Philippine Journal of Health

Research and Development

Solo Mothers’ Challenges and Coping Strategies: A Phenomenological Study in the

City of Manila
Jocelyn C. Del Mundo *, Ma. Jannie Addie Macanlalay , Michael Dominic C. Del Mundo
1 1 2

*Corresponding author's email address: jcdelmundo@up.edu.ph

1
Department of Behavioral Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Manila
2
Population Institute, College of Social Sciences and Philosophy, University of the Philippines Diliman
R E S E A R C H A R T I C L E
Abstract

Background: Filipino society's normative definition of a 'family' is one that is composed of a married
heterosexual couple and their children. In such cultural set-up, both the mothers and fathers are expected to
share the responsibility in raising their child or children. However, for solo mother households, this scenario is
farfetched with solo mothers serving as the primary economic provider and caregiver.
Objectives: The study aimed to chart the challenges faced by solo mothers and identify the coping strategies
they employed through understanding their lived experiences.
Methodology: The study used a phenomenological approach to magnify a better understanding of the
phenomenon as experienced by solo mothers. The researcher conducted personal in-depth interviews with
thirteen (13) solo mothers from the city of Manila. The inclusion criteria for the participants were: (a) solo
mothers who raised their child alone, (b) at least 25 years of age, and (c) has at least one biological child who is
20 years old and below. The participants were recruited through purposive and snowball sampling. The
interviews were carefully recorded, transcribed and critically analyzed. After careful thematic analysis of the
data and with quantitative methods used, seven themes answering the study's objectives emerged.
Results and Conclusions: The seven major themes recorded were: Absence of A Partner, Conflicting
Responsibilities, Child Care, Social Support, Willing Endurance, Spiritual Guidance, and Self-Care. These
themes were gathered from the respondents who on the averaged have been solo mothers for 10 years
already. Solo mothers used both problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies, but the nature of
the problem dictates the strategy to be employed. Solo mothers make sure to look after themselves to be able
to take care of their children in the future. Given the reality of struggles of solo parenting, solo mothers as a
sector must be provided with support programs and policies by the government to strengthen their stand on
raising their children well.

Keywords: solo mothers, coping themes, child care, self-care, parental challenges

Introduction
spouse. It also enumerates the discounts and benefits solo
In 2007, 14 million of the 94 million total population of parents are entitled to. Such benefits and entitlements will
the country were solo parents and this number has steadily cease once an individual is no longer left alone with the
increased through the years. The Federation of Solo Parents responsibilities of parenthood.
estimates that this number will grow to 20 million this year,
given the 30.5% growth rate for the population of solo In the Philippines, female solo parents must possess a lot
parents [1]. With the enactment of the Solo Parents' of strength and budgeting skills as they are most of the time
Welfare Act in 2002, we see the government's efforts in financially-challenged [2]. Indeed, motherhood is a
addressing the struggles that solo parents face. The Act demanding role for a woman. As a solo mother, she is left
provides a comprehensive definition of who are considered with the responsibility of raising her child alone, a
solo parents. In general, solo parents are those who are left responsibility normally shared by two people. Solo mothers
to raise their children alone because of the absence of a become the primary caregiver to their children, primary

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 Solo Mothers' Challenges and Coping Strategies

economic provider, and sole decision maker in her family phenomenological approach on the study was to “reduce
[3,4]. Thus, it is inevitable for her to encounter stressors, individual experiences with a phenomenon to a description
specifically psychological stress while fulfilling her tasks [5]. of the universal essence” [16]. This approach was chosen to
Financial problems top the nature of the challenges solo have a better understanding of the experiences of solo
mothers face as they wrestle to provide for themselves and mothers, particularly on the aspects of their challenges and
their children [6,7,8]. coping strategies. The researcher stopped conducting
interviews upon reaching data saturation at 13 respondents.
A previous study by Dabne suggests that solo mothers are Previous studies [17,18] recommended 5 to 25 respondents
often from low-income families and earn low wages [9]. as sufficient for the phenomenological design to find and
Furthermore, Cherlin and Yasutake [10] reported that solo describe common experiences of the participants. The
motherhood, particularly births outside marriage, occurred inclusion criteria for the participants were: (a) a solo mother
more likely to women who did not attain four year college who raises her child or children alone, (b) at least 25 years of
degrees. College graduates, on the other hand, are more age, and (c) has at least one biological child who is 20 years
likely to wait after marriage before having children [10,11]. and below. Solo mothers who did not meet the inclusion
Thus, we see that mother-only families are more likely to be criteria were excluded from the study. The respondents were
poor and dependent on welfare because of the mother's recruited through purposive and snowball sampling, of
lower earning capacity [8,12,13]. which a written informed consent was provided by the
subjects. Respondents were first given a basic information
Health problems – physically and psychologically – are questionnaire, which contained questions on personal
also part of the struggles for solo mothers. These can be information and socio-demographic characteristics of the
linked to the economic struggles of solo mothers. It is respondents. A semi-structured interview guide was used for
suggested that low-income solo mothers are more likely to the interviews. The questions were constructed based on
suffer from mental and physical health disorders compared to available literature and feedbacks and results from the
their married counterparts [14]. They also tend to report pretesting of the questions.
more problems with feelings of pressures and inability to
relax [15]. Common psychological stressors for solo mothers Data Collection
include feelings of loneliness, insecurity, and lack of
confidence. They also report feelings of helplessness and Upon obtaining referrals on possible respondents, the
hopelessness. Solo mothers' health challenges can be researcher proceeded to contact the individuals via phone
attributed to two things – the economic pressures that affect call or office visitations. During initial contact (i.e. phone
their well-being, and their great exposure to stressful life call or office visit), the researcher first introduced herself
events [8]. Despite this, single mothers have also proven that and briefed them with the nature and purpose of the study.
they can deal with stress as effectively as their married Once the potential respondent gave her verbal consent,
counterparts [5]. the researcher proceeded to explain the informed consent
and had the respondent to fill it out to ensure voluntary
Aside from contributing to the growing body of literature participation. Interviews were conducted in a private
highlighting the challenges and coping strategies solo space in the office of the respondents or in a venue of their
mothers employ through their lived experiences, the study choice. Prior to the interview, the researcher engaged
also aimed to suggest possible interventions for the them in a small talk to ease the atmosphere. Each
development or improvement of appropriate programs and interview lasted for 45 minutes to an hour; respondents
policies to address the concerns of solo mothers and to also gave their consents to tape the interview. Since all
ensure their overall welfare. respondents were locals of the Philippines, the interview
was conducted in English and Filipino to allow the
Methodology respondents to better express their sentiments and
experiences.
Study design
Data Analysis
Upon securing approval from the UP Manila Ethics Board
[UPMREB2017-556-01], the study employed a The study used thematic analysis in analyzing the gathered
phenomenological design. The purpose of using a data. Thematic analysis is a way of identifying, coding,

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Solo Mothers' Challenges and Coping Strategies

analyzing, and creation themes extracted from the responses or Results

patterns of responses the data from responses which have
reached a saturation level. It also helps in summarizing key After carefully analyzing the data, seven themes answering
features of a large body of data [16,19]. The transcriptions were the study's objectives emerged. The following themes were:
created for each respondent. The open-coding and inductive absence of a partner, conflicting responsibilities, child care,
coding procedures were utilized to ensure the validity of the social support, willing endurance, spiritual guidance, and self-
creation of semantic themes and analysis. The researcher re- care (Table 2).
read the transcripts then wrote the participants' narratives. She
also took down notes that might be useful in coding the
Absence of a Partner
responses. A thorough scrutiny of the narratives was done to
identify new concepts or themes which were recurring and
matched the initially created themes. The researcher reviewed During the first few years into the pregnancy, 11 out of the
the initial themes, checking if they can be further broken down 13 respondents shared experiences of stigmatization from
or merged. A co-analyzer was available to review the initial their peers. Respondents who had been born and raised in
semantic themes to make sure that all themes had been found the provinces were more likely to share such experiences.
and covered. Finally, validation was conducted by going back to
the respondent to clarify if indeed the themes captured from “ Mahirap nga kasi wala akong katuwang. Hindi na ako
the responses were really what the respondent meant. naghahanap ng katuwang. Kung meron lang sana,
hindi ko rin alam kung baka, hindi natin alam ‘di ba?
Survey Respondents Kung may katuwang ka, makakuha ka ng katuwang na
ikaw rin ang mamomroblema, ‘di ba? Mas maganda
The final respondents consisted of 13 solo mothers aged yung ako na lang mag-susupport sa kanya. Kukuha
29 to 51 years old. Table 1 shows the socio-economic and lang ako parang ipunukpok mo yung ulo mo sa pader.”
demographic characteristics of the respondents. – Respondent No. 13

Table 1. Demographic characteristics of the respondents

Respondent Age Civil Status Education Monthly Number of Religion
ID Income Children

2 32 Single College Graduate Php 20k - 45k 1 Born Again Christian

3 36 Single Master’s Degree Php 20k - 45k 1 Roman Catholic
4 36 Married Master’s Degree Php 20k - 45k 1 Roman Catholic
5 44 Widow College Graduate Php 20k - 45k 2 Roman Catholic
6 30 Single College Graduate Php 20k - 45k 1 Roman Catholic
7 45 Single High School Graduate < Php 20k 1 Roman Catholic
8 29 Married Master’s Degree Php 20k - 45k 2 Roman Catholic
9 41 Married College Graduate < Php 20k 3 Roman Catholic
10 48 Married College Graduate Php 20k - 45k 3 Iglesia ni Kristo
11 47 Married Master’s Degree Php 20k - 45k 2 Roman Catholic
12 36 Single Master’s Degree Php 45k - 75k 1 Roman Catholic
13 51 Annulled College Graduate Php 20k - 45k 2 Born Again Christian
14 51 Single College Graduate < Php 20k 1 Born Again Christian

Table 2. Themes of lived experiences of solo Mothers

Themes Responses Year as Solo Mother
Absence of partner 12 10
Conflicting responsibilities 13 10
Spiritual guidance 12 9
Self-care 13 10
Child-care 11 9
Social support 8 11
Willing endurance 13 10

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 Solo Mothers' Challenges and Coping Strategies

(It's hard because I don't have a partner. I'm not looking only a daddy. It's not bad; it's just different.)
for a partner anymore. I hope I had one. I don't know; Respondent no. 2
we'll never know, right? If you had found a partner that
would only give you trouble, it is better that I support The absence of a father figure negatively influences their
my child on my own. It's like asking trouble for myself.) sons. Sons often developed negative attitudes in school
Respondent No. 13 during their adolescent years; however, they still
maintained good relationships with their mothers and other
The solo mother expressed her doubts about finding family members.
someone who can really support her and was worried more
about the possibility of having problems with a new partner. " Yung dalawang sons ko, medyo nagkaroon ng rebellion
attitude lalo na nung high school years nila. Nagkaroon
Although romantic relationships were the least of the ng effect ‘yun sa studies nila. Na parang hindi sila
solo mothers' priorities, they still expressed wishes of papasok, ‘yung rebellion attitude nila when it comes to
finding a partner (i.e. katuwang) who can help them with studies nila. ‘Yun nga nagstop sila ng schooling parang
fulfilling parenthood responsibilities and, at least, provide bine-blame nila na, o wala naman si papa, wala naman
them with moral support. ‘yang pakialam eh." - Respondent No. 9

Absence of the other parent also became a problem (My two sons, they kind of had a rebellious attitude
when the child develops concepts of marriage and family especially during their high school years. It affected their
since the child starts asking about the father. Never married studies. They don't go to class. They had a rebellious
solo mothers expressed having a hard time answering such attitude when it comes to their studies. They stopped going
questions. They often result in telling the child about to school and kind of blamed their father. They say that he's
different types of families or telling the child that they will not there, he doesn't care anyway.) Respondent No. 9
answer the questions when the child reaches a certain age.
Conflicting Responsibilities
“ She has the concept na na kailangan magpakasal muna
ulit ako bago ako magkaka-baby ulit - so sabi niya, Most of the solo mothers in the study (n=7) reported
mommy nung nabuntis ka sa akin, sinong daddy? supporting and taking care of their parents as well, on top of
Sinong husband mo? She has concepts like that providing for their children. Aside from responsibilities as a
already. And medyo mahirap din siyang i-explain. Pero daughter and as a mom, their work responsibilities also add
she gets it naman if siguro I need lang to constantly up to their tasks.
remind her lang na I love her. Para lang maka-cope siya
na okay lang kahit kaming dalawa lang. And we have “ Kasi sa amin, nakita mo, ‘pag may trabaho, hindi kami
conversations like it's okay, kasi sila – I explain to her agad-agad nakakaalis. Andyan pa si boss. Anytime
that there are different kinds of family. There are pwede ka tawagan. Kaya nakakaligtaan na namin.” -
families na may daddy and mommy and there are Respondent No. 10
families na minsan mommy lang and minsan daddy
lang. It's not bad, it's just different." - Respondent No. 2 (Because in our office, you see, when there are things
to do, we cannot leave anytime. The boss is also there.
(She has the concept that I need to get married before The boss can call you anytime, we cannot… that's why
I can have a baby. So she asks, “Mommy, when you sometimes we forget about it.) Respondent No. 10
were pregnant with me, who's my daddy? Who's your
husband?” She has ideas like that already, and it's a bit “ Syempre may work na, tapos ‘yung time mo kailangan
hard to explain. But she understands it. Though I need mo siyang...syempre kailangan mo ‘yung support sa
to constantly remind her that I love her so she can bata ‘di ba lalo na ganon sa school. Hindi mo rin siya
cope despite it being just the two of us. We have hayaang mag-isa siya sa school. Papanik siya sa stage,
conversations like “it's okay because they...” – I may award siya. Isa ‘yun sa mga challenges. Mahirap
explain to her that there are different kinds of maka-cope pagkaganon. Nakaano ka sa work mo tapos
families. There are families with daddy and mommy, kailangan ka ng anak mo. Mga school activities
and there are also those that only have a mommy or ganon.” – Respondent No. 12

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(Of course, there's work…then your time… Of course happen when the grandparents oppose or contradict the
you need to support the child in school. You also cannot mother on disciplining the child.
leave the child at school alone. S/he would go up the
stage and receive an award, sometimes they have that. Social Support
That's one of the challenges, and it's hard to cope when
it happens. You're at work but your child needs you in Solo mothers shared receiving social support from family
school activities.) Respondent No. 12 and friends, both in financial and non-financial matters, such
as time for child care
Common challenges extend beyond finances, to include
even psychological support for the solo mother. The “ Mahirap siya nung time na maliit pa yung bata pero
challenge is felt especially when there is conflict of duties and may support system kasi ako, ‘yung family ko. So parang
responsibilities to perform, which also lead to self-doubt. naging mas madali ‘yung maging solo parent para sa
akin kasi meron naman sumusuporta di ba. Pero kung
Child Care wala sobrang hirap siguro.” – Respondent No. 5

Adjusting to the first few years of solo motherhood often (It was hard when my child was still young, but my family
proved to be a challenge for solo mothers. They expressed was my support system. Solo parenthood became
that the child's earlier years tend to be harder because s/he easier because there were people supporting me. If not
has more basic needs, compared to when the child is older. (for them), it would have probably been very hard.)
Primary fears include who will care for their child should Respondent No. 5
they die early. Second, the fear of whether they have raised
their child appropriately, to include inculcating the right This is one cultural value of the Filipino, a family system
values and attitudes. that is always ready to support a member in need. Filipino
family support extends beyond just financial but even
“ Ang unang fear is baka di ko mapalaki nang maayos physical support in terms of child care. A relative is always
yung mga kids, baka hindi ko maibigay lahat ng needs ready to lend a hand for child assistance in whatever
nila.” – Respondent No. 7 capacity that the parent is unable to provide.

(I fear that I won't be able to raise my kids properly, that For other non-financial woes, such as problems related
I won't be able to give all their needs.) Respondent No. 7 to emotions, work, or relations, they often sought the
support of friends and peers. Solo mothers often run to
“ Syempre nga ang dami kong insecurities, akala ko wala friends rather to family members. This is so to shield their
ng magmamahal sa akin kasi single mom maraming family members from worrying about their predicament.
biases sa single mom. I did not feel beautiful kasi
iniwanan ako for another woman. Tapos I was taking Willing Endurance
care of my daughter on my own, so feeling ko ang
pangit pangit ko." - Respondent No. 11 The respondents expressed willingness to sacrifice
and endure all the challenges that come along, regardless
(Of course, I had a lot of insecurities. I thought no one of their nature. To address financial concerns, solo
loved me because I am a single mom. Single moms mothers willingly took on part-time jobs on top of their
receive many biases. I did not feel beautiful because I full-time jobs. In order to meet the demands of the
was left for another woman. I was also taking care of additional job, solo mothers willingly sacrificed their
my daughter on my own; I felt that I was so ugly.) time with their children and endured longer work hours
Respondent No. 11 just to make ends meet.

Another challenge reported by some (n=4) solo mothers One respondent shared that after her 7 am to 4 pm shift
in looking after the child was conflict in parenting principles at work, she still engaged in part-time jobs beyond 4 pm.
with their parents. Grandparents tend to be more 'caring' Despite the extreme physical fatigue, however, solo
and tolerating of the child's behaviors. They spoiled the mothers were more than willing to endure for the comfort
children more than the mothers do. Conflicts also tend to of their child.

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 Solo Mothers' Challenges and Coping Strategies

“ Kailangan kong maging strong para sa anak ko. workers) are not yet back. But most of the time, our
Kailangan kong, minsan nga kahit na nakakaramdam office is really busy since we conduct trainings outside. So
ako ng sakit, ‘yung may sakit na ako sa katawan, health instead of going for a check-up, I can't go since I have to
ko, nilalabanan ko ‘yon, kasi kailangan kong mabuhay work on the logistics for our trainings.) Respondent No. 9
para sa mga anak ko eh.” – Respondent No. 8
Spiritual Guidance
(I have to be strong for my kids. Sometimes I feel sick,
that something's wrong with me, but I fight that because The respondents shared having good and strong
I need to live for my children.) Respondent No. 8 spiritual beliefs, which is a typical trait of Filipinos.
Commitment to pray and a closer personal relationship
Filipinos are believed to be very resilient. This is an with God strengthen them. Their perceptions on their
expression of a solo mother's determination and resilience problems were also greatly influenced by their religious
in child rearing. Glaringly such is the high cost of being a beliefs and practices. They viewed their problems in a
solo mother [3]. positive light, believing that God would not give them
problems they cannot surmount. They often run to God to
The willingness of solo mothers to endure pain was also seek help on how to cope with their problems. Through
evident in the way they dealt with health-related concerns. prayers, they present their wishes and ask for two things –
When asked of their health-seeking behavior, their first was for the Greater Being to guide them through and
responses reflected strong inclinations to self-medication. In help them solve the problem and second, for God to lead
some cases, respondents reported that they still go to work them to the right person for help.
despite being sick.
“ Lahat ng sama ng loob ko, kinikimkim ko siya.
“ Kasi sa amin, nakita mo, pag may trabaho, hindi kami Pagdating ng... punta ako sa Nazareno, sa Quiapo,
agad-agad nakakaalis. Andyan pa si boss. Anytime doon ko na lahat binubuhos. Kaya doon ako umiiyak.
pwede ka tawagan kaya di kami maka.. Kaya Kay Lord lang ako umiiyak. Lahat yan. Lahat sinasabi ko
nakakaligtaan na namin.” – Respondent No. 10 kay Lord.” – Respondent No. 4

(Because in our office, you see, when there are things (I keep all my frustration and unhappiness. When I go
to do, we cannot leave anytime. The boss is also there. to the Nazareno, in Quiapo, I release all my emotions
The boss can call you anytime, we cannot… that's why there. That's when I cry. I cry to the Lord. I tell the Lord
sometimes we forget about it.) Respondent No. 10 everything.) Respondent No. 4

They reported seeking consultation and treatment only Self-care

if their symptoms were deemed not normal or if they feel
severe pain. Respondents reported various reasons for not Coping strategies employed by solo mothers were
seeking medical advice that include a busy work schedule, geared towards self-care. All 13 respondents (Table 2)
the need to attend to other important responsibilites, the shared that they coped through doing activities that divert
fear to learn the negative outcome of the diagnosis, and their attention, such as engaging in art activities, reading,
financial reasons. playing with the children, and often doing household chores
to while away boring time. Respondents also shared
“ Oo, kasi dito [sa trabaho], ito relax kasi galing lang sa spending some time alone and treating themselves to
bakasyon, wala pa rito ‘yung mga kasama namin na something (e.g. meal, material object) as a way of coping.
ano pero most of the time kasi lagi kaming may training They also reported engaging in activities that promote good
so busy talaga yung office namin. So isa pa ‘yun na health as part of their coping with stress, such as hiking,
instead magpapacheck-up ako, ‘di pwede kasi may mountain climbing, exercising (e.g. at the gym, doing
inaayos kaming mga logistics. May training kami sa routines at home), and dancing.
ganito.” - Respondent No. 9
“ Nag-zu-zumba ako. Kumbaga ‘yun na lang yung ano ko
(Yes because here at work, now it's more relaxed since eh sa buhay, pag-zu-zumba, ‘yan na lang yung ano ko
we just got back from vacation, and some (of my co- maalis ang stress.”- Respondent No. 6

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(I do Zumba. Doing Zumba is the only thing I do to de- know it. I only go for treatment when I have money and
stress.) Respondent No. 6 they are also available for consultation.) Respondent No. 4

“ I still feel that I need to have my individuality, parang Table 2 shows that on the average the respondents have
separate from my role as a mom. So I make, naghihike pa been on their own raising their children and family a little
rin, nag mountain climb ako, naghihike ako. There are over 10 years. Despite the length of time of being alone, the
still these I go to na… At first I felt really guilty about it themes still reveal that there are major concerns that our
kasi feel ko, you know, as a mom kasi, as a parent parang solo mothers confront on a daily basis.
you feel na lahat ng resources mo, lahat ng oras mo
dapat nasa anak mo. Pero ngayon I'm thinking na if I Discussion
need time para sa akin lang talaga, different from my
time as a mom kasi kung hindi parang ma-sa-saturate Solo motherhood, as viewed by study respondents, is a
siya. I love my daughter, there's no question about it pero life-changing event. It has caused drastic changes in their
you know sometimes kailangan din natin to love myself lives in terms of their roles and priorities. From putting
parang loving myself strengthens me as a person and themselves and their family first, they now put their
makes me a better mom.” – Respondent No. 2 children as the top priority.

(I still feel that I need to have my individuality, separate In Philippine society, the notion of a family being
from my role as a mom. So I make (time), I still go hiking composed of a heterosexual couple and their unmarried
and mountain climbing. There are still these (things) I go children was considered the norm for the longest time.
to that… At first, I felt really guilty about it because I feel Consequently, solo mothers tend to contend with disgrace
that, you know, as a mom and as a parent, you feel that since their family's structure deviated from the norm [21].
you should give all your resources and your time to your Despite receiving stigma from other people, solo mothers
child. But right now, I think that I need time for myself, eventually came to terms with it.
different from that of being a mother. If I don't, I would
feel saturated. I love my daughter; there's no question Several Filipino values played very crucial roles on how
about it. But you know, sometimes, we need to love solo mothers respond to challenges as well as dictated the
ourselves, too, because loving myself strengthens me as a coping strategies that they would take. The values of being
person and makes me a better mom.) Respondent No. 2 family-oriented and of “filial piety” were reflected on the
tendency of solo mothers to provide financial support and
Self-care behaviors as coping strategies were also care for their aging parents, despite resulting in conflicting
reflected in the ways that solo mothers cope with health and additional responsibilities for them. On the other hand,
worries. Solo mothers actively take care of themselves by the solo mother also derived social support from her family
consciously changing their eating habits and doing basic members and parents. Instead of leaving her alone in child-
exercises. Furthermore, the respondents also mentioned rearing, such duties were often extended to the solo mother's
that while they do not immediately go to the hospital for a parents. The Filipino value of 'lakas ng loob,' (strong optimism
check-up, they tend to seek the advice of family, friends, and and confidence in oneself) was also crucial for the willingness
acquaintances who are medical professionals. of the solo mothers to sacrifice and to endure challenges to
make ends meet. Because they had to be strong and had to
“ Nung pumunta ako sa kanya (doctor), nagpapacheck believe in themselves, they were able to accomplish things
up talaga ako sa kanya. Ang dami kasi niyang that can help them and their children survive.
sinasabing gagawin mga ganyan ganyan. So pag may
pera ako tsaka lang ako dumadalaw sa kanya. Alam This study showed that solo mothers used two types of
niya naman yon. Doon lang niya ako ginagawa kapag coping strategies which were in line with the Stress and
may pera ako. Kapag ano may pera tsaka available Coping Theory of Lazarus and Folkman [22]. In problem-
siya.” - Respondent No. 4 focused coping, individuals attempted to eliminate distress
by doing something to address its source. For emotion-
(When I go to the doctor, I really go for a check-up. The focused coping, individuals tried to regulate their emotions
doctors would recommend a lot of things for me to follow by changing how they would attend to the situation or how
and do, so I only go to them when I have money. They they would relate meaning to the situation.

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Problem focused coping was used to address both strong support from the government is hardly felt,
financial and health concerns. Self-medication and home especially in terms of provisions for child care facilities in
remedy palliative care were generally employed by solo offices where mothers can securely leave their toddlers
mothers. Whereas previous studies have identified the while at work. Solo parents also decry having very poor
limited provisions for private health insurance and sheer financial support and not having similar privileges that
lack of adequate medical care [23,24,25] as the reasons why senior citizens and the People with Disabilities (PWDs)
solo mothers do not seek medical treatment, this study enjoy [26]. Hillary Clinton's book “It Takes a Village to Raise
revealed that the health seeking behavior of solo mothers a Child,” does not specifically focus on solo parenting but
was basically affected by three factors: (a) time or emphasizes that normal parenting needs a network of
availability, (b) severity or seriousness of the symptoms felt, support system in the formation of productive adults in
and (c) availability of funds. Being worried about the the community [27].
expense of illness, she opts for self-medication which
demonstrates that her priority is always the child. The act of There is a need for a more in-depth explanatory
sacrifice of a solo parent defies all other concerns. The sequential study to arrive at statistical bases for correlating
present study offered the explanation that solo mothers governmental support as a positive function to alleviate the
engage in self-care behaviors, both in general and in coping socioeconomic plights of solo parents. Unlike the senior
with stress, because they wanted to live longer, to care for citizen and PWDs aggregates in the country, the solo parent
their children, and to see them grow older. populace is disadvantaged. In fact, it was just very recent
that an estimated 300 solo parent-leaders, advocates, and
Emotional-focused coping, on the other hand, was representatives of different government agencies and local
reflected in the respondents' inclination to spirituality as a government units (LGUs), attended the very first Solo Parent
source of strength and care for one's self. The idea of Summit, July 14, 2018 held at the Department of Agrarian
religion, while it did not solve problems directly, gave the Reform (DAR) Gym, Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City,
respondents a sense of hope and security. They felt secure despite having, an estimated 14M single parents in the
knowing that a Greater Being was caring for them and that country [26,28]. Only 1 out of 16 cities in Metro Manila has
everything will eventually fall into the right place [23]. an ordinance institutionalizing a special week/day for solo
Another form of coping involves sharing their emotions parents [29].
with friends and taking part in spiritual groups. This
behavior proved to be healthy as taking part in support Accordingly, policy-makers from the Congress and the
groups or spiritual communities can boost their strength Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)
while promoting their personal growth and resiliency have called for an urgent need to amend RA No. 8972.
[2,4]. The care for oneself, as an emotional-coping While we are waiting for this to happen, this paper
scheme, was achieved by treating themselves to recommends that the basic discounts and benefits of the
something or engaging in activities that promote good vulnerable groups, PWDs, and Senior Citizens be
health and to de-stress [25,2]. awarded to solo mothers as well. These include 20%
discount for purchased medicines with prescription and
Women are self-empowered and armed with strong 20% for dine-in expenses, to mention a few [30]. To
determination to undertake their responsibility despite enhance more time for child-care, solo mothers must be
their struggles. However, they still need further support for given a day in a month to attend to the academic and
them to continue with their noble task. Their struggles are health needs of their children. The sick leave privileges
more than enough to capture the attention of the afforded them should be longer while the unused leave
government for more macro-social assistance. credits should be converted to cash at the end of the
calendar year. In the same manner that the senior
On the part of the government, there is an existing Solo citizens, pregnant women, and PWDs have priority lanes
Parents Welfare Act of 2000, the Republic Act No. 8972 (an for economic transactions in various institutions, all
act providing for benefits and privileges to solo parents these should be accrued to solo mothers as well, to lessen
and their children, appropriating funds thereof and for time spent away from home for child care and household
other purposes) [20]. Several solo parent organizations chores. Indeed, it is about time that the solo mother's
also exist in almost all barangays in Metro Manila. welfare be given utmost attention by the government
However, almost all respondents mentioned that having a and related agencies of society.

36 Phil J Health Res Dev January-March 2019 Vol.23 No.1, 29-37

Solo Mothers' Challenges and Coping Strategies

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