Baggages of Yesterday: Unveiling the Lived Experiences of Adolescents with Overseas Filipino Worker Parents

Parental involvement and financial means both play a role in sufficing the needs of children; however, it is common for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) to sacrifice one after the other. While several studies have investigated the effects of this on children, the emotional toll of immigration-related separation through the narratives of those affected by this remains an overlooked facet. This study explores the lived experiences of adolescents whose parents are Overseas Filipino Workers to gain perspectives from their personal sentiments on such circumstances. Using a phenomenological approach, six (6) participants were gathered through a purposive-sampling method and interviewed through face-to-face and online modality. The findings revealed that emotional and psychological effects may vary as there are positive outcomes such as acceptance and self-reliance, and negative manifestations like jealousy and feelings of misery. Family expectations, gender roles and relationship dynamics have also influenced them since comparison, societal beliefs and debt of gratitude come into play. Despite this, they are able to cope with their support systems and other avenues such as academics and social media expressions. Based on the findings, evidence indicates