayon, kasi laging
pinag-iisipan ko yung financial
burden ng pag-aaral ko. Yun
nga, sa pagdo-doktor, medyo
50-50 na kasi malaki yung
financial burden.
So many opportunities that I Expressed a sense of
missed. One of that is yung missed opportunities
makapag-aral sa dream and financial
university at yung dream constraints related to
course ko, wala eh mahal ang dream university and
tuition hindi kaya ni mama course.
mag-isa yon.
Nanghihinayang ako but alam Encompassing the Motivated By
ko na madami pang commitment to Circumstances
opportunities na makukuha ko personal development

kahit walang daddy figure. and becoming a better
Yung goal ko nalang ngayon is version of oneself.
makatapos ng pag-aaral kahit
hindi na sa dream university
ko. Focus ko nalang ngayon is
maging better for myself.
Dahil nga po nung naranasan Set a goal to give their
po namin maging mahirap mom a better life as a
noon, nagkaroon po ako ng form of repayment for
goal na kapag tumanda ako or the sacrifices made
makapagtapos, gusto ko po during their experience
bigyan ng maganda buhay si of poverty.
mama para makabawi sa lahat
ng sakripisyo na para sa amin.
mas namumotivate ako na There's a strong
mag-pursige sa studies ko. motivation to excel in
Mas namumotivate din ako na studies and pursue a
tuloy yung, um, uh, siguro medical career despite
matutuloy ko yung medical the absence of a father
journey ko. figure.
naging masipag naman ako Participant's
and naging competitive which hardworking and
is nagagamit ko naman competitive nature
hanggang ngayon. Up until remains, driven by
now, I still want to prove myselfintrinsic goals and a
but not just to them but also desire for self-
para din sa sarili ko. improvement.
Nagkaroon din ng trust issues Developed trust issues Lack of Trust Experienced
and always over thinking. and always Emotional
overthinking. Vulnerabilty
Hirap po ako mag tiwala sa iba Face challenges in
eh. trusting others.
Uhmm, being in a relationship Become skeptical about
po siguro. Parang nagiging relationships by not
unang perspective ko kaagad trusting men.
sa mga lalaki eh sa una lang
magaling ganoon. Parang hindi
na’ko naniniwala sa mga
sinasabi nila.
Ang hirap din kumilala ng lalaki There's a fear of
na makakasama mo. Kasi, di potential deception and
mo naman alam kung totoo ba concerns about
yung pinapakita sa'yo. Kung repeating past negative
seryoso ba ka siya. experiences.
Nakakatakot din kasi baka at

some point maging katulad din.
Lokohin ka o ganun. 10
Medyo nagkaroon ako ng Had a problem with Attachement
problem when it comes sa attachments wherein Issues
attachments. Mabilis ako easily get attached
maattach kasi siguro because of craving
nagkicrave ako sa attention attention and love.
and love. To the point na kahit
bare minimum mapa-friends or
romantic relationships is Become assuming to
parang milestones na sakin. be special even with
Feeling ko special na ko non, bare minimums.
parang assuming na.
Not easily get attached.

Hindi talaga ako pala attached.
Since yun nga, maaga ko
naranasan yung parang lust of Keeping emotional
love. I always tell myself na connections at a
even with my friends, even sa surface level, as a way
relationship ko. Goods lang, of managing emotions
ganun. Yung mababaw lang. because of being
deprived with love.
Tsaka hindi ako ganoon ka-

Being emotionally
showy ng feelings ko, kahit kay
reserved, even with
mama hindi ako nakakapag
mother.
kuwento ng araw ko ewan ko.
In terms naman sa romantic Tend to overthink being

relationship parang pag nasa good enough when in a
point na ako nang medyo relationship that lasts
tumatagal relationship um i than usual.
tend to overthink myself na
parang if parang kaya ba
magtagal to alam mo yun
parang ino overthink ko lang
din yung whole relationship na

if im good enough or if ano pa
yung mga ganun parang pasad
yun.
Lagi po kasi akong natatakot Expresses a consistent Fear of
maiwanan. fear of being left Abandonment
behind.
Kasi naiisip ko baka pati si Become a good
mama iwan nalang din ako. So daughter with a fear of
kailangan kong galingan. being left behind if not.
Kailangan kong maging
mabuting anak. Baka kasi iwan
nalang din nya ako kapag
hindi.
Never ako nagkaroon ng Never experienced a
relationship na parang lasting relationship
nagtagal or like meron ako wherein previous
naging relationship before pero relationships ended
it also ended up with the guy with the guy hurting her
hurting me hurting my feelings feelings.
and ayun.
Konti lang po friends ko to be Acknowledges having Selective
honest, kasi madalas po ako few friends due to Friendship
mag overthink eh. frequent overthinking.
Kasi po iilan lang po talaga Have only a few
friends ko. friends.
ngayon i only have a very small A conscious effort to
circle of friends na lang na focus on relationships
alam kong may trust ako sa that bring value and
kanila and na very close kami depth avoiding
parang ride or die ko na sila. superficial connections.
Medyo ilag lang po ako sa mga Tends to be cautious
male friends po ganoon but I around male friends,
have male friends pero hindi po maintaining a limited
marami. circle of friendships.
Mostly, people are good Have positive
naman sa akin. That's why I experiences with
have really good friends. Being people and friendships
fatherless naman is never an despite being
issue when it comes to making fatherless.
friends.
Nakaka-affect na wala akong The absence of a father Relationship Developed

father sa pagka-explore ko ng has influenced Preferences Relationship
relationship with other people. preferences in Patterns.
Kasi gusto ko yung parang guy relationships.
na can show protection aking.
Kasi since wala nga akong
dad, hindi ko naramdaman na
yung protected skills kahit may
mothers ako. Iba parang
talaga, parang protection Desired a partner that
galing sa father. can provide sense of
protection because of
not experiencing
protection for not
having a father.
Yun yung isa ko pang napansin Driven by a desire for a

dahil naghahanap nga ako ng father figure, leading to
father figure, yung mas an attraction to older
naaattract ako sa older men. men.
Sa friends? Siguro ang hirap Building friendships,
magkaroon ng... lalalang especially with guys,
friends, lalo na kung lalaki. becomes challenging
Kasi, syempre, wala kang without a father figure
tatay. Hindi mo alam kung due to uncertainties
paano yung takbo ng utak eh. about understanding
their mindset.
Sa relationship naman, ayun Understanding and
nga. Ang hirap din kumilala ng choosing a genuine
lalaki na makakasama mo. partner in relationships
Kasi, di mo naman alam kung becomes difficult due to
totoo ba yung pinapakita sa'yo. uncertainty.
Iba pa rin talaga kapag Unique difference of a Parental
nagbibigay ng advice niya, father's advice about Guidance
father, about sa guy. Kasi, partners because being
syempre, tatay siya. Alam niya a father.
yung galawan. Alam niya yung
galawan.
It was kind of difficult. One day, Explored different
narealize ko nalang na relationships adapting
nagiging katulad na ko ni mom to mother's actions.
at the young age. I met a lot of
different guys from different
age ranges hahahahahha.

Then, that’s the time when I
decided to explore and yet I am
happy right now with my
girlfriend.
Parang ano siya for me like The lack of paternal
kung magde date man ako or guidance makes it
magkaroon ng boyfriend challenging to assess
naghinder sakin yung iniisip ko the suitability of a
na if I only had a father alam partner, potentially
niya din kung ano yung parang leading to uncertainty
qualities. Parang sya kasi yung or hesitation.
magjudge diba, kung okay
yung lalaki o hindi.
Ka-impact siya kasi... Well, yun Lack of paternal figure
nga. Walang fatherly figure who would provide
na... Parang nag-gaguide na guidance and instill a
dapat matakot ka sa... Mom sense of fear or
and the... Sa mama mo, or sa respect.
brothers mo. Hmm, Easy. It's
not easy.
Pero sa paghahanap ng Actively seeking a
partner, parang may standard partner with qualities
na hindi dapat ganito yung differing from father's.
magiging partner ko, hindi
dapat maging katulad ng tatay
ko
Sa friends? Siguro ang hirap Building friendships,
magkaroon ng... lalalang especially with guys,
friends, lalo na kung lalaki. becomes challenging
Kasi, syempre, wala kang without a father figure
tatay. Hindi mo alam kung due to uncertainties
paano yung takbo ng utak eh about understanding
their mindset.
I think as a daughter, Confident that she's a
nagampanan ko naman yung dutiful daughter.
pagiging maayos na anak.
Masunurin kasi inuutusan nila Signifies the inclination
ako. Parang yun yung way ng to follow instructions
utang na loob nung dati na from others,
hindi ko pa alam na hindi dapat emphasizing a sense of
magkaroon ng utang na loob. compliance and respect
for authority figures.
Kunwari sa meeting. May mga Experiencing a sense Social Experienced

meeting sa school or awarding of isolation as others Isolation Challenges in
sa anak. Katulad ng share their father- Social
elementary ako. Kailangan ng related topics. Expectations
parent. Hindi kaya makaano ng
mother mo. So walang ibang
dadalo. Walang pupunta. So Feeling left out because
ikaw, dun ka na lang. Mag-isa of a lack of parental
ka na lang doon. Ikaw mismo involvement in events
kukuha ng card mo kasi wala like school meetings or
na mga iba. awards ceremonies
feeling envious of
complete families
attending the
ceremony.
Oo kasi tuwing may family Feeling out of place or

gathering, sinong pumupunta? different compared to
Lola, Lola or mama. others due to the
Samantalang mga kaibigan ko absence of father.
makikita mong kumakain sa
iba. Yung ganun ba, parang
nakakainggit talaga kasi
nasaan papa ko? Parang
nakaka-out of place, nakaka-
lonely na walang parents sa
tabi mo sa school.
In the younger years, ano Expressing difficulty in Academic
talaga ako? Hindi ako magaling performing well in Journey
academically. As in, mahina school due to lack of
ako sa school. Since, hindi nga guidance.
rin ako nakikinig sa nagtuturo
sa akin. Even my mom or mga
kuya ko. Sa school, hindi ako
nakikinig. Parang wala pa siya
sa priority school. So, siguro
kung nandyan si dad, probably,
naturuan din ako ng maayos.
I think, as I became a people The act of people-
pleasing person, nagkaroon din pleasing is associated
yun ng mabuting outcome. I with a favorable impact
perform well in school. on academic
performances.
As part of pagiging mabuting Being a good child

anak, kailangan ko din involves excelling in
galingan sa school. And medyo school.
gusto ko ang school dahil sa
attention and recognition na
binibigay sa akin, whenever I
achieve something. It makes Enjoys the attention
me happy. and recognition
received for
achievements in
school.
Hmm, hindi po ako proud sa Engage with unhealthy Rebellious

age ko pero I tried drinking and habits at an early age Behavior
smoking. Sa totoo lang po, to fill the void left by the
maaga din po ako nag explore absence of paternal
sexually. So yun nga, siguro po love and guidance.
is to fill the void na
nararamdaman ko po without
the love and guidance of my
father.
Pero may time lang din noon Experienced a period of
na naging rebellious ako, rebellion, copying
where I tried to copy my mom mother's way seeking
with a thought na I can find love with strangers.
love with strangers.
I try so many things na Explored a lot of things,
masama, you know alcohols just like alcohol.
ganoon
Naging rebellious talaga ako Quite rebellious during
nung high school ako. I even his high school years,
got suspended. Sa point na he even got
yun. Tapos... Ayun nga. Um... suspended.
Matigas din yung ulo ko when it
comes to my mom. Madalas
kasi ako yung nasusunod.
Lumaki akong makulit. Makulit Naturally mischievious
kasi makulit talaga ako.
research problem 3

MEANING THEME THEME
I... I guess. Yes, I overcome Overcoming the Familial and Social
the challenges of growing up challenges of growing Social Bonds Connections
without a father. As I know, up without a father is As Emotional
as I come closer with my associated with building Support
mom, its better now that I a closer relationship
overcome this problem by with family.
talking to my family. So, I can
express my feelings more
now, even before.
Make my family proud kasi Aiming to make their
sila po talaga ang nandiyan family proud,
para sa akin. acknowledging the
steadfast support they
receive from their loved
ones.
Siguro dahil rin sa mga Motivated by family and
friends ko ngayon, at friends to cope up.
siyempre kay mama.
Una po is iniisip ko palagi Consistently reflects on
yung mga sacrifices ni their mother's
mama. sacrifices.
And ayun, parang I just keep Keep their mind off
my mind off things with things by helping their
helping my mom. Especially. mom, especially since
Ayun, there's still so much there are still many
she, there's still so much things they want to
things also na I wanted to show her and give to
show her. And to give to her. her.
Lumalabas po ako with my Occasionally go out
friends. with friends.
My coping mechanism in Communication serves Communication
every challenges that I face as a coping mechanism
is talking. I talk to other to express feelings.
people to express my
feelings more.
It’s fascinating kasi na Fascinated to speak
makipag usap din sa with strangers despite
strangers from time to time, of being dangerous.
though risky sya for minors
pero its nice din in some

way.
Inaabala ko po sarili ko sa Diverting attention Diverting Cognitive
studies. through studies. Attention Strategies
Right now po, I am just doing Prioritizing studies. Through
my best with my studies po Academic
Commitment
The activities I've done lang
was all throughout
nagsastudy lang.
Usually po talaga nililibang Finds calmness in
ko po sarili ko sa studies. studying.
Coping mechanism ko Dedicating themselves
nalang po siguro is mag aral to studying and
maigi and mag focus po sa maintaining a steadfast
mga pangarap ko. focus on their
aspirations.
Reading, music and online Find hobbies, Diverting
connection through omegle specifically reading, Attention
and ometv hahahaha. music and online Through Finding
connection through Hobbies
online platforms
Nanonood po ng Kdrama Watch K-dramas, and
and painting po. engage in painting.
Mag basa ng mga novels Reading novels for
kasi para po sakin nakaka relaxation.
relax po siya ng mind.
I grew up, trying a lot of Enjoyed various
musical instruments and I musical instrument.
actually enyoy them.
Somehow, nakakalimutan ko
sya dati na malungkot pala Used to forget that life
yung buhay kapag may could be sad when
music or kapag nagpiplay ka there's music or when
ng instruments. playing instruments.
Painting po talaga. Sobrang Painting has become a

naging theraputic po sakin therapeutic outlet,
yung pag painting kasi allowing to utilize
nagagamit ko po yung imagination and
imaginations ko through art. express self through
art.
Effective din siguro yung Music serves as a
music kasi nakakapagpa powerful tool for
kalma sya. relaxation.
Or nung bata ako, Engaging in drawing or

nagddrawing ako or painting as a way to
nagppainting. Pwede din divert attention from
siyang maging coping problems.
mechanisms ganun.
Syempre kapag busy ka na, When busy, individuals
nakakalimutan mo talaga tend to forget their
yung problema. problems.
I always listen to music, Always listening to

everytime na ganoon tsaka music because it can
pag nag be-break down ako. provide calmness.
Nakikinig lang talaga ‘ko sa
music tapos kumakalma
na’ko.
Actually wala, kasi gusto ko A conscious decision Reflection
sya maalala kaya pag allowing themselves to
nalulungkot ako hinahayaan keep the memory when
ko lang. feeling sad.
Then I learned how to talk to Learned self-talk to do
myself. Nagsasalita ako mag a self-comfort to
isa, but not to the point na understand self when
nababaliw hahahah, kino- feeling any emotions.
comfort ko lang yung sarili
ko. Up until now, effective pa
rin yun. It helps me
understand myself right now.
When I’m sad, angry, happy
and anything else. It’s like
checking up on yourself.
At first, I tried to comfort The act of talking to
myself through talking by oneself became a tool
myself. Then, through that for introspection.
mas nakilala ko yung sarili ko
and learned how to be
grateful for what I have right Engaging in self-talk
now. It wasn’t that ideal and can lead to gain
promising pero it taught me insights and
how to accept and be understanding about
positive about everything. their own thoughts.
I learned how to choose Prioritize own well-

myself by talking to myself. being by engaging in
internal dialogue or
self-talk.
I remember when I was a Silent crying adapts to Isolation

kid, I learned how to cry an environment against
silently just because I am not open emotional
allowed to cry kasi maiinis si expression
Ahma.
Siguro sinasarili ko na lang? Keeping the problems
Parang, kasi lumaki ako sa to oneself because of
bahay na nagsabi ka pero growing up in a
hindi nila aasikasuhin. household does't care.
Siguro yung naging coping Proving that father is Personal
mechanism ko was to prove missing out on Empowerment
him na he's missing out so significant aspects of
much. Na ayun nga na yung their lives, showcasing
daughter nga na is ayun, daughter's academic
magaling sa school, or like, success.
hindi nagkakaroon ng failing
grades, gano'n. That he's
missing out so much. All Proving that being
these happening sa aming capable of being
life. At the same time, independent without
napiprove mo rin sa kanya him.
na kaya mo mag-
independent kahit wala siya.
And naprove ko na din sa
kanya na parang even
without him, kaya naman din
namin.
Gusto ko po mapatunayan Wants to prove that
nalang din sa sarili ko na they can still have a
kaya ko po magkaroon ng fulfilling life despite
magandang buhay kahit growing up without a
lumaki akong walang tatay, father, believing it won't
na hindi po siya magiging hinder them from
hadlang sa mga pangarap na achieving their dreams.
gusto kong matupad.
And siguro main factor din Willingness to actively Positivity Spiritual and
yung positivity. These past engage in positive Emotional
few years, I learned that thinking as a means of Well-being
being negative about having alleviating burdens.
problems cannot help you at
all. So, why not be positive
nalang para mas magaan.
Overcome ko naman first of Overcoming it primarily Acceptance and

all is kasi tinanggap ko na. through accepting the Forgiveness
Tinanggap ko na siya na reality that there's no
that's the reality kasi wala such thing as a perfect
namang perfect family family.
talaga. And ayun naman.
Kaya parang yung nagsawa Had grown weary or
na ako, napagod na ako na. exhausted that they
Kaya ayun, tinanggap ko na simply accepted it.
lang siya.
Simple lang, acceptance and Emphasizes

forgive lang. Pero hindi ko paacceptance and
rin nakakalimutan si papa, forgiveness but
yung pag iwan niya saamin acknowledges the
ni mama. Tanggap ko naman lingering memory of
na, hindi ko lang their father leaving,
nakakalimutan. indicating the difficulty
of fully moving on from
the experience.
I think kasama din siguro Time also plays a role
yung time sa pagheal ko with in my healing process
this wound. As well as, with the pain.
acceptance. Kasi ngayon Still hurt but on the
naman masakit pa din pero process of accepting.
may part na parang
tinatanggap ko na.
Just accept the situation po Accepting the situation
ganoon. Kasi sobrang hirap. and understanding
Laging sinasabi ni mama na parents' perspective.
intindihin ko nalang sila
ganoon.
May time na sobrang Experiencing emotional Spiritual
nagbebreak down ako kasi breakdowns due to connection
na-miss ko talaga siya eh. missing their father,
Yung time na yung bilang they pray to God,
mag-isa ka tapos papasok hoping for emotional
siya sa isip mo. May iiyak ka healing.
nalang. So, yung ginagawa
ko, pray to God na sana
maging okay yung
pakiramdam ko
I just trust God, purely. Purely trusting God.
Uhmm ano, uma-attend ako Attended church with a

before ng church sa friend friend, who provided
ko. Sinasama niya ako companionship
everytime na nag o-open up whenever they shared
ako sakaniya pag naaalala their feelings about
ko si papa. missing their father.
Reflection/Reflexivity
AGUIILAR, RAVEN JEIL C.
My personal background and cultural context influence my approach to the research
topic for the reason that I knew plenty of family nowadays are experiencing a daddy issue
or absence of father. It leads to my cultural context that the absence of father has the
greatest impact on daughters especially when they are growing up. It can affect my
viewpoint on fatherlessness in a number of ways, one of which is that it can affect how I
approach the subject of the research. Since my views and experiences can influence the
prism through which I view the implications and significance of the study, my identity may
have an impact on how I understand the findings. To guarantee a deeper comprehension
of the research, it is necessary to be aware of these influences. The biases and assumptions
I bring to the research based on my prior knowledge and experiences are having an
absentee father and the knowledge of being a daughter who does not have a father. An
emotional and personal dimension has been added to our research study as a fatherless
daughter. My own experience might provide important insights into the issues raised, the
questions answered, and the interpretation of results about the psychological and emotional
effects of fatherlessness. For the results to be more broadly applicable and to retain our
integrity, it is crucial to strike a balance between objectivity and personal experience. During
the data collection process, the participants' answers were influenced by my presence as a
researcher in the form of how they answered the questions. While it's possible that some of
them are reluctant to respond, our information gathering process yields accurate results.
Even when we are on the verge of crying, we are powerless over our emotions, and even
when we have someone with whom to share our feelings, it can be difficult to filter out the
reactions.
As we interpret the data, it shaped my personal perspective for the reason that my
beliefs of having an absentee father is hard to deal with, but now I know that we all have
difference of the way how we perceive the feelings and emotions. It will be hard if you just
stay to that absence and not moving forward of what is relevant. To avoid biases, being not
to be attached to the study is the solution. Acted like a researcher and not being participants.
In order to navigate ethical considerations in our research study, we must reflect on values
and principles. Adjustments could include maintaining participant confidentiality, obtaining
informed consent, and addressing potential biases. Reflecting on your ethical position may
lead to the refinement of research methods or the expansion of participant safeguards.
Constant self-awareness contributes to the study's integrity and promotes ethical behavior
throughout the research process.

CABARLOC, CZARINA FAITH
Our research approach deeply influenced my personal background and cultural
context, particularly as a daughter who grew up without a father. This experience has
shaped my cultural perspective, highlighting the profound impact of paternal absence on
the lives of daughters like me. It has significantly molded my viewpoint regarding
fatherlessness, revealing the diverse effects it has on individuals who have undergone
similar experiences. Given that my perspectives and life encounters strongly shape how I
perceive the implications and significance of this study, my identity and experiences play a
crucial role in interpreting its findings. Acknowledging these influences is imperative for a
comprehensive understanding of the research, ensuring a more profound comprehension
of its outcomes.
Our research is inevitably influenced by the biases and assumptions stemming from
my firsthand knowledge and experiences of having an absentee father. As a daughter who
grew up without a father figure, these personal encounters offer valuable insights into the
raised issues. They might have provided answers to certain questions and shaped
assumptions that could impact the interpretation of results, especially concerning the
psychological and emotional effects experienced by daughters in similar situations. To
maintain the credibility and accessibility of the results, it is essential to navigate a fine
balance between objectivity and personal experience. While acknowledging the value of
personal insights, ensuring objectivity remains pivotal to uphold the integrity of the research
outcomes. Striking this balance is crucial in presenting a comprehensive understanding of
the subject matter.

Throughout the data collection process, my role as a researcher inadvertently
influenced how participants responded to the questions posed. My guidance and interaction
with the participants led to more accurate and transparent responses, thereby enhancing
the precision of our data collection. By fostering an environment of empathy and
understanding, participants felt comfortable sharing their genuine feelings and emotions.
This level of openness contributed to a richer and more comprehensive dataset, enabling
us to gather nuanced insights into their experiences. During the interpretation of the data, I
found myself reflecting on the experiences of daughters like me, growing up without a father.
Some of these individuals had stories that mirrored aspects of my own life, while others had
completely different paths. Yet, what stood out was how tough it is to navigate life without a
father around. There was a range of viewpoints among participants about the emotions and
feelings connected to this absence. Even though I could relate to many of their experiences,
I made a conscious effort to keep biases at bay by approaching the study with a researcher's
mindset. I wanted to ensure that my personal story didn’t overshadow the analysis. This
approach helped me stay impartial, allowing me to look at the data objectively and interpret
it without letting my own background sway the findings.
Ensuring our research maintains high ethical standards means diving into what we
believe in and stand for. It involves keeping our participants' information private, making
sure they fully understand and agree to take part, and being mindful of any personal biases
that might affect the study. Checking where we stand ethically might lead us to tweak how
we do our research or beef up ways to protect our participants even more. Staying aware
of ourselves throughout the process is key to keeping the study honest and doing things
right by everyone involved.

LAÑUZA, MONICA I.
Upon starting the study of daughters growing up without fathers, I recognize the
potential influence of my personal experiences and awareness of societal norms. Worries
persist about how these factors might shape my empathy and introduce bias into my
approach. To counter these concerns, for me, a mindful approach is crucial. First,
acknowledging the influence of personal experiences and cultural awareness is a vital step.
This recognition sets the stage for a conscious effort to disentangle personal biases from
the research process. Addressing biases and assumptions involves regular self-reflection.
By engaging in simple, yet effective self-awareness exercises, I believe that I can identify
and mitigate any unintentional biases that may arise. This proactive step serves to uphold
the integrity of the study and ensures a more impartial exploration of the subject. When it
comes to the impact on data collection, being aware that my presence as a researcher may
influence participant responses, I strive for transparency and open communication. Creating
a comfortable space for participants to share their stories authentically is paramount,
minimizing the potential distortion of responses due to perceived expectations. Interpreting
data requires caution. I actively seek diverse perspectives and feedback from colleagues to
challenge my assumptions. This collaborative approach ensures a more well-rounded and
objective analysis, mitigating the risk of a singular viewpoint dominating the findings. Ethics
played a crucial role in our research. We consistently thought about our values and
principles to make informed decisions. We were genuinely concerned if we ever faced
ethical challenges, ensuring that we learned from them and made adjustments to how we
conducted the study and interacted with participants. This helped us maintain the ethical
standards of our research.

In essence, this research journey is about navigating personal influences with
mindfulness and openness. By addressing biases, fostering a collaborative approach, and
staying attuned to ethical considerations, the study aims to offer a genuine and balanced
understanding of the experiences of daughters growing up without fathers.

PUSING, EDZON T.
I grew up having a complete family, well, our family almost broke up but in the end,
I grew up with a complete family. I can say that we are somewhat solid. Solid in a way that
we’re there, harmony is fine, relationship is good, but nothing spectacular. I would say I’m
not that close to my mother and father, and the same goes for my sisters. Given that I grew
up with a complete family, I have always wondered how it feels to be an adult with none, or
at least just one of their parents not on their side. Is there a void in their emotions? Is there
a void in their identity and personality? Do they feel empty? Like those types of questions.
I’m also aware that we have a lot of instances here in the Philippines that a child grew up
without his family by his side. And now, knowing the results of our studies, how our
participants felt, how our participants shared those stories, it was generally tough and hard
for them. Resulting in a lot of problems and challenges, it’s always hard to internalize that
they went through all those obstacles earlier in their lives.
Before gathering our data, I always thought that for sure, life was tough for our
participants. Not having a father to support them, not just financially but emotionally, being
there for them would’ve been a huge boost for their morale and confidence in themselves
and to other people, it was rough. Before we gathered our data, we decided to have them
interviewed. First, because our study maximizes a qualitative method approach, we made
sure to use interviews to have those stories that can’t be told through surveys, or checklists
shared with us. Second, for us to have a deeper understanding of every participant, an
interview would be the best method available for us to use and maximize. It allows us to ask
pre-determined questions and follow them with probing questions depending on their
preceding statements. As a qualitative researcher, I first must establish rapport with my
participants, and so I did. This is very important so that I can make my participants
comfortable around me and have them tell me stories that they couldn’t share with anyone
else. I think I did a good job in establishing rapport with my participants. They shared a lot
of stories that really impacted the way they think about their situation, and the way they act
towards other people. I felt that they were comfortable sharing those stories as well, which
was very important in interviewing these participants. In understanding and interpreting the
stories gathered and presented, I just focused on what’s on the table, on what’s given, and
on the experiences that they shared. Nothing more, nothing less. To avoid having
interpretation biases when interpreting these results, I must stay objective on what I really
want to know and focus on in our study. I am aware of those little biases, but again, staying
focused and objective to the purpose of the study takes those little biases away.
As a researcher, again, I have to stay focused and objective. In conducting the
interviews and interpreting these findings, I’ve been consistently mindful of the ethical
implications of every decision made. I very much prioritized and protected the rights of the
participants, their confidentiality, and their overall well-being. I’ve interviewed them in their
most comfortable area to be able to have a better chance of knowing them and having them
close enough to me. I also assured them that any sort of information they shared was
extremely just for the sole purpose of this study. Finally, the overall process of interviewing
these participants was really a great experience. This process has made me aware of these
ethical responsibilities and has enhanced the ethical integrity of my work as well.
SOBREVEGA, ROY ALVIN
My approach to the research issue is heavily influenced by my cultural background
and personal history. My principles and beliefs are one of these. These principles can
influence my viewpoint so that I can empathize with them and gain a deeper understanding
of their circumstances. It also altered my personal viewpoint by making me grateful for what
I already have. Another is my communication style with people; this might affect how I
handle delicate subjects and how I choose my words to avoid offending others. Knowing
this altered my perspective by letting me realize that not everyone is experiencing a
circumstance as bad as mine is at the moment. The biases and assumptions is somewhat
tied to the prejudices and presumptions I bring to the inquiry based on my past knowledge
and experience. After reading all their responses, I realized that I was experiencing similar
emotions to those of them because I was also raised without a father. By better
understanding and putting myself in their shoes, this bias influenced judgments made about
the research design, data collecting, and analysis. This gives us more opportunity and
knowledge to include extra information about their condition.
Depending on how well I get along with the respondent, my presence as a
researcher may or may not influence their responses during data collection. I made sure
the respondent felt comfortable throughout the interview so they could open and provide all
the information that was required without fear of being judged. I further told them that all
information provided would be kept confidential and that no one would ever know about it,
and that the data would only be used for study. The participants were able to provide the
necessary responses without hesitation because they felt confident. As we analyze the
data, a few things influence how I see things. My own experience is one of these. The data
collected has some connection to my experience and may have both favorable and
unfavorable effects. But this had helped us comprehend the participant's current
circumstances better. Because you may better understand their circumstances and can
empathize to them, my emotional state may also play a role in this topic. However, we took
care to ensure that there are no biases and that all information is received and analyzed in
accordance with the research findings, with no emotional involvement.
As a researcher we are responsible for taking on ethical considerations and fulfilling
ethical guidelines is critical. During the research process we need to protect the well-being
of our participants and for them to be reassured that it is completely confidential. In order to
implement the ethical principles our first step to it was to point out that no information said
during the process will only be known by the researchers for the confidentiality of our
participants. Informed consent isn’t just an ethical consideration. It’s a legal requirement as
well. Participants must fully understand what they agree to including potential risks and
benefits. The adjustments that took place during signing of consent forms is that not
everybody will agree to sign and that one won’t like their personal information to be known
by others thus the researchers and for those who signed we must carefully choose the word
and not make them feel like they are being misunderstood. We must give clarity to the
nature of the study and will detail what happens during the interview.
Audio/Video
The footage from interview of the participants can be accessed via this link:
Audio/Video
Photos of Actual Fieldwork

Participants Validation
Participant 1
Participant 2
Participant 3
Participant 4
Participant 5
Participant 6
Participant 7
Participant 8
Participant 9
Participant 10
Signed Communication
Validation of Questionnaire
Validation of Themes
Validation of Grammarian
Validated Interview Guide Questionnaire

Validated Themes
Informed Consent
Assent Form
RAVEN JEIL C. AGUILAR
#100 Singkamas St. Block 37
Barangay Addition Hills, Mandaluyong City
0951-862-8618
2020-102025@rtu.edu.ph
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Age : 22
Date of Birth : November 29, 2001
Place of Birth : Mandaluyong City
Citizenship : Filipino
Religion : Roman Catholic
Civil Status :
Single
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
TERTIARY Rizal Technological University
2020 – Present
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL Arellano University
2018 – 2020
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL Jose Fabella Memorial School
2014 – 2018
Nueve De Febrero Elementary
PRIMARY
School
2008 - 2014
CZARINA FAITH CABARLOC
– 8339Dr Arcadio Santos Ave,

The Atherton
San Antonio, Parañaque
0917-836-1465
2018-107328@rtu.edu.ph
Age : 24
Place of Birth : Manila
Civil Status :
Single
Rizal Technological
TERTIARY
University
2018 – Present
AMA Computer College
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Makati
2016 – 2018
San Isidro National High
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
School
2012 – 2016
PRIMARY St. Paul College of Makati
2006 - 2012
MONICA I. LAÑUZA
Kamuning, Quezon City
0917-170-6797
2020-101191@rtu.edu.ph
Age : 23
Place of Birth : Quezon Province
Civil Status :
Single
TERTIARY Rizal Technological University
2020 – Present
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL Buting Senior High School
2018 – 2020
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL Pinagbuhatan High School
2014 – 2018
PRIMARY Manato Elementary School
2008 – 2014
EDZON T. PUSING
Block 27 Lot 29 Road 23 Maguindanao St.
New Lower Bicutan, Taguig City
0910-330-6303
2020-101221@rtu.edu.ph
Age : 22
Date of Birth : July 12, 2001
Place of Birth : Bulacan
Civil Status :
Single
Rizal Technological
TERTIARY
University
2020 – Present
Rizal Technological
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
University
2018 – 2020
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL Noah’s Academy Inc.
2014 – 2018
PRIMARY Cardones Integrated School
2008 - 2014
ROY ALVIN SOBREVEGA
472Apitong St. Comembo, Makati City
0926-637-9531
2018-102019@rtu.edu.ph
Age : 23
Date of Birth : September 13, 2000
Place of Birth : Comembo
Civil Status :
Single
Rizal Technological
TERTIARY
University
2018 – Present
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL University of Makati
2016 – 2018
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL Pateros Catholic School
2012 – 2016
PRIMARY Pateros Catholic School
2006 - 2012

Stories of Daughters Growing Up Without Father

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RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

College of Arts and Sciences i

STORIES OF DAUGHTERS GROWING UP WITHOUT A FATHER

An Undergraduate Thesis Presented to the Faculty

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree

Czarina Faith Cabarloc

Roy Alvin Sobrevega

This thesis entitled “Stories of Daughters Growing up without a Father”,

recommended for Oral Examination.

January 9, 2024 MARY BETH C. MIRANDA, MA, LPT, RPm

Psychology with a grade of ____________________

DYNEHGRE P. CASASOLA, MA, RPm

AMORSOLO F. ESPIRITU, MA, RPsy, RPm LILIBETH T. CORTEZ, LPT. MA

Accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Bachelor of

DR. RODRIGO DP. TOMAS, RGC

Date Dean, CAS

This qualitative study explores the lived experiences of daughters growing up

uncovering challenges. Participants described their experiences with economic challenges

and self-discovery difficulties, alongside the impact of father-daughter issues during

experienced economic challenges, emotional vulnerability, developed relationship patterns,

and challenges in social expectation. Coping strategies, including social connections as

individuals facing similar circumstances.

Keywords: Father-daughter relationship, Growing up without a Father

We extend our sincere acknowledgements to each of them.

Researchers were indebted to Rizal Technological University for the opportunities,

role in shaping me/us into a goal-oriented and resilient individual.

throughout this process.

numerous challenges faced during this study.

enabling me/us to persevere through this academic journey.

success of this study.

Lastly, we acknowledge and thank ourselves for the perseverance and

determination that made this academic achievement possible.

APPROVAL SHEET ………………..………………………………………………….ii

I. THE PROBLEM AND CONTEXT………………………………………......1

Scope and Delimitation of the Study………………..………...…..………...11

Significance of the Study………………..………………..….....………........12

II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURES……………………………….......14

Importance of Complete Family………………………………………………14

Impact of Complete Family …………………………………………………...16

Father and Daughter Relationships……………………………………………18

Factors of Absentee Father………………….………………………………….20

III. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY……………………..……………………….…28

Data Gathering Procedure……………………………………………..………..31

IV. PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION……..…………………...32

The experiences of daughters related to the absence of a father figure in their

How the presence of father-daughter issues during upbringing impacts the

participant’s financial stability, emotional bonds with others and societal

V. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION…………………….…………74

Process Data Analysis………………………………………………………..123

Photos of Actual Fieldwork……………………………………………………159

Validated Interview Guide Questionnaire……………………………………189

1 The Conceptual Framework………………………………………………….……..10

2 Thematic Map of Research Objective 1……………………………………………32

3 Thematic Map of Research Objective 2……………………………………………45

4 Thematic Map of Research Objective 3……………………………………………62

5 Legends for the Responses of Participants……………………………………….123

1 The Process of Creating Formulated Meaning from Significant Statements

for Research Question 1……….………………………………………………...123

2 The Process of Creating Formulated Meaning from Significant Statements

for Research Question 2…….…………………………………………………...135

3 The Process of Creating Formulated Meaning from Significant Statements

for Research Question 3…………………………………………………………144

THE PROBLEM AND ITS CONTEXT

They offered an optimistic and heartwarming perspective on families, emphasizing the