Mark Case Study

UNDERLYING PROBLEM
Mark is now feeling in despair due to financial constraint aggravated by the death
of his paternal grandfather whom he considered as his closed support system since he
grew up with him and his grandmother when his biological mother passed away.
Although he has a biological father, but he has his own family to support and that he has
a half-sister who needs medical maintenance due to mentally illness. The father source
of income is not enough for the medical needs of his half-sister; hence, he cannot oblige
the former to financially support his school needs.

Despite Mark’s receiving scholarship allowance amounting to 4, 600.00 a month

from a non-government organization and a pension allowance of 2, 000.00 from the
social security system insurance of his then biological mother. Nonetheless, it is not
enough for his daily expenses plus the fact that he is shelling out expenses of the
apartment rental where he and his parental aunt’s family is currently staying in the city.
In addition, so much school requirements that needs finances to enable him to graduate
this summer. He has no other support system other than his grandparents and his two
paternal aunts to help him now since they too are not economically well off plus the fact
his grandfather had a cancer which his maternal aunts where the ones who were
burden with the medical needs of the former until his death.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION/HISTORY
Mark grew up without the presence of his maternal relatives. His biological
mother passed away when he was barely 3 years old and never met his maternal
relatives until when he is in his lower college days. Further, his biological father had
been accused by the latter as the cause of death of his biological mother. Accordingly,
his father moved in another municipality to work as well as avoid the wrath of his
maternal relatives even if they live far from their place. He was then left under the care
and supervision of his paternal grandparents where he considered them as his close
family circle. However, on September 2018, his grandfather died, and this brought
sadness to him since he felt that one of his closest support systems left and that he built
dreams including them. His grandfather and grandmother had been his strength in
pursuing his dreams; hence, he had been determined to finish his studies.
Unfortunately, one problem led to another such that the pension insurance from the
SSS he received stopped since he reached the age of twenty-one (21) where survivor
dependent of members will end. This leads him to feel emotional pain as well as
financial struggles that sums up to stress affecting his school performance.
Nonetheless, he is determined to finish his studies despite the financial constraints he is
now currently experiencing; however, his school performance is at stake which might
hinder him to join the graduation this summer.

Mark is now in his 4th year in his course bachelor of Science in Mechatronics in
one of the State Universities in Metro Manila. He relies on grants ever since he was in
his elementary up to this day. Accordingly, when he was in his elementary, a foreign
person who happened to live in their community have been helping children like him in
their school needs since elementary and high school are free tuition fee. Further, this
foreign person is not strict in terms of grade requirement; hence, he was able to finish
his high school, Unfortunately, when he has to enter college, his benefactor could no
longer support his study. Thus, he stopped a year but, he was given another chance by
his benefactor; however, when he was in his second-year college, his benefactor died.
Fortunately, his benefactor was able to prepare necessary plans prior to his death so
that his educational sponsorship among the children in their community was transferred
under the supervision of a foundation that caters scholarship, a non-government
organization (NGO). Thus, his school needs such as tuition fee of SUCs was
implemented just last year which made him hopeful that the minimal allowance he
receives from the foundation will increase since there is inflation of basic needs and
school needs due to the TRAIN law.

CURRENT FAMILY FUNCTIONING

Currently, Mark is staying in the city since he is studying, but, he often goes
home to the province especially during school breaks to help his grandmother and his
paternal cousin aunt whom he considered as “ate”. Whenever he is in the province, he
do some household works in their neighborhoods and sometimes do technical works
which he had learned in the school in order for him to have allowance when he goes
back to the city. He and the “ate” whom he considered as his older sibling were
orphaned are now the ones helping their grandmother in the housekeeping and
safeguarding of the vacation house entrusted to them that is being rented to tourists.
His family are being paid for their services in the vacation house, but is minimal.
Accordingly, when his grandfather was alive, his ate worked in a fast food chain in the
city but when the former died, she returned to the province to assist their grandmother.

Further, Mark has a maternal aunt working as a domestic helper in the middle
east and their only daughter who is now 4 years old is also staying with them in the
province. Although, both his aunt and her husband work as overseas Filipino workers
they have their own family to support and at present they are financially struggling due
to the medical condition of his grandfather. Hence, Mark cannot seek for their
assistance now. His maternal aunt whom he lives with within the city is not also
economically well off with a source of income as a barbeque vendor and her common-
law husband as a family driver. He is thankful with them as they are the ones providing
his basic needs when he is in the city and his only share is the apartment rental and
sometimes he shared for the utility bills.

As for his biological father, he works as a carpenter and masonry but with the
medical needs as well as constant check-ups of his mentally ill half-sister; he cannot
ask financial help from him. Likewise, Mark often said that he had been an independent
person ever since young and often relied on scholarship for his education; thus, he is
the one taking care of his other needs. However, at this moment where he has a lot of
requirements considering that he is in his last semester of his course, he struggles
financially since he must focus on his studies and has no time to do some part-time jobs
which he did before but during vacation days.

Mark said that upon graduation, his plans is to put up an online travel tours that
provides tour package among tourist in their municipality. Accordingly, their community
is a tourist’s destination. Nevertheless, he will simultaneously look for a work in the city
where he will have a stable work that will help him in his online business plan.
Accordingly, he will hire someone to manage those physical activities of this travel and
tours after he prepares the necessary legal documents, be accredited travel and tours in
their place and establish his pool of partners such as hotels, inns, boatman, and
everything that is needed in the business. He will then be the one to invite tourists
through promotional packages and let his partner manage the physical activities in their
place even if he is working.