I.

Preferred Livelihood by Single Moms

June 26,2023
Maekyle D. Binayan
G11-HUMSS
 II. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
1. How do single moms manage to took care of their body while working?
2.What are the livelihood of single moms?
3.Why do single moms choose to work instead of focusing on taking good care of their
child or asking for custody to the father of the child?
III. RELATED LITERATURE
In the Philippines, there are 14 million solo/single parents out of 94 million total
population in 2017. According to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD),
out of 15.1 million households assessed in the country, 1.8 million or 11.9 percent have a solo
parent member. The population of solo parents will continue to increase in the years to come.
This is also the trend for single parents in other parts of the world (Stack and Meridith 2017,
Burgund et al. 2013, Iovan and Oprea, n. d.).
There are many circumstances facing the solo parents.Their plight include being
handicapped in domestic chores,multiple role as a mother and a father to a child, the loneliness
while earning a living away from the child, and earning double to augment for the needs of the
child. Solo parents are mostly worried by financial concerns (Dawe 2005, Burgund et. al. 2013).
The difficulties of a solo parent, if not properly managed, will impact the child development. In
2003, Bicol Region ranked third from Caraga Region (Region XIII)and Autonomous Region of
Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), among regions in the Philippines with highest percentage of child
poverty (Castro 2010).
In the Philippines, a law providing privileges to solo parents is known as Republic Act No.
8972 dubbed as “The Solo Parents’ Welfare Act of 2000”. RA 8972 categorized “solo parent”
depending on the marital status and molested women. A woman who raises a child as
consequent to violence is also considered as solo parent. Likewise, a parent left with the sole
responsibility of taking care of a child due to a spouse who is dead, convicted, physically and/or
mentally incapacitated, legally separated or annulled, or absent, or disappeared for a long time
is described as solo parent. According to RA 8972, solo parents in the Philippines whose
income fall under the poverty threshold set by the National Economic Development Authority
(NEDA)is accorded with support as long as the concerned had been assessed by DSWD, the
primary government agency to carry out the said Republic Act. A solo parent is entitled with
educational benefits for the child or children, housing benefits, and medical assistance.
Furthermore, the comprehensive package for solo parents includes trainings on livelihood skills,
basic business management, value orientation, and provision of seed capital or job placement.
In the occasion that the claimant of support is categorized as income earner above poverty
threshold, he or she is also privileged with flexible work schedule, parental leave, and rights
against work discrimination.
In order for a solo parent to perform the responsibility of being a parent, he or she needs
a stable income. Providing job opportunities per se, is not a lifelong support. It is imperative that
qualifications as beneficiaries of government support be anchored on the interests and
willingness of solo parents to partake in livelihood programs to foster sustainability. There
should be profiling of solo parents to determine what they are best suited in and to identify their
needs. The process of obtaining the database of solo parents as reflected with the existing data
of the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Offices (MSWDO)in Catanduanes is also
important.
 This study will help alleviate poverty among solo parents in the province in the long run
and will provide strategies to reduce risks, adversities and deprivation of basic needs of solo
parents’ families. Specifically, it sought answers to the following objectives: profile of registered
solo parents from the different municipalities in Catanduanes in terms of age, sex, category as a
solo parent, educational attainment, number of dependents, employment, monthly income, and
needs and problems; financial problems and common livelihood skills in the family, i.e., present
skills, in order to develop a profile of the selected unemployed or low-income solo parents; and
an action plan for extension with a short, medium, and long term sustainable livelihood and
entrepreneurial empowerment perspectives.
Numerous studies were conducted regarding solo parenting however, the emphasis is
about psychological impact on the child and the social inclination and anxiety confronting the
solo parent brought about by single rearing of a child. Studies on determining solo parents’
status particularly on livelihood development and on employment opportunities will serve as an
eye-opener to concerned agencies on whom to dole-out support.
A study about social aspects and vulnerability of solo parents’ families states that
preventing increase in the growth of a solo parent’s family must rely on complete knowledge of
the social phenomenon with the need to establish databases and map the dispersion of solo
parents’ families (Iovan and Oprea, n. d.). Likewise, the findings of Cancian and Meyer
(2018)revealed that child support program should increase financial resources for children living
with a single parent with a secondary goal of holding parents responsible for supporting their
children.
In another study, Bergund et al. (2013)presented a more detailed experiences of single
parents about their specific difficulties, needs, and self-perception and marginalization. Similarly,
Zarina and Kamil (2012)argued that low-income single mothers are not likely to save. Immediate
needs take up most of the resources and results to accumulating assets and savings as their
last priority. They stated that low-income single mothers reached low educational level with 98%
of them leaving school after secondary level.
On the contrary, Widiyanti et al. (2018)talked about poverty through women
empowerment by engaging in social activities. They revealed that network, trust and norm social
capital dimensions have positive and significant effects toward women empowerment. These
social capital dimensions also have a negative and significant effects toward poverty. On one
hand, women empowerment also has negative and significant effects toward poverty. In other
words, the higher the empowerment of women, single parents or not, the lower the poverty
incidence. Engaging in entrepreneurial activities means empowerment. Saritha (2011)argued
that most women entrepreneurs prefer catering and food stalls which provide support for their
families and results to greater financial security. These women are 21-40 years old mothers and
are highly influenced by entrepreneurial activities. The Self Help Groups (SHG)grants loans to
member-women for the purpose of starting a business to empower them and their families
resulting to increased income of SHG members. Most of the single mothers are found to be
divorcees than widows.
The study of Pomeroy et al. (2017)on the analysis of livelihood projects and programs for
fishing communities in the Philippines provides insights and tips about livelihood program
experiences. The study selected 15 livelihood projects in the Philippines and content analysis
was used to analyze data. To validate the results, the study conducted expert workshop and
was able to provide additional insights to the results obtained from their own experiences in
implementing livelihood projects. The results revealed three distinct analyses about livelihood
projects and programs in fishing communities in the Philippines, namely: (1) components of
livelihood projects, (2)general lessons about the design and implementation of livelihood
programs and projects, and (3)specific factors to improve the success and sustainability rate of
livelihood intervention.
Studies about sustainable livelihood is also important especially in designing a livelihood
intervention. Chambers and Conway (1991)defined livelihood as sustainable if it can cope with
and recover from stress and shocks, and maintain or enhance its capabilities and assets, and
provide sustainable livelihood opportunities for the next generation. Their concept of sustainable
livelihood is rooted in the integration of the different concepts of capabilities, equity, and
sustainability which according to them are both a means and an end. As an end, livelihood
provides the support for the enhancement and exercise of capability while as a means,
capabilities enable a livelihood to be gained.
In another study by Scooner (n. d.)on sustainable livelihood, analysis starts from a
particular context or policy setting, followed by finding the combination of livelihood resources
matching with a livelihood strategies, resulting to the positive outcome. Of particular interest on
the framework are the institutional processes which according to them could either help in
implementation or obstruct in achieving the desired outcome.
The case study of Miller et al. (n. d.)on the Industree Craft used the four lenses strategic
framework. This framework is used to analyze organizational behavior and performance of a
social enterprise regarding four aspects: deep impact, blended value, efficiency, and
adaptability. The premise of this framework is that high performance organization is linked to an
organization’s activities according to these lenses. Industree Craft is a hybrid type social
enterprise, for profit and non-profit, based in Bangalore, India. It uses market industry
intermediary model as a business model creating demand for its rural artisan’s product. The
non- profit arm collectively organized the rural artisans called Self- Help Group (SHG). The SHG
then received capacity building support, trainings, entrepreneurial skills training, etc. and trades
with Industree and other vendors.

IV. DEFINITION OF TERMS

 Preferred
- like or wanted more than anything else. (Cambridge Dictionary)
 Livelihood
- the job or other source of income that gives you the money to buy the things you
need.(Collins Dictionary)
 Single Moms
- a mother who does not have a husband or a partner.(Merriam Webster Dictionary)
 V. METHODOLOGY
 Phenomenological Research
The purpose of this is to describe experiences as people lived.Phenomenology is a
type of research that seeks to explain the nature of things through the way people experience
them.Since my research is regarding the preferred livelihood by single moms.I’m going to use
this method.I will use phenomenological research as my method in conducting my research
because I’m going to research a single mom’s point if view regarding on what she prefer as her
livelihood.

VI. SAMPLING METHOD

 Purposive Sampling
- Purposive sampling refers to a group of non-probability sampling techniques in which
units are selected because they have characteristics that you need in your sample.
In other words, units are selected “on purpose” in purposive sampling. I prefer to use
this sampling in my research because it is more convenience and it will be easier for
me to gather data and information needed in my research. Gathering of data will be
easy since my respondents acquire the characteristics needed for my research.

VII. REFERENCES

https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/purposive-sampling/#:~:text=Purposive%20sampling
%20refers%20to%20a,on%20purpose%E2%80%9D%20in%20purposive%20sampling.
https://dovetail.com/research/phenomenology-qualitative-research/#:~:text=Phenomenology
%20is%20a%20type%20of,the%20audience%20you're%20studying.
https://kochi.repo.nii.ac.jp/index.php?
action=pages_view_main&active_action=repository_action_common_download&item_id=7749
&item_no=1&attribute_id=17&file_no=1&page_id=13&block_id=21
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/preferred
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/livelihood
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/single%20mother#:~:text=%3A%20a%20mother
%20who%20does%20not%20have%20a%20husband%20or%20partner
I. “Positive Effects of Reading Books”

June 26,2023
Dileomar W. Tada
G11-HUMSS
II. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
1. What will happen if you read books everyday?
2. How important reading books is?
3. What benefits will you get in reading books?

III. RELATED LITERATURE

This paper explores reading for pleasure1, its importance, and its impact on literacy
attainment and other outcomes. Reading is an important gateway to personal
development, and to social, economic and civic life (Holden, 2004). It allows us to
learn “about other people, about history and social studies, the langue arts, science,
mathematics, and the other content subjects that must be mastered in school” (Lyon,
1997). As noted by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (2003), “people
cannot be active or informed citizens unless they can read. Reading is a prerequisite
for almost all cultural and social activities”. According to the International Reading
Association (Moore et al., 1999, p. 3):
Adolescents entering the adult world in the 21st century will read and write more
than at any other time in human history. They will need advanced levels of
literacy to perform their jobs, run their households, act as citizens, and conduct
their personal lives. They will need literacy to cope with the flood of information
they will find everywhere they turn. They will need literacy to feed their
imaginations so they can create the world of the future. In a complex and
sometimes even dangerous world, their ability to read can be crucial.
A debate has been rife in the UK over the past few years as to how best to teach
children to read, which culminated in an Independent Review of the Teaching of Early
Reading (DfES, 2006) led by Jim Rose in 2005. Although this review recommended that
children are taught synthetic phonics at the first instance, it also placed phonics teaching
firmly within a language-rich framework that fosters positive attitudes towards reading
and a love of books. Unfortunately, this context was lost in the subsequent press
coverage. It therefore seemed important to the National Literacy Trust to collect
evidence that furthers our understanding of the value of reading for pleasure and to
provide information that will enable parents, teachers and
policymakers to promote reading motivation and wider reading. Indirectly, the aim
was also to challenge the view that reading for pleasure is a “cuddly” activity that
some people like to indulge in but that is essentially without further merit.
It is important to note that the research described in this paper relates mostly to
children. This focus has been deliberate. The National Literacy Trust is dedicated to
building a literate nation and stresses the importance of reading for pleasure as one
way to advance literacy attainment in children.
What do we mean by “reading for pleasure2”? Although we use the phrase
frequently and liberally in everyday or even our working life, it is surprisingly hard
to define. Reading for pleasure refers to reading that we to do of our own free will
anticipating the satisfaction that we will get from the act of reading. It also refers to
reading that having begun at someone else’s request we continue because we are
interested in it4. It typically involves materials that reflect our own choice, at a time
and place that suits us. According to Nell (1988), reading for pleasure is a form of
play that allows us to experience other worlds and roles in our imagination. Holden
(2004) also conceived of reading as a “creative activity” that is far removed from the
passive pursuit it is frequently perceived to be. Others have described reading for
pleasure as a hermeneutic, interpretative activity, which is shaped by the reader’s
expectations and experiences as well as by the social contexts in which it takes place
(e.g. Graff, 1992).
But reading for pleasure is so much more than just a form of play or escapism – it
is also a way of connecting with text. According to Pullman (2004), writing on the
features that make reading pleasurable:
Consider the nature of what happens when we read a book…. It isn’t like a lecture:
it’s like a conversation. There’s a back-and-forthness about it. The book proposes, the
reader questions, the book responds, the reader considers.
And we are active about the process… We can skim or we can read it slowly; we
can read every word, or we can skip long passages; we can read it in the order it
presents itself, or we can read it in any order we please; we can look at the last page
first, or decide to wait for it; we can put the book down and … we can assent or we can
disagree.
Research from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD, 2002) showed that reading enjoyment is more important for children’s
educational success than their family’s socio-economic status. Reading for pleasure
could therefore be one important way to help combat social exclusion and raise
educational standards. According to Krashen (1993, p. 85), who is a major
proponent of the value of reading for pleasure:
When children read for pleasure, when they get “hooked on books”, they acquire,
involuntarily and without conscious effort, nearly all of the so-called “language skills”
many people are so concerned about: they will become adequate readers, acquire a
large vocabulary, develop the ability to understand and use complex grammatical
constructions, develop a good writing style, and become good (but not necessarily
perfect) spellers. Although free voluntary reading alone will not
ensure attainment of the highest levels of literacy, it will at least ensure an
acceptable level. Without it, I suspect that children simply do not have a chance.
Although the cornerstone for lifelong reading is laid in the early years, we also
know that it is never too late to start reading for pleasure (Sheldrick-Ross,
McKechnie & Rothbauer, 2005).
Given the importance of reading to personal well-being and development, it is
comforting to note that it is a popular activity in the UK. In 2005, we bought 218m
books (Nielsen Bookscan, 2006). Indeed, there is evidence that the market is growing
fast. Figures by Book Marketing Limited (2000) show that books sales have risen by
30% since the mid 1990s and that fiction and non-fiction together are read in 90% of the
nation’s households. A 2006 BBC survey of 4000 adults on reading habits in the UK
showed that 82% of adults enjoyed reading. Reading was rated as more
important than sex (well, for women at least) and watching TV but lagged behind
spending time with friends and family, and listening to music.
If we already seem to love reading, then why focus on reading for pleasure?
Most research activities and policy developments have primarily focused on the
cognitive aspects of reading, such as word recognition and comprehension. However, it
 has become increasingly apparent that purely cognitive accounts of reading are
incomplete − just because someone is able to read does not mean that he or she will
choose to do so.
This is especially true with students who are thought to be at risk of reading
failure (Snow, Burns & Griffin, 1998). Children who read very little do not have the
benefits that come with reading (see below), and studies show that when struggling
readers are not motivated to read, their opportunities to learn decrease significantly
(e.g. Baker, Dreher and Guthrie, 2000). This can lead to strong negative feelings
about reading and create a vicious circle in which poor readers remain poor readers
(Juel, 1988). According to Alvermann (2001, p. 680) ,“the possibility that as a culture
we are making struggling readers out of some adolescents who for any number of
reasons have turned their backs on a version of literacy called school literacy is a
sobering thought”.
Furthermore, as will be shown later in this paper, research is accumulating that
suggests that a growing number of young people do not read for pleasure.
Similarly, a number of studies have shown that boys enjoy reading less and
therefore read less than girls (e.g. Clark & Foster, 2005), while children from lower
socio-economic backgrounds read less for enjoyment than children from more
privileged social classes (e.g. Clark & Akerman, 2006).
As already mentioned above, comparatively few studies have focused on reading
for pleasure or its derivates. Section 2 of this paper − “The story so far” – outlines
evidence about the importance of reading for pleasure and the extent to which we read
for pleasure in the UK, and addresses the issue as to whether or not there is a decline of
reading for pleasure in this country.
Due to the paucity of the research in this field, and in order to do justice to the
complexity of the issue, we found it necessary to explore other underlying issues,
such as reading motivation and choice. Section 3 − “Delving more deeply” −
therefore broadens the discussion and introduces the concept of reading motivation.
Two elements of reading motivation – namely extrinsic and intrinsic motivation –
are outlined in more detail, while the issue of rewards/incentives is also briefly
discussed.
Section 4 − “The way forward” − briefly outlines the importance of home and
school influences in shaping reading for pleasure and concludes with a discussion of
the implications of this research in the field of reading for pleasure and reading
promotion.

IV. DEFINITION OF TERMS

 Reading
- "Reading" is the process of looking at a series of written symbols and getting
meaning from them.(https://www.englishclub.com/reading/what.php - :~:text=
%22Reading%22%20is%20the%20process%20of,that%20communicate%20something%20to
%20us.)
 Books
- a written text that can be published in printed or electronic form.(Cambridge
Dictionary)
 Positive
 - of, relating to, or constituting the degree of comparison that is expressed in English
by the unmodified and uninflected form of an adjective or adverb and denotes no
increase or diminution.(Merriam Webster Dictionary)

V. METHODOLOGY
 Phenomenological Research
- It is a research that describe the experiences as people live. I will use this in
conducting my research because it is more convenience for my research. I have to
know the daily experience of students who are reading books.

VI. SAMPLING
 Purposive Sampling
- Purposeful sampling is widely used in qualitative research for the identification and
selection of information-rich cases related to the phenomenon of interest. Although
there are several different purposeful sampling strategies, criterion sampling appears
to be used most commonly in implementation research. I will use this type of
sampling in my research so that I can easily gather data since my respondents will
match the characteristics needed for my research.
VII. REFERENCES
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4012002/ - :~:text=Purposeful%20sampling
%20is%20widely%20used,most%20commonly%20in%20implementation%20research.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6468135/ - :~:text=Phenomenology%20is
%20a%20form%20of,often%20intimidating%20to%20HPE%20researchers.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/positive
https://www.englishclub.com/reading/what.php - :~:text=%22Reading%22%20is%20the
%20process%20of,that%20communicate%20something%20to%20us.
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/book
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED496343.pdf