PROJECT “MOBaVIKA” AN APPROACH TO LESSEN THE MENTAL STRESS OF

GRADE 10-MAGLINTE OF J. MARQUEZ NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL IN A NEW

NORMAL EDUCATION

A School-Based Action Research Submitted to the Junior High School – Sci-Math

Department of J. Marquez National High School
School Year 2020 - 2021

Submitted By

RACHEL ANNE O. MAGLINTE, T-I

ROWENA A. BALUSTRE, T-I
PATRICK JAN F. NAGRET, T-I
Researchers

Noted By

RACHEL ANNE O. MAGLINTE CECILIA GOMEZ-OMAR, Ed.D

School Research Coordinator School Head

Checked and Reviewed By

NABIELAH A. DAGANDAR-BUISAN, T-II

District VIII Research Coordinator

Approved By

DR. LORNA C. BOLOY-PENDILILANG

District VIII Public School Supervisor

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 ABSTRACT

This study sought to determine the problems of the Grade 10-Maglinte students of
J. Marquez National High School (JMNHS) in the New Normal Education. Also, the
researchers were interested to know the effects of “Project MOBaVIKA to their mental
health condition and learning process during distance learning. The period was
conducted during the second quarter of the AY 2020-2021. There were 10 randomly
selected students from Grade 10- Maglinte Junior High of JMNHS who served as
participants in the study “MOBaVIKA” to answer the open-ended survey questionnaire
sent to them via messenger and call. A qualitative research design was utilized. The
findings of the study revealed that the common problems encountered by the learners
were as follows; difficulties in understanding due to lack of assistance from their parents
and the absence of the teacher physically to guide them, internet access which caused
delays to the students in answering their modules, and it’s new to them that is why they
had hard times to adjust in the new normal set-up of education. Based on the data
gathered on the effects of “Project MOBaVIKA” it showed that this study helped boost
their mental and emotional aspect of the participants that resulted to positive out-look
where they felt happiness and more motivated in answering the activities of their
modules. At the same time, it gave chances to both parties to know each other despite
non-face-to-face set up. The students also developed confidence to approach their
teachers and asked for help and the teachers had also identified the problems
encountered by their learners which would guide them to modify learning activities suited
to the learning needs of their students. Because of this, it is recommended that the
school may consider conducting a program or innovation like “MOBaVIKA to further
support the mental health of the students.

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I. CONTEXT AND RATIONALE

“In a world so upside down, the virus is taking a toll on young people’s Mental
Health” –New York Times.
Indeed, the pandemic has presented many challenges in all sectors. One of the
sectors which is greatly affected was the Department of Education. Planning on how to
deliver quality education amidst of the threat of COVID-19, the Department of Education
pursued and planned well the class opening this school year and how to deliver the New
Normal Education securing the health of the learners, teachers and parents. DepEd
came up with different Learning Delivery Modalities addressing the needs in continuing
the education in the country. With Modular approach as one of the widely used modalities
in the distance learning by most of the public schools in the Philippines where the school
provides printed modules of all the subjects to be brought at home and be answered the
required activities in all subjects with the assistance from the learner’s parents. But
majority of the parents specially are working and they could hardly give their time to
assist their children in answering their modules, worst are the parents who can hardly
read and write were difficulties encountered by both parents and their children. Aside
from that some of the learners are working and hardly managed their time in answering
their modules. The teacher on the other hand also encountered difficulties in monitoring
students with a ratio of 40:1 or even greater in a section. In this new normal education,
the teachers have not given a chance to know their learners well and vice versa, with this
the teachers are unaware of the learning ability of their learners and on the other hand,
the learners do not know how to approach their teachers to ask for assistance.
These were factors causes’ mental breakdown to some students that leads to
worst scenario---suicidal attempts from the learners. Undeniably, the corona virus
disease (COVID-19) pandemic poses a threat to societies mental health (Michael Tee et
al. J Affect Disord. 2020). In addition, IATF Guidelines restricts the social activities of the
learners into the four corners of their home adds up to their mental health stress during
the distance learning modality (Keziel, E., 2020). With this, the researchers wanted to
determine the effects of Virtual Kamustahan to their mental health and allowing them to
have one-day break from answering modules in a week. The researchers would like also
to know the problems encountered by the learners during distance learning and how it
affects their learning process.

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II. ACTION RESEARCH QUESTIONS

This study was primarily conducted to answer the following:

1. What are the problems encountered by the Junior High School students that
causes mental stress during distance learning (Modular Approach)?

2. What are the effects of “Project MOBAVIKA” to the mental health condition of the
Grade 10- Maglinte Students of J. Marquez National High School?

3. How does “Project MOBAVIKA” improve students learning process and

relationship to their teachers during distance learning?

III. INNOVATION, INTERVENTION AND STRATEGY

The proposed intervention “Project MOBaVIKA” (Module-Break and Virtual

Kamustahan) focused to address the mental stresses experienced by the learners in this
modular approach as learning modality used commonly by the public schools in the
country.
The features of this project are to give students one-day break from their modules
during week days and have a “Kamustahan moments with their teachers or classmates.
The objectives of this project are for the Grade 10-Maglinte learners to: (1) lessen
the Mental Stress brought by Distance Learning (Modular Approach), (2) bring-up the
problems they encountered during the distance learning, (3) give an avenue to them to
build a relationship that helps improve their performance level during this distance
learning. Caring the mental health of the learners is the sole focus of this project specially
in this new normal education.

IV. ACTION RESEARCH METHOD

The researcher used qualitative method of research. The study focused on how
“Project MOBaVIKA” an approach helped lessen the mental stress of the students of J.
Marquez National High School during this new normal education.
The respondents of the study were the Grade 10-Maglinte of JMNHS who were
officially enrolled for the school year 2020-2021. The researchers randomly selected the
10 respondents to participate to the non-structured interview.
For the data gathering procedure, the researchers sent letter to the principal of
JMNHS to allow the conduct of the study. Then, the open-ended guide questionnaires

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prepared by the researchers were given to the respondents. The researchers used the
thematic analysis to analyze the results.

V. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The findings of this study were presented in tables 1 to 3. Table 1 shows the theme
cluster in the problems they encounter; Table 2 shows the theme cluster on their
feelings of having “Project MOBaVIKA”; and Table 3 shows how the “Project
MOBaVIKA affects mental condition and learning process of the 10 selected Grade 10-
Maglinte of JMNHS. The third paragraph reveals the relationship develops by the
students towards their teachers during the conduct of “Project MOBaVIKA”.
Table 1.Problems Encountered by the Students during Distance Learning
Significant Statement Code Formulated Theme Cluster
Meaning
1. … Minsan yung (R-7) The student had
ibang activities ang difficulties in
tanong medyo understanding the
complicated. given activities in
Nahihirapan kami the modules Understanding
intindihin, mas without the
mabuti sana na may presence of the
guro… teacher to guide
her physically.

2. …nahihirapan ako (R-3) The student

sa modular learning encountered
dahil sa walang difficulties in
nagtuturo sa akin… modular learning Understanding
because no one at
home could assist
him/her.

3. … Minsan kulang sa (R-6) The students have Internet Access

load, nadedelay kasi limited data to
minsan access internet to
magresearch do research in
online… answering their
modules

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4. …nahihirapan po (R-10) The student had
kami sa aspeto ng difficulties in the
distance learning distance learning
dahil ngayon lang because it’s new New
po naming ito for them.
napag-aralan o na
encounter…

The Table 1 shows the highlighted problems encountered by the students during
distance learning. The common or usual problems were; difficulties in understanding
due to lack of assistance from their parents and the physical presence of the teacher to
guide them, internet access which caused delays in answering their modules, and
adjustments in the new normal set-up of education.

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Table 2. Students feelings of having “Project MOBaVIKA”
Significant Statement Code Formulated Theme Cluster
Meaning
1. …masaya po, (R-1)
nakakagaan ng Happiness

pakiramdam…
2. …napakasaya (R-4)
dahil
nararamdaman Happiness
ko ang kanilang
concern sa amin
or sa akin…
3. …magiging okay (R-7) The students felt
po. Magluwag happy and
ang hinanakit sa thankful to know
loob kasi madami that someone or
din kami their teachers
ginagawa sa show concern to Happiness
bahay. Mahirap them and also
din po mag-open gave an avenue
sa magulang for the students to
minsan… have confidence to
ask or approach

4. …I am thankful (R-9) their teachers in a

when my teacher casual way.

ask me like that

coz I feel their
concern…and…
we could have Happiness
the confidence to
ask because our
teacher
approaches us
first…

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 The Table 2 shows the common feelings of the students during the “Project
MOBaVIKA” which was happiness. According to the study of Dr. Mahakud and Yadav
(2015) on the “Effects of Happiness on Mental Health” the key to lessen mental stress,
depression, anxiety and panic disorder is the feeling to be happy. The feeling of being
happy by students during the “Project MOBaVIKA” eased the mental stress they
experienced during distance learning which was caused by various factors such as
difficulties in understanding, limited internet access and hard-times in adjusting.

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Table 3. How the “Project MOBaVIKA” affects mental health condition and
learning process of the Junior High students of JMNHS.
Significant Statement Code Formulated Theme Cluster
Meaning
1. …yung dami mong (R-1) The Virtual Lessen the over
inisip pero Kamustahan thinking & feeling
nakukulangan… eased the mental motivated
stress of the
2. a.)...mabawasan (R-7)
students during
ang iniisip na
distance learning.
problema.
It gave them
Mawawala yung
break from the
anxiety. Mas mabuti
stressful module
yung may mashare-
time that helped
an ka ng problema.
lighten their
Yung doubts mo
moods and felt Lessen the over
mas maganda
motivated in thinking & feeling
maopen mo sa
answering their motivated
guro…
modules
b.)… naaapektuhan
niya yung
pakiramdam. mas
gagaan ang loob
ko. Pag gumaan
loob ko mas
makakasagot ako...

3. a.)…madalas po (R-8) Lessen the over

kasi akong nag thinking & feeling
ooverthink simula motivated
po nung nagkaroon
na po ng klase,
tinatanong ko po
yung sarili ko kung
kaya ko pa ba.
napapabuti po ng
kamustahan

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 moments ang
kalagayan ng pag-
iisip ko nababago
po neto ang takbo
ng isip ko. naiisip ko
po na kailangan ko
tong gawin para sa
family ko po.

b.)… mas nagiging

desidido po akong
sumagot sa aking
mga module …

The Table 3 shows the effects of the “Project MOBaVIKA” to the mental health
condition and the learning process of the students. It shows that the “Project
MOBaVIKA” lightened the minds of the students from overthinking too much and with
this, the students felt motivated to learn and boosted their mental and emotional
aspects that resulted to positive out-look where they were felt happy and motivated in
answering the activities in their modules.
The relationships build between the students and the teachers were strengthening
during the “Project MOBaVIKA” this second quarter of school year 2020-2021. It gives
chances to both parties to know each other despite of not in a face-to-face set up. The
students develop confidence to approach their teachers and ask for help. On the other
hand, the teachers know the problems encountered by their learners and with this they
can modified learning activities that responses to the learning needs of their students.

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VI. CONCLUSION, RECOMMENDATIONS AND REFLECTION

The researchers concluded that there were factors of the problems encountered
by the respondents which caused their mental stress. But giving them a one-day break
from their modules and conduct a Virtual Kamustahan benefited them to lighten their
moods and lessen the mental stress caused by the distance learning. Aside from these, it
is also an opportunity to both parties to get a long wherein the teachers can address the
learning needs of their students at the same time it creates an ambiance where the
students confidently ask their teachers for help even they don’t see or meet them
physically. Moreover, the school should conduct a program or innovation like “MOBaVIKA
to further support the mental health of the students because it’s not only in the pandemic
that mental stress attacks the mind of the young ones. Teenage years is the crucial stage
that is why they should be guided properly to develop a strong and healthy mind-set. The
researchers and teachers as well, we realized that in order for the students to
successfully overcome the challenges caused by mental stress, the factors
caused it should be determined and be address it immediately to avoid the worst
scenario that leads to suicidal attempts of most of the teenage students now.

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 VII. REFERENCES/ BIBLIOGRAPHY

Journal:

Dr. Gopal Chandra Mahakud and Ritika Yadav (2015), Effects of HAppines on Mental
Health. The International Journal of Indian Psychology. ISSN 2348-5396 (e) I ISSN: 234-
3429 (p). Volume 2, Issue 3, Paper ID: B00385V2I32015.

Michael L Tee et al. J Affect Discord (2020). Psychological impact of COVID-19 in the
Philippines. Retrieved on January 6, 2020.

Keziel, MT-I Dumarao Elem. School, District of Dumarao (2020). Modular learning;
effects on mental health of students. Retrieved on January 6, 2020.

New York Time, Article (2020): “ In a World ‘So Upside Down, ‘ the Virus Is Taking a Toll
on Young People’s Mental Health” Retried from:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/20/us/cyoung=people-emotional-toll.amp.html?
0p19G=2013 on February 16, 20 January 6, 2020.

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