COLEGIO DE SAN FRANCISCO JAVIER

Rizal, Zamboanga del Norte

Social Casework
Name: Shinehah Eva L. Soria Contact No. : 09078822172
Office: Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office Address: Purok 2 Mobod, Oroquieta City
THE CASE OF AN EMBITTERED HUSBAND
Danilo Ligason, 46 years old, came to the Vicente Sotto Medical Center alone and enlisted himself in the
Emergency Room. He suffered burns on his upper extremities. According to him, his wife poured boiling
water on his body while he was sleeping. Prior to this, the patient said that they has a quarrel. This was the
third attempt of the wife on his life. The patient manifested emotional and psychological problems.
CASE HISTORY OF THE CLIENT:

Danilo Ligason was born on November 2, 1978 in Dipolog City. His mother died when he was 5 years
old. He has a sister who now resides with her own family in Manila. He left Dipolog to explore Cebu before he
was fifteen years old. He went with a friend who became his companion in the city. He found himself doing
construction job but almost always transferred from one job to another. At the age of seventeen, he received
a message from his sister informing him that his father was taken by the MILF because he was allegedly
supporting the government’s military men. No news from his father was heard ever since.
He continued living in the city until he meet a girl whom he later married through a co-worker who
happened to he her cousin. At this time, he was working in a construction site. He got married in 1999.
Married life was promising during the first few months. He and his wife used to attend mass every
Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. After three years of being childless, his wife took part in “rituals’ fervently
praying for a child. Despite of this, having a child remained a dream.
A change in his wife’s behavior was manifested since then. She became suspicious, jealous and
demanding on her husband. She would demand that Danilo come home exactly thirty minutes after work. At
that time, he was already a policeman. Because of this, Danilo engaged in drinking sprees with friends and
started playing around with women until he met a hostess and began to have an affair. The first attempts of
the wife on his life happened one day when he came home late. His wife met him at the door and stabbed
him. Despite the incident, Danilo forgave his wife and reconciled with here since he admitted it was his fault
coming home late. However. his affair with her other woman continued until he begot his son who was
named Danilo Jr.. Another attempt of his life by his wife happened because of jealousy, but fortunately Danilo
was able to escape from it.
His relationship with his wife was becoming cold and distant. There was an incident when Danilo was
about to change his clothes and found out that there were no buttons on his shirt. He confronted his wife
about it and her usual answer was “dili ko nimo ulipon”. He said that his wife refused to do her duties as wife.
They always quarrel. So as to ease-up the situation, he asked his mistress to give the child to him. So Junior
came to live with him in his life. The affair ended.
As time goes by, the wife was able to accept his son but she could not forgive Danilo that at one time
the wife was able to pour a boiling water to his husband that made his confined at the Vicente Sotto Medical
Center due to a second degree burn.
This is a case of a client whose state of physical and emotional condition was attributed by his angry
wife who wanted to back to him.

QUESTIONS:
1. Guided by the principle of “uniting broken families”, do you think this will apply to this particular
situation? Support your answer.
ANSWER:
Yes. This particular situation of Danilo and his family will be improved when the principle of "uniting
broken families" is used. To make it more effective, the wife should also come into terms with the client and
try to rebuild the foundation of their relationship. Danilo ought to know limitations and good changes for
their second chance to work out for the sake of their marriage and his son to another woman.

2. As social worker, formulate your diagnostic statement using the psycho-social matrix on case
management?
ANSWER:
This is a case of an embittered husband due to his unfaithful and covetous behavior who needs
professional services to fix their marital discord.
 Client's weaknesses based on the given case history is that he is orphaned at such a young age thereby
he had not been taught a mother's love which may connect to his discontent attitude. He is a social drinker
and deceiving his wife countless times. The lack of harmony in their marriage caused Danilo to be secretive to
his wife. Even so, he is forgiving of his wife's action as he is the reason of the abusive attempts. He is decisive
enough to end his adulterated affairs and introduced his son with the other woman to his wife. His strength is
his strong will to change despite the continuous revenge of the wife. Danilo Jr. is his inspiration and key to his
wife's acceptance.

3. What treatment plan can be formulated to resolve the crisis of the couple.
ANSWER:
Given Mr. Ligason's problems with his perverse behavior, which is causing problems in their marriage
and family, long-term treatment is suggested. As agreed with the social worker and the client, a therapist
should be contacted and attend sessions to a minimum of three months once Danilo finds a suitable provider
for him and his wife. After the initial three months therapy, the couple must reconvene with the social
worker, and consider further options such as psychiatric treatment. In the meantime, Mr. and Mrs. Ligason
will regularly update the social worker of their relationship and trust improvements by meet ups once in
every two weeks.

4. What principles in social casework and family therapy apply to this particular case.
ANSWER:
Principle of integration of care can be applied because of the integrated services by the social worker
and psychological therapist to achieve the betterment of the couples relationship and the client's misconduct.
Another principle is that of continuity and quality of care because the client deserves a supporting force to
attain goals and objectives in the treatment plan. The client is subjected to a kind of care to console his lack in
motherly kindness and love. And finally, the evaluation is needed to confirm effectiveness of the treatment
otherwise another intervention will be suggested.

Name of Client: DANILO LIGASON

Address: DIPOLOG CITY
CASE ANALYZED BY: SORIA, SHINEHAH EVA L.

MY SELF
✓orphaned at a young age
✓discontented. ✓an explorer
✓social drinker. ✓independent
✓secretive. ✓hardworking
✓deceitful ✓determined. ✓forgiving
✓babaero ✓decisive
✓unfaithful ✓responsible

✓childless at first
✓cold and distant
✓quarrelsome
✓hatred and envy MY FAMILY

Wife is: ✓loving

✓suspicious
✓jealous ✓religious
✓demanding ✓has determination
✓vengeful
✓mapanakit ✓Responsible

✓mature

MY COMMUNITY

(no available information)