INTRODUCTION OF PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Human Development and Personal Development

Developmental scientists identified the three aspects or domains of human development as (Papalia
and Feldman 2012)

1. Physical development. Covers the growth of the body and the brain, motor and sensory skills, and even
physical health

2. Cognitive development, which covers our capacity to learn, to speak, to understand, to reason, and to
create; and

3. Psychosocial development, which includes our social interactions with other people, our emotions, attitude,
self-identity, personality, beliefs and values.

While human development covers the whole lifespan of human existence in relation to the three domains,
personal development is one’s own development and growth within the context of the three aspects of
human development. Human development is also influenced by:

 Heredity or the inborn traits passed on by the generations of the offspring from both sides of the
biological parent’s families;

 Environment is the world outside or ourselves and the experiences that result from our contact and
interaction with this external world; and

 Maturation is the natural progression of the brain and the body that affects the cognitive (thinking and
intelligence), psychological (emotion, attitude, and self-identity), and social (relationships) dimensions
of a person. The influence of physical maturation over a person’s development is most pronounced
during his childhood and adolescence stages.

What is Personal Development?

Zorka Hereford said in her book, 9 Essential Life Skills- A Guide for Personal Development as, “the
process of striving to be the best that you can be in order to reach and realize your full potential. It is a journey
of self-discovery, self-improvement, and self-realization.”

NOTE: Personal development may be defined as a process in which persons reflect upon themselves,
understand who they are, accept what they discover about themselves, and learn (or unlearn) new seats of
values, attitudes, behavior, and thinking skills to reach their fullest potential as human beings.
Knowing Oneself
Defining the “Self”
Have you ever asked yourself this question: Who am I? If you have, you are not alone. Adolescence is
the time when young people start to ask questions about themselves, about their future, and even about their
religious and political beliefs. During the adolescent stage of development, the young person’s grapples with
his or her identity. This may seem very philosophical to some, but to know one’s self is the first step in personal
development.

It is believed that the words “Know Thyself”, which were written at the entry of the oracle at Delphi by
seven Greek philosophers, statesmen, and lawgivers, became the cornerstone of Western philosophy.

For Socrates, the most important thing to pursue was self-knowledge, and admitting one’s ignorance is
the beginning of true knowledge.
 For Plato, one of Socrates’s students, the beginning of knowledge is self-knowledge. The ancient Hindu
writings Upanishads confirmed, “Enquiry into the truth of the “Self” is knowledge. The Persian poet
Rumi ruminated, “Who am I in the midst of all this thought traffic?” and the American poet Walt
Whitman celebrated his “Self” as “a simple, separate person”.

Before we discuss how to know one’s self, we have to define first the concept of the “Self”. In philosophical
terms, it is the being, which is the source of a person’s consciousness. It is the agent responsible for
individuals’ thoughts and actions. Based on this definition, the “Self” is an intangible entity that directs a
person’s thoughts and actions. It is outside the physical realm of the person.

The “Self” is identified in various contexts, such as in psychology, sociology, or religion. The “Self” is
the essence of a person: his thoughts, feelings and actions, experiences, beliefs, values, principles, and
relationships. The “Self” includes a person’s life purpose, meaning, and aspirations.

Since our approach to personal development is holistic, we will integrate the various definitions of “Self”
from the philosophical, spiritual and psychological realms, but we will focus and give more emphasis on its
psychological definition.

If the “Self” is defined as the cognitive and affective representation of one’s identity, it is then defined in
terms of human characteristics such as behavior and thought.

In Psychology, the term personality is referred to as the set of behaviors, feelings, thoughts, and
motives that identifies an individual. Personality is the essence of who we are and is the embodiment of one’s
physical, psychological, cognitive, affective, and spiritual self. Therefore, when we speak of the “Self”, we will
describe it in personality terms.

Knowing One Self

Must grow with deeper understanding of what makes you happy, how you relate with your
surroundings, give importance to your strengths, limitations and even your soft spots.
Takes a lot of courage and guts.
It takes mindful effort and a lot of time doing it.
Doesn’t happen in an instant.
Get acquainted with people that inspire and motivate you to do better.
Tasks and jobs you and cannot do must be known to you.
Discovering yourself is about something much greater and of higher significance. It is understanding
who you are at your core, what most concerns you, what makes you come energetic, what nourishes
your soul and what exhausts your spirit, and how to know the distinction so you decides well as you go
further in life.

Defining Personality

Personality psychologists have different viewpoints. One definition states, “personality refers to the
unique and relatively enduring set of behaviors, feelings, thoughts, and motives that characterize an individual”
(Feist and Rosenberg 2012).

Two key components of personality are highlighted in this definition: the uniqueness of an individual’s
thoughts, feelings, and behavior; and their being relatively enduring, or being consistent, over different
situations and over time.

Is referred to as the set of behaviors, feelings, thoughts and motives that identifies an individual.
An essence of who we are and is the embodiment of one’s physical, psychological, cognitive and
affective and spiritual self.
Therefore, when we speak of the “SELF”, we will describe it in personality terms.
 Identifying your Strengths and Limitations

 Strengths

Capacity to establish mature relationship with others,

Knowing your strengths makes you more empowered
emotional independence and ability to demonstrate
to do developmental tasks.
responsible behavior.
Equipped with skills is essential in making wise
Analyze complex situations logically and sensibly.
decision in life
More competent in achieving your goals More confident in doing your tasks.

Identifying your Strengths

Personal Strength is what you do best and where your genuine talents are. Concentrate on using that
strength to the fullest if you want to live a comfortable life.

▪ action-oriented ▪ clever ▪ educated ▪ good-looking ▪ optimistic ▪ wisdom

▪ adventurous ▪ communicative ▪ energetic ▪ inspiring ▪ outgoing
▪ analytical ▪ compassionate ▪ entertaining ▪ intelligent ▪ precise
▪ artistic ▪ confident ▪ emotional ▪ leadership ▪ responsible
▪ athletic ▪ creative ▪ emphatic ▪ learning ▪ self-controlled
▪ authentic ▪ curious ▪ fast ▪ motivated ▪ social
▪ caring ▪ determined ▪ flexible ▪ organized ▪ thoughtful
▪ charming ▪ disciplined ▪ focused ▪ open-minded ▪ warm

 Limitations

Find ways to enhance Becoming more aware of your weaknesses is Develop positive attitudes
your capabilities. not the end goal of self-development; rather, a dealing with life’s challenges.
starting point.
Limitations are those attributes that you will have difficulty in doing. Letting other people identify your
personal limitations is better than identifying them on your own. Everybody has limitations; humans are not
perfect so it is normal thing.

▪ aggressive ▪ complaining ▪ hesitant ▪ insensitive ▪ negative ▪ stubborn

▪ arrogant ▪ controlling ▪ ignorant ▪ irresponsible ▪ passive
▪ bossy ▪ cynical ▪ impatient ▪ lazy ▪ rude
▪ chaotic ▪ fearful ▪ impulsive ▪ moody ▪ selfish
▪ close-minded ▪ greedy ▪ indifferent ▪ naive ▪ vague

Introspection

Self-awareness starts with assessing yourself. Introspection is your ability to reflect and think about
your own thoughts, feelings, and actions, is essential in understanding and improving yourself.

Also, you have to listen and accept positively feedbacks you get from others, as well as their opinions
about you. Feedbacks: Can be Positive and Criticism. Writing a journal is one way of helping you introspect.

Influences

Nature Nurture
 Environment
 Heredity
 Acquired surroundings
 Genetic make-up
 Habits or routines
 From the development in the
 Practices of attitudes
womb of a mother
 Observed behaviors

It is always a complex combination of genes, environmental exposure and experiences, and cultural
backgrounds.
Self-Actualization

It refers to the achievement of your potential through creativity, independence, and an understanding of
the real world; a person’s motivation to reach his or her full potential.

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

E or I
 It is how an individual prefers to channel his or her energy when dealing with people,
(Extraversion or
whether it is inward or outward.
Introversion)
 Is it how one prefers to process information, whether through the use of senses such
S or N
as being able to describe what one sees, feel, touch, smell…
(Sensing or
 Intuitively (natural ability or understood without proof or evidence) like dealing with
Intuition)
ideas.
 It is how an individual prefers to make decisions, either thinking or suing logic (proper
T or F
or reasonable way)
(Thinking or
 Analysis or feeling which uses the cognitive (conscious mental activities, thinking,
Feeling)
remembering) senses based on values or beliefs.
J or P  It is how an individual prefers to manage one’s life, whether through judging, which
(Judging or means a planned and organized life.
Perception)  Perception, it has a more flexible approach in living. (Observation)
Summary

SELF can be defined in different ways: philosophical, psychological, spiritual, and also in thoughts, actions and
behavior.

SELF is the union of elements: body, thoughts, feelings or emotions and sensations that constitutes the
individuality and identity of a person

Personality is the unique and enduring set of behaviors, feelings, thoughts, motives and attitudes that
characterize a person.

Both Nature (heredity or genetic) and Nurture (Environment) influence the development of one’s personality.

DEVELOPING THE WHOLE PERSON

What is Holistic Development?

Holistic development is a process of self-actualization and learning that combines an individual’s

mental, physical, social, emotional and spiritual growth. The term can be used to describe forms of alternative
education that are based on the more humanistic and democratic outlooks.

Mind and Body Dualism of Descartes

Rene Descartes, one of the modern philosophers of our time, influenced much of mankind’s thinking
with his theory of duality or understanding the nature of things in a simple, dual mode. Hence, you are familiar
with the separation of body and spirit in western religion, and of the mind and body in the study of human
sciences.

Rene Descartes

Rene Descartes, one of the modern philosophers of our time, influenced much of mankind’s thinking
with his theory of duality or understanding the nature of things in a simple, dual mode. Hence, you are familiar
with the separation of body and spirit in western religion, and of the mind and body in the study of human
sciences.

The Yin and Yang Symbol

Yang - positive, sun, light, heaven, active, fire,, above, heat, generation
Yin - negative, moon, dark, earth, passive, water, below, cold, growth

HOLISM AND GESTALT

Gestalt - a configuration so unified as a whole that its properties cannot be derived from a simple summation
of its parts.

Gestalt Therapy- a psychotherapeutic approach that supports the process of developing awareness of
the intrinsic nature of one’s True Self.

Holism - “The tendency in nature to form wholes that are greater than the sum of the parts through creative
evolution”- Gen Jan C. Smuts, Holism and Evolution, 1926

THE VARIOUS ASPECTS OF HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT OF PERSONS

Emotional Social
Mental Spiritual
Physical

ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOR

ATTITUDE BEHAVIOR
What you think or feel How you will respond
about something or towards something or
someone someone

Do you think attitude Do you think behavior

follow from behavior or… follow from attitude

VALUES AND VIRTUE

Value - a value is something related to a particular culture that is known as culturally accepted norms.

Virtue - people are a part of the culture and the good qualities they have within are called virtues.

FIVE CORE VALUES FOR THE WORKPLACE

Excellence Understanding
Integrity Unity

Responsibility

Shalom Schwartz

He’s a social psychologist, cross-cultural researcher and creator of the Theory of Human Values
(universal values as latent motivations and needs). He also contributed to the formulation of the values scale in
the context of social learning theory and social cognitive theory.

FILIPINO VALUES
 Defined as “the set of values or the value system that a majority of Filipino people have historically held
important in their lives.”
Rooted primarily in personal alliance systems, especially those based in kinship, obligation, a
friendship, religion (particularly Christianity), and commercial relationships. (U. S. Library of Congress.

DEVELOPMENT STAGES IN MIDDLE AND LATE ADOLESCENCE

Ages of Adolescence

Early Adolescence ages around 10 to 13

Middle adolescence ages from 14 to 16

Late Adolescence ages from 17 to 20

Erik Erikson

He was a German-born American developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst known for his theory
on psychosocial development of human beings. He may be most famous for coining the phrase identity crisis.
His son, Kain T. Erikson, is a noted American sociologist.

Infancy--Early Childhood (2 weeks/2 years)-- Late Childhood (Pre-School)-- School Age (6-12 years)--
Adolescence (12-20 years)--Early Adulthood (20-25 years)--Middle Adulthood (25-65 years)--Late Adulthood
(65 years to death)

ADOLESCENCE IDENTITY VS ROLE CONFUSION

Identity is the concept of an individual about himself and is often referred to as “self-identity”, molded
through various interactive experiences around himself, such as their family and community, and his responses
in terms of thinking, attitude, and behavior to external stimuli. Identity is a self-belief of what the individual
thinks and feels about himself. 

Role confusion is the negation of self-identity, in a sense that there is confusion over one’s self-concept
or the absence or lack of such concept.

Identity versus confusion is the fifth stage of Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development. This
stage occurs during adolescence between the ages of approximately 12 to 18. Teens need to develop a sense
of self and personal identity. During this stage, adolescents explore their independence and a sense of self. 

 According to Erikson, people progress through a serious of stages as they grow and change throughout
life.
 During each stage, people face a developmental conflict that must be resolved to successfully develop
the primary virtue of that stage
 During the identity versus confusions stage, this conflict is centered on developing a personal identity
 Successfully completing this stage leads to a strong sense of self that will remain throughout life.

CHANGES DURING ADOLESCENCE

The period between childhood and young adulthood is a period of rapid change-physical, emotional,
cognitive and social. During this time, children’s bodies change in different ways at different times. No two
teenage bodies are the same.

Physical changes during adolescence…

For girls, you might start to see early physical changes from about 10 or 11 years, but they might start as
young as 8 years or as old as 13 years. Physical changes around puberty include: 
  Breast development
 Changes in body shape and height
 Growth of pubic and body hair
 The start of periods (menstruation)

For boys, physical changes usually start around 11 or 12 years, nut they might start as young as 9 years or as
old as 14 years

Physical changes include:

 Growth of the penis and testes (testicles)

 Changes in body shape and height 
 Erections with ejaculation or masturbation
 Growth of body and facial hair
 Changes to voice

Adolescence and Social Behavior

Every culture has representation of how their adolescent population behaved over the decades. 

On the local scene, social and political activists, mostly high school and college students, were in the
midst of the political turmoil that dominated the Philippines before and during Martial Law.

Toward the new millennium, the new adolescents who were born from the 1980’s to about the early
2000s became known as the “millennial”. This generation was born in the midst of a great technology boom;
hence, they were also referred to as “digital natives” versus the previous generation who were referred to as
“digital immigrants,” having migrated from non-digital to digital technology.

SKILLS AND TASKS APPROPRIATE FOR MIDDLE AND LATE ADOLESCENCE

1. Adjust to sexually maturing bodies and feelings- being aware of the bodily changes happening,
managing sexual feelings, and engaging in healthy sexual behaviors.
2. Develop and apply abstract thinking skills- effectively understand and coordinate abstract ideas,
thinking out possibilities, trying out theories, planning ahead, reflecting on how and what they are
thinking, and coming out with their own personal philosophies.
3. Develop and apply a new perspective on human relationships- developing the capacity for
compassion by learning how to put themselves in “somebody else’s shoes” in order to understand other
people’s feelings and perspectives.
4. Develop and apply new coping skills in areas such as decision-making , problem-solving, and
conflict resolution- adolescents acquire new thinking capabilities that will help them engage in more
creative strategies for problem solving , decision-making and resolving conflict. 
5. Identify meaningful moral standards, values, and belief systems- because of their idealism,
adolescents develop more complex understanding of morality, justice and compassion that leads to the
formation of their own belief systems that will guide their decision and behaviors.
6. Understand and express more complex emotional experiences- becoming more in touch with their
emotions and see the complex variances among strong emotions and feelings
7. Form friendships that are mutually close and supportive-peer influence is very strong among
adolescents and this should be able to steer among adolescent toward productive and positive
relationships, behavior, and thinking.
8. Establish key aspects of identity- be encouraged to develop their own healthy self-concepts that
reflect their uniqueness in relation to themselves, their families and friends, and with the bigger
community
9. Meet the demands of increasingly mature roles and responsibilities- it is important for the
emerging adult to acquire skills and knowledge that will provide him meaningful careers and jobs and to
live up to the expectations regarding commitment to family, community, and nation-building
10. Renegotiate relationships with adults in parenting roles- the adolescent stage sees the movement
toward independence and autonomy. 
CHILD AND ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT (Corpuz 2010)
1. Developing occupational skills- skills that can be help the adolescent develop responsibility as a
preparation for gainful employment ahead. 
2. Self-reliance- the ability to identify their own skills and knowledge, capabilities, and sources to engage
in meaningful activities and not rely too much on others
3. Ability to manage their finances- be able to discern what is the difference between “wants” and
“needs”, and be able to learn self-control when handling their finances
4. Social responsibility- adolescents should be able to see beyond themselves, take into consideration
the greater community around them and see their role in improving and developing these communities,
serving as change agents.
5. Mature work orientation- develop pride in what they do and raise standards of excellence in the
quality of their work
6. Personal responsibility- to be fully responsible for their own decisions and actions by owning them,
become aware of the repercussions or results of the decisions they make and be mature enough to
“own” these results, and refrain from putting blame on others for the results of their decisions and
actions
7. Positive attitude toward work-developing a healthy and positive attitude toward work means that we
see work as an expression of our love for people who are important to us, including ourselves. 
 The Challenges of Middle and Late Adolescence
2016 stressed that intellectual development among adolescent among adolescent takes a rapid pace to
a point where they see meaning as well as opportunities on all kinds of situations. In search for oneself, they
are faced with a increasing number of problems conducive to emotional tension.
SEXUALITY: Sexual Behavior
Male-Female Sexual Behavior:
Teens are dating earlier than in past generations. Earlier daters are more likely to engage in sex but not
always; teens that have close relationships with their parents are less likely to initiate sex at an early age, The
earlier sex is initiated the less likelihood contraception will be used but may not always lead to pregnancy.
Most teens engage in “petting” and do not consider themselves as having sex unless they engage in
intercourse. The percentage of teens engaging in sex in high school has been declining since the early 1990s

-Still 40-50% has had intercourse

-42% of girls age 15-17 engage in oral sex
-72% of girls age 18-19 engage in oral sex
Sexual Relationships
Emotional difficulties arise because of incorrect or inadequate information concerning sex. Many
adolescent are made to feel that questions concerning sex are improper and shameful. Strong parental
attachment usually prevents the adolescent from making serious commitments to a relationship since it is
difficult for them to entertain the thought of leaving home. When one decides to have commitments, he or she
likely to look for qualities similar to those of a parent.
Peer Adjustment
The peer culture acts as a transition period before reaching adult status in the community. Developing a
sense of responsibility depends upon the satisfactions of social skills which enables one to become acquainted
with other young people. Failure to develop these skills with others can lead to feelings of inadequacy and
indifference.
Intellectual maturation
During this period, attitudes are formed, which are like remain relatively unchanged throughout life.
Ways of thinking are being developed which will lead to either: healthy problem solving techniques, expanded
intellectual curiosity, and interest; or to a narrow viewpoint; faculty habits, and poverty of concepts.
Vocational Choice
Many adolescent make little or no preparation for an occupation. They take courses in school which are
easy, or which are required of them, not those who will be of practical value in later life.
Emotional Maturity
To achieve emotional maturity, adolescent must learn to channel his or her impulses into constructive
endeavors. Their actions should be socially acceptable responses to the demands of society. They should take
responsibility for their own actions without blaming others.
PUBERTY
Puberty is the point in the development of a man at which the individual becomes physically capable of
sexual reproduction. Sexual maturation follows a predictable sequence for member for both sexes. It begins
with the production of sex hormones trigger as series of physiological changes the lead to ovulation and
menstruation in females and the production of sperm cells in males. These are the primary 6 characteristics.
Menarche or the first menstrual period signifies this new stage of maturation for girls. The secondary sex
characteristics like the development of the breast and hips begin before menarche and continue until the
individual reached full maturity.
THE CHALLENGES A FILIPINO ADOLESCENT FACES
1. Attitudes and Behavior toward sexuality and sexual relationships
 Puberty drives the adolescent to experience surges of sexual desires, which often lead them to
experimentation and exploration. While this is often healthy to engage in, there is the danger of losing
control over one’s sexual drives which inevitably end up in lifetime regrets.
2. Academic Concerns
The role of a student is the primary role an adolescent who is still in school. Although there are other
roles he or she may take, being a student take primary importance. What is the proper attitude a learner
should have? Being responsible is called for when dealing with academic challenges. Be aware that
academic grades are not only indicators of learning. Discipline, openness, perseverance, diligence,
excellence, curiosity, analytical and critical thinking, memory, understanding, cooperation and teamwork,
respecting other people’s opinions and beliefs, social interactions, leadership and followership are some of
the more important skills and values that an adolescent student can also learn while in school.
3. Group belongingness
An adolescent wants to belong. While there is an urge to be independent and autonomous from his
family and parents, there is also an urge to seek a replacement of this support system, this time in the form
of social groupings, memberships in organizations, and community.
4. Health and Nutrition
A healthy mind and body is what every adolescent (and everybody else) should strive for. However,
adolescents, because of their growing bodies and brains, are gifted with so much energy that seem
inexhaustible, resulting in abuse of one’s body and mind. Lack of sleep and poor eating habits often result
in disaster. Learn to listen to your body.
5. Developing or Regaining Self-esteem
Are you having difficulty acknowledging your strengths and positive traits? Many experienced life
coaches and facilitators for personal growth often observe how many adolescents, and even some adults,
when asked the question about what their strengths are, would often get stumped by the question and will
take a long time before they could create a list. Adolescents who are creating their self-identity should be
objective and balanced when viewing themselves. The healthy thing for adolescents to do is to and their
genes dictate each body type. Accepting one’s body type is better than rejecting it when there is not much
one can do.
6. Roles
All human beings have roles to play in their lives. Roles are part of one’s identity, such as being a son
or daughter to your parents, being a brother or sister to your siblings, being a student in your school.
Although these roles seem separate and different from each other, adolescents must learn to integrate
all these roles and it should be clear that these roles are related to the tasks expected of them by others.
Who is Malala Yousafzai?
That is the question the Taliban asked when they stormed the 15 year old Malala’s school bus on
October 9th 2012. They shot her in the head in an attempt to silence her and end her campaign for girls’
nights to go to school.
Her shooting and her refusal to stand down from what she believed was right, brought to light the plight
of millions of children around the world who are denied an education today.
7. Material Poverty
There are many stories about school children and adolescent students who live in far-flung
areas where infrastructure is not available and of those who do not have much choice but to walk when
going to school. In this chapter, three adolescents who faced unique challenges, with one of them growing
up in the dumpsites of Cavite City, are featured. See how this individual surmounted the challenge of
poverty in his life and how poverty awakened his advocacy in helping others.
8. Parents Working Abroad
In a particular study titled Migration and Filipino Children Left Behind: A Literature Review by Professor
Melanie Ryes of the Miriam College and Women and Gender Institute, Professor Garcia said that “several
studies showed how migration of parents is indeed heart-breaking for children, making them long for
parental care, get confused over gender roles., be vulnerable to abuse and even developed consumerist
attitudes.”
9. Career Choice
Adolescent who is creating identity for himself is faced with an urgent need to identify what course to
take in college and establish a career path for the future. When finding the right career, adolescents need
to know what their interests are, what things they find exciting and challenging, and what their skills are. It
has often been said that in pursuing a career, look at what you love to do and are passionate about, and
the money will just follow. But here is a word of caution: be ready to make sacrifice before you can attain
the kind of wealth and fame that may come in doing what you love to do.
10. Relationships
Maintaining healthy relationships require a certain level of maturity. An adolescent who is still in the
process of acquiring maturity may often find maintaining relationship challenging. What is important is for
the adolescent to understand that her parents ar concerned for her safety and well-being, and for the
values her parents uphold, an restricting her may be a way of showing that they care for her.
Healthy friendships are necessary for adolescents’ social development, but the challenge in maintaining
them are also equally challenging.
Romantic relationships are inevitable and equally challenging to adolescents. When emotion are
involved, it is often difficult to be objective and many adolescents are still developingtheir skills in
understanding their emotions.
11. Values and Beliefs
The adolescent is still developing his cognitive skills that he can use in thinking of abstract concepts
and asking critical questions. However, if the question was rephrased to something like, “What will you fight
for or die for?”
Adolescents have a quick answer, and this is usually their family or loved ones. If this is the case, what
universal human value do adolescents uphold? It can be relationships and/or family. Ask another questions
like what they believe and often the answer is something related to their religious belief. Though this may
not necessarily be incorrect, belief is not just limited to religious matters, but also to human needs like a
safe and clean environment.
OTHER CHALLENGES: Depression
FILIPINO ADOLESCENTS, MODERN HEROES
1. Gregorio del Pilar
Gregorio Hilario del Pilar y Sempio (November 14, 1975- December 2, 1899) was one of the youngest
generals in the Philippine Revolutionary Forces during the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine-
American War. He is most known for his successful assault on the Spanish barracks of Cazadores in the
municipality of Paombong, his victory on the first phase Battle of Quingua and his last stand at the battle of
Tirad Pass during the Philippine-American war. Because of his youth, he became known as the “Boy
General”.
2. Edgar Jopson (“Edjop”) was born on September 1, 1948, was a labor rights activist and active member of
the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) during the reign of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos,
Jopson studied in Ateneo de Manila High School and later proceeded to Ateneo de Manila University
where he graduated under the Management Engineering program, garnering Latin Honors. He was active
 on politics since his years in college, even becoming the president of the National Union of Students of the
Philippines (NUSP). He later went underground with the CPP when President Marcos declared Martial Law
in 1972. He was killed during a military raid on his house in 1982.
3. Efren Pena florida - Currently known for the “pushcart classroom” program, Efren and his friends started
the Dynamic Teen Company youth group in 1997 to promote education in the slum areas of Cavite.
Graduating from college with honors, Efren pursued with his advocacy, (taking Kesz Valdez under his
wings in the process) which eventually earned him the prestigious CNN Hero of the Year award om 2009.
4. Kesz Valdez: Filipino Scavenger now- World Inspiration for Children
At age seven, Kesz was able to start his Caring Children organization that provides the basic needs of
10,000 street children, having been from a poor and depressed background himself. Now t 13,-years-old,
the Cavite-born is one of three nominated for the 2012 International Children’s Peace Prize, to be awarded
by Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu on September 19th.
DEFINING RESPONSIBILITES AND EXPECTATIONS
Defining Responsibilities - the state or fact of having a duty to deal with something or of having control over
someone.
Defining Expectations- a strong belief that something will happen or be the case in the future.
WHAT ARE YOUR ROLES RIGHT NOW AS A FILIPINO ADOLESCENT?
First of all, you are a citizen of the world and of the Philippines.
Second, you are a resident of your city, town and Barangay.
Third, you are a member of your family and probably have siblings and a set of parents.
Fourth, you are a student in a local public or private high school.
Fifth, you are a friend to somebody, and this relationship maybe romantic or friendly.
Sixth, you are probably a member of an informal friendly group or student organization.
Seventh, you are a child of the universe.
Lastly, you are you, and you have responsibilities to yourself as your own personal caregiver.
Expectations are tied to one’s roles and responsibilities. People’s expectations of you are clarified and can
become manageable if your roles and responsibilities are well defined.
COPING WITH STRESS IN MIDDLE AND LATE ADOLESCENCE
Stress is simply a reaction to a stimulus that disturbs our physical or mental equilibrium. In other words, it’s an
omnipresent part of life. A stressful event can trigger the “fight-or-flight” response, causing hormones such as
adrenaline and cortisol to surge through the body.
Stress as Stimulus, Response and Relational

1. Stress as a stimulus, stress is caused by situations that may be life threatening or life changing, such
as separation, moving into a new home or having a new job. These situations or events are often called
stressors.
2. Stress as a response is the way the body reacts to challenging situations. This involves the interactions
between the hormones; gland drives the production of the cortisol or better known as “stress hormone”.
The adolescent’s physical response to stress is faster than that of an adult simply because the part of
the adolescent’s brain, the prefrontal cortex, that assesses danger and directs action during stress is
not yet fully developed.
3. Stress as relational is when a person experiencing stress takes a step back to look at the situation that
is causing the stress and assesses it. Assessment here means that when the person.
Health stress
Stressors have a major influence upon mood, our sense of well-being, behavior, and health.
Acute stress responses in young, healthy individuals may be adaptive and typically do not impose a health
burden. However, if the threat is unremitting, particularly in older or unhealthy individuals, the long-term effects
of stressors can damage health.
Know your Stressors
What are the usual stressors of middle and late adolescents?
The Mayo Clinic in the United States identified two sources of stressors as external and internal source.
 Internal stressors are those coming from within you, like thoughts that you have that caused you feel
fearful, uncertainties about future, lack of control over situations, and even your personal beliefs, which
include your own expectations.
 External stressors are those that come outside of you like situations, people and experiences.
Here are some samples of possible stressors a high school student faces:
1. School Demands and Expectations - Quizzes and tests, homework and projects, oral recitation,
quarterly and final exams and most especially, epitomize the kind of stressors adolescents have when it
comes to studying. Apparently, academic failure is most students are never an option.
2. Selecting a school, college course, and career - Related to the first stressor mentioned is the
situation of what will happen after graduation. A high school student who just graduated faces more
demanding challenges, and the first of these are the entrance exams to whatever school or university,
and the course that they will choose. This is another reason why high school graduates also go through
a guessing game as to where and what they will end up doing after college.
3. Separation Anxiety - High school graduation, to some, means a temporary ending or separation from
of their friends. There is a possible scenario that a best friend might move to another place to study or
move to another school. Technology might ease the pain of separation by simply going online, texting
or calling to get instant connection with someone who is sorely missed.
4. College Life - The prospect of being by themselves in a new school in college and meeting and
adjusting to new people is another cause of stress for graduating senior student. The unfamiliarity of a
new environment can bring stress to adolescents as they set their foot in college.
5. Romantic Relationship or Lack of it - Adolescents have a tendency to feel awkward when they are
not in a special relationship with someone. Somehow, having an intimate relationship is a status symbol
that says one is good looking, interesting and attractive.

6. Family Demands and Expectations - To some adolescents, family ties can be a stressor. The
adolescent is still learning and yearning for independence and autonomy, but parents may not be ready
to relinquish control over their “baby”. This is why conflict sets in. There is also rebellion in the mind of
adolescents, to go against the norm.
There are still some parents who think they know better than their children and so they decide
for them on critical issues. Parental expectations are difficult to meet, especially if these country one’s
self-identity.
7. Health Concern - To some adolescents, health may be a problem. The following are the health
problems among adolescents: Irregular menstrual cycle, Under nutrition, Unprotected sex & unwanted
pregnancy/unplanned pregnancy, Risk of pregnancy in adolescents, and HIV and other sexually
transmitted diseases.
8. Demands of Social Life - There is a common thinking among adolescents that it is embarrassing to be
alone. That is why the need to belong is significantly important for adolescents. Forming groups or
joining one makes an adolescent feel safe and secure because to belong to a social group is an
affirmation that they are acceptable to others.
 9. Bullying - Being bullied in school can be very stressful and may cause emotional and psychological
trauma to the individual experiencing it. If you are being bullied, either physically or verbally, report this
to your teacher, the school principal and your parents. Bullies are around because it is often believed
that they have problems either at home or with themselves, and also need empathy and understanding.
COPING WITH STRESS
Emotion-Focus Strategies
Alteration of one’s appraisal of stressful situations
Can improve mood and reduce anxiety by making the events seem less threatening
Unhealthy lifestyles generally relieve stress for the short term, but the consequences often create even
more stress for the individual
Some are helpful, especially if the strategy aids in mental relaxation or encourages more positive
thinking.
Stress Reduction Method
Coping may also be a combination of both problems-focused...
1. Conduct creative imagery of the problem
2. Seek group or social support
3. Get into relaxation activities like breathing exercises
4. Create a situation where you can feel more relaxed like a
5. Quiet environment
6. Learn to manage your time
7. Eat properly by selecting nutritious, healthy food
…and emotional-focused remedies.
1. Seek spiritual growth through prayer and meditation.
2. Have a worthwhile hobby.
3. Watch movie with friends.
4. Have a nice, quiet walk with family.
5. Is the stressor is one of your expectations, assess it and see if it is doable and realistic or not.
6. Believe in yourself that you are strong and courageous.