Title: The Experiences of Left-Behind Fathers: Breaking the Traditional Filipino Paternal Roles in Parenting
Stream: Sexuality, Gender, Families
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
Authors:
Joselito Gutierrez, University of Santo Tomas, Philippines
Abstract:
Many societies, including those in the Philippines, subscribe to the traditional concept that the father's essential responsibilities are being the provider and protector of his family. This Filipino parenting culture is based on traditional gender roles, which designates the father as the provider in charge of the family's economic needs and the mother in the nurturing responsibilities. A new family setup has recently emerged as many women, particularly those migrating to work abroad, have joined the country's workforce. A mother leaving her family to find a greener pasture has created a vacuum in the family, forcing left-behind fathers to assume all the primary roles of the parents - provider, protector, and nurturer. This research paper explores Filipino fathers' experiences with a wife working abroad. Using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), the researcher interviewed some employed fathers to reveal how they accepted, adapted, and made sense of the family setup as they simultaneously fulfilled the roles of both the father and mother to their children. This short research paper concluded by stating its findings, how fathers embraced their roles in caring for their children, and how they made sense of their experience of fatherhood.
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