Constructing the Self in the Midst of Responsibility and Challenges: Narratives of Filipino Generation Z Breadwinners

Autor

  • Kathlynn Keith J. Abaquita College Wellness and Testing Center, Ateneo de Davao University, Jacinto Street, Barangay 28-C, Davao City, Davao del Sur 8000
  • Henry II Lemana Research Center for Language Teaching and Learning, Walailak University 222 Thaiburi, Thasala District, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80161
  • Wong Wei Lun Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Temuan, 43600 Bangi, Selangor
  • Mildred F. Accad Graduate School, Sultan Kudarat State University, EJC Montilla, Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat 9800
  • Don T. Cahilog Guidance Office, Merchant Marine Academy of Caraga Inc., Montilla Blvd., Barangay Ong Yui, Butuan City 8600
  • Roxan T. Sarmiento College of Teacher Education, North Eastern Mindanao State University, Tandag City, Surigao del Sur 8300

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15503/jecs2026.1.245.265

Słowa kluczowe:

Generation Z breadwinners, resilience, identity negotiation, socio-emotional challenges, lived narratives

Abstrakt

Aim. This study explores the lived narratives of Generation Z Filipinos who serve as primary breadwinners, with a focus on how they construct and negotiate their identity, relationships, and aspirations amid socio-emotional challenges.

Methods. Using a narrative inquiry approach, three participants were purposively selected and interviewed to capture their complex experiences.

Results. Through cross-theme analysis, three central themes emerged: premature adulthood and unchosen responsibility, emotional labour and the invisibility of struggle, and hope-driven resilience and moral consciousness. These themes reflect a reality where participants were thrust into adult roles due to familial crises such as poverty, illness, or abandonment. Despite emotional strain and invisible burdens, they sustained themselves through hope and a strong sense of moral duty.

Conclusions. This study concludes that adversity among Generation Z Filipino breadwinners initiates dynamic processes of reintegration, often leading to the emergence of ethical agency and strengthened identity. The findings highlight the imperative for educational institutions and social systems to acknowledge the diverse and non-linear developmental trajectories of youth who assume adult responsibilities prematurely. Moreover, the study advocates for more inclusive and responsive psychosocial support structures, as well as expanded conceptualisations of youth development that account for the complexities of their lived realities.

Pobrania

Statystyki pobrań niedostępne.

Biogramy autorów

  • Kathlynn Keith J. Abaquita - College Wellness and Testing Center, Ateneo de Davao University, Jacinto Street, Barangay 28-C, Davao City, Davao del Sur 8000

    Director of the College Wellness and Testing Center at Ateneo de Davao University in Davao City, Philippines, where she leads initiatives on student well-being, resilience, and mental health support. She also serves as a college guidance counselor and moderator of the Peer Consulting Program, advocating for mental health awareness and help-seeking behaviors within the academic community. Her professional credentials include Registered Psychologist, Registered Guidance Counselor, Psychometrician, Certified Human Resource Associate, and Certified Clinical Trauma Specialist-Individual. She holds a degree in Psychology from Holy Cross of Davao College and advanced qualifications in guidance, counseling, and clinical psychology, and conducts workshops and programs related to wellness and psychosocial support.

  • Henry II Lemana - Research Center for Language Teaching and Learning, Walailak University 222 Thaiburi, Thasala District, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80161

    A researcher at the Research Center for Language Teaching and Learning and a lecturer at the School of Languages and General Education, Walailak University, Thailand. He is a part-time faculty member at the University of the Immaculate Conception, Philippines. He holds a PhD in Applied Linguistics and is pursuing a Doctor of Education in Educational Management and Leadership. A Senior Member of the Royal Institute of Educators and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Dr. Lemana serves as an editor and peer reviewer for Scopus- and Web of Science-indexed journals. He has published papers on educational leadership, higher education internationalization, and AI in education.

  • Wong Wei Lun - Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Temuan, 43600 Bangi, Selangor

    Senior lecturer in the Faculty of Education at The National University of Malaysia. His research specialisations encompass Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL), corpus linguistics, applied linguistics, and educational research.

  • Mildred F. Accad - Graduate School, Sultan Kudarat State University, EJC Montilla, Tacurong, Sultan Kudarat 9800

    Professor VI at Sultan Kudarat State University, Tacurong City. She is an accredited author and illustrator of 14 books in qualitative research, teacher education, and culture and arts. With 27 years of experience in public higher education, she has institutionalized several academic programs and initiatives. Her recognitions include Most Outstanding Leader and Researcher in Higher Education (Sydney, 2024), Outstanding Teacher (2017), and Most Outstanding Woman Inventor (2005). She serves as an international journal peer reviewer and has published and presented research across Asia, Australia, and North America.

  • Don T. Cahilog - Guidance Office, Merchant Marine Academy of Caraga Inc., Montilla Blvd., Barangay Ong Yui, Butuan City 8600

    Registered Guidance Counselor and Registered Midwife currently serving at the Merchant Marine Academy of Caraga, Inc. He has held leadership roles including Dean of the College of Midwifery and Director of Student Affairs and Services. He holds an MA in Guidance and Counseling from Father Saturnino Urios University and is pursuing a PhD in Education (Counseling) at the University of the Immaculate Conception. His research interests include student development, mental health, counseling, and educational management.

  • Roxan T. Sarmiento - College of Teacher Education, North Eastern Mindanao State University, Tandag City, Surigao del Sur 8300

    Registered Guidance Counselor and college instructor at the College of Teacher Education and Head of the Values Formation Office at North Eastern Mindanao State University–Tandag Campus, Philippines. She holds an MA in Education (Guidance and Counseling) from Caraga State University and is currently pursuing a PhD in Education (Counseling) at the University of the Immaculate Conception. Her research interests include student well-being, mental health, values formation, and educational leadership, and she leads institution-wide initiatives promoting holistic student development.

Bibliografia

Arnett, J. J. (2023). Emerging adulthood: The winding road from the late teens through the twenties (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press.

Bagaporo, J. L. L., & Papadelos, P. (2024). Redefining breadwinning among internally-displaced Filipino men in southern Philippines. The Journal of Men’s Studies, 34(1), 101-122. https://doi.org/10.1177/10608265251349711

Benitez, J. L. (2022). An inquiry into the problems concerning Filipino values and norms. Recoletos Multidisciplinary Research Journal, 10(1), 39-50. https://doi.org/10.32871/rmrj2210.01.03

Casiño, R. M. Z., Serrano, L., & Granada, M. I. (2025). Revisiting the Filipino value utang na loob: Contextual perceptions, implications and inputs to sustaining the Filipino psychology discussions. International Journal of Education and Humanities, 5(2), 309-324. https://doi.org/10.58557/(ijeh).v5i2.311

Casipong, A. D., Ferolino, R. Y., & Mendoza, S. M. (2021). Perceived social support and subjective well-being of breadwinners: A correlational study. Dangal Research Journal, 3(1), 1399-1408. https://doi.org/10.47191/ijmra/v5-i6-27

Chesley, N. (2017). What does it mean to be a “breadwinner” mother?. Journal of Family Issues, 38(18), 2594-2619. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X16676857

Clandinin, D. J., & Connelly, F. M. (2004). Narrative inquiry: Experience and story in qualitative research. John Wiley & Sons.

Datu, J. A. D., & Valdez, J. P. M. (2016). Psychological capital predicts academic engagement and well-being in Filipino high school students. The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 25(3), 399-405. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-015-0254-1

Dolot, A. (2018). The characteristics of Generation Z. E-mentor, 74(2), 44-50. https://doi.org/10.15219/em74.1351

Drago, R., Black, D., & Wooden, M. (2005). Female breadwinner families: Their existence, persistence and sources. Journal of Sociology, 41(4), 343-362. https://doi.org/10.1177/1440783305058465

Edmonds, E. V., & Theoharides, C. (2021). Child labor and economic development. In K. F. Zimmermann (Ed.), Handbook of labor, human resources and population economics (pp. 1-29). Springer International Publishing.

Eifert, E. K., Adams, R., Dudley, W., & Perko, M. (2015). Family caregiver identity: A literature review. American Journal of Health Education, 46(6), 357-367. https://doi.org/10.1080/19325037.2015.1099482

Fatarani, D. S. (2024). The struggles and resilience of women as primary earners in The Breadwinner (2017) directed by Nora Twomey. Cultural Narratives, 1(3), 122-133. https://doi.org/10.59066/cn.v1i3.641

Francis, T., & Hoefel, F. (2018, November 12). ‘True Gen’: Generation Z and its implications for companies. McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/true-gen-generation-z-and-its-implications-for-companies

Gaidhani, S., Arora, L., & Sharma, B. K. (2019). Understanding the attitude of generation Z towards workplace. International Journal of Management, Technology and Engineering, 9(1), 2804–2812.

Goldscheider, F., Bernhardt, E., & Lappegard, T. (2015). The gender revolution: A framework for understanding changing family and demographic behavior. Population and Development Review, 41(2), 207–239. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1728-4457.2015.00045.x

Golombek, P. R., & Johnson, K. E. (2021). Recurrent restorying through language teacher narrative inquiry. System, 102, Article 102601. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2021.102601

Gonalons-Pons, P., & Gangl, M. (2021). Marriage and masculinity: Male-breadwinner culture, unemployment, and separation risk in 29 countries. American Sociological Review, 86(3), 465–502. https://doi.org/10.1177/00031224211012442

Hochschild, A. (2002). Emotional labour. In S. Jackson & S. Scott (Eds.), Gender: A sociological reader (pp. 192-196). Psychology Press.

International Labour Organization. (2017). Global estimates of child labour: Results and trends, 2012–2016. https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/documents/publication/wcms_575499.pdf

Iosim, I., Runcan, P., Runcan, R., Jomiru, C., & Gavrila-Ardelean, M. (2022). The impact of parental external labour migration on the social sustainability of the next generation in developing countries. Sustainability, 14(8), Article 4616. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14084616

Ita, D. A. (2025). 4 surprising ways Gen Z is investing differently than older generations. Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/gen-z-investing-trends-8782299

Jean, E. (2022). Young and unprotected: The psychological and behavioral consequences of adultification bias in emerging adulthood [Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University]. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1658531123690109

Knights, D., & Thanem, T. (2017). Embodying emotional labour. In B. Brandth, E. Kvande & D. Morgan (Eds.), Gender, bodies and work (pp. 31-43). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315254609-3

Kowalewska, H., & Vitali, A. (2021). Breadwinning or on the breadline? Female breadwinners’ economic characteristics across 20 welfare states. Journal of European Social Policy, 31(2), 125–142. https://doi.org/10.1177/0958928720971094

Lemana II, H. E., Ahmad, C. V., Besa, D. P., Geonigo, J. L. G., Angkal, A. C., Candado, J. R. M., & Maglantay, A. A. (2024). In two different worlds: Distance education narratives of Filipino learners living in the Emirates while studying in the Philippines. Human Behavior, Development and Society, 25(1), 116–128.

Lemana II, H. E., Ulla, M. B., & Kohnke, L. (2024). TikTok for language teachers: Affordances of TikTok on teachers’ identity and emotional vulnerability. Heliyon, 10, Article e34388.

Lu, Y. (2014). Parental migration and education of left‐behind children: A comparison of two settings. Journal of Marriage and Family, 76(5), 1082-1098. https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12139

Mărginean, A. E. (2021). Gen Z perceptions and expectations upon entering the workforce. European Review of Applied Sociology, 14(22), 20–30. https://doi.org/10.1515/eras-2021-0003

Masten, A. S. (2014). Ordinary magic: Resilience in development (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.

Miller, B., Carter, J., MacRae, C., & Schulz, B. (2021). A comparative analysis of attitudes towards female and male breadwinners in Germany, Sweden and the United States. Journal of Gender Studies, 30(3), 358–370. https://doi.org/10.1080/09589236.2021.1872510

Neale, B., & Davies, L. (2016). Becoming a young breadwinner? The education, employment and training trajectories of young fathers. Social Policy and Society, 15(1), 85-98. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1474746415000512

Neale, B., & Tarrant, A. (2024). The dynamics of young fatherhood. Policy Press.

Nedelko, Z., Peleckienė, V., Peleckis, K., Peleckis, K. K., Lapinskienė, G., & Potocan, V. (2022). Generation Z and ethicality of advancement in the workplace: A study of Slovenia and Lithuania. Journal of Business Economics and Management, 23(2), 482–506. https://doi.org/10.3846/jbem.2022.16824

Presto, R. S., Lemana II, H. E., Alcanzar, L. B., & Florentino, V. C. (2023). Capturing effective teaching: A photovoice exploration through the eyes of Gen Z educators. Psychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 14, 830–840. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10036483

Quindoza, T. L. V., Malcampo, M. C., & Rungduin, T. (2025). Ang tagapagtaguyod na anak for Filipino adults: An exploratory research. Southeast Asia: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 25(1), 58-70. https://doi.org/10.1108/SEAMJ-09-2024-0063

Richardson, G. E. (2002). The metatheory of resilience and resiliency. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 58(3), 307–321. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.10020

Sacristan, A. T. (2013, May 3-6). Understanding the ABCDs of young adult breadwinning phenomenon: The Baseco experience. In Annual Conference of the Production and Operations Management Society (POMS). https://pomsmeetings.org/ConfPapers/052/052-0125.pdf

Schmidt, E. M. (2017). Breadwinning as care? The meaning of paid work in mothers’ and fathers’ constructions of parenting. Community, Work & Family, 21(4), 445–462. https://doi.org/10.1080/13668803.2017.1318112

Schroth, H. (2019). Are you ready for Gen Z in the workplace? California Management Review, 61(3), 5–18. https://doi.org/10.1177/0008125619841006

Schwieger, D., & Ladwig, C. (2018). Reaching and retaining the next generation: Adapting to the expectations of Gen Z in the classroom. Information Systems Education Journal, 16(3), 45–54.

Thévenon, O., & Edmonds, E. (2019). Child labour: Causes, consequences and policies to tackle it. OECD Social, Employment, and Migration Working Papers, (235), 4-82.

Ungar, M. (2013). Resilience, trauma, context, and culture. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 14(3), 255–266. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838013487805

Pobrania

Opublikowane

2026-06-27

Numer

Tom 17 Nr 1 (2026): Journal of Education Culture and Society

Dział

TRANSGRESSION

Licencja

Prawa autorskie (c) 2026 Kathlynn Keith J. Abaquita, Henry E. Lemana II, Wong Wei Lun, Mildred F. Accad, Don T. Cahilog, Roxan T. Sarmiento

Creative Commons License

Utwór dostępny jest na licencji Creative Commons Uznanie autorstwa 4.0 Międzynarodowe.

CC-BY

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal. All authors agree for publishing their email adresses, affiliations and short bio statements with their articles during the submission process.

Jak cytować

Abaquita, K. K. J. ., Lemana, H. I., Wei Lun, W. ., Accad, M. F. ., Cahilog, D. T. ., & Sarmiento, R. T. . (2026). Constructing the Self in the Midst of Responsibility and Challenges: Narratives of Filipino Generation Z Breadwinners. Journal of Education Culture and Society, 17(1), 245-265. https://doi.org/10.15503/jecs2026.1.245.265