Advance Social Case Work

(SW 321A) Date of Initial Interview: August 14, 2011 (Sunday) Follow Up Interview: August 17, 2011 (Wednesday) Follow Up through Text Messages: August 20, 2011 (Saturday) Interviewed by: Bernard A. Monteron I. Basic Information Name: Age: Sex: Birthday: Religious Affiliation: Place of Origin: Address: Cellphone Number: Educational Attainment: School: Monthly Income: Health: II. Family Backgroud Marital Status: Children:
home).

Melissa Lisa Villaganas 40 years old Female March 21, 1971 Roman Catholic (She goes to the Basilica del Sto. Nio to pray). Lapas, Bogo,Cebu Colon St., Cebu City (in front of Rose Pharmacy, near Vision Cinema in a
stall for shoelaces).

0922 205 8918 Grade II Daan Lungsod Elementary School Medellin, Cebu Cannot be determined. She is a shoelace vendor only and she relies on her daily sales. She does not know. She looks healthy and neat.

Separated with live-in partner for 2 years now (2009). Cohabited since 1988. 5 children two (2) girls and three (3) boys. Florenda Junrey - 21 years old (staying with her father at

- 19 years old (had a live-in partner - Shiela Mae

Sanchez, 24, until a few months ago. She

was very well, she left him. at Colon St. Due to his went bankrupt. He is also He was also employed in one Colon St. for 3 years. He into selling videos. I met 17, 2011 during my follow mother, Melissa. He expressed his father for the times his mother hopes to start again his business have a capital. I tried to ask him about and I could see that he is not very interested

sick and was treated. After getting He was also selling videos partners sickness, he staying with his father. of the vulcanizing shops in left the job and ventured him personally on August up visit with his resentment when he with will was battered. He studies in it).

Jerrick
High

- 15 years old (staying with the father. First year

High School studying at Gothong National School).

Jerald
anymore.

- 12 years old (staying with father studied up to

Grade 5 and does not want to go to school He is just at home).

Alona
She was sick

- 8 years old (Grade 1- studying in Bogo and

staying with her maternal grandmother. at the time of the first interview)

Name of Partner: Age of Partner: Address of Partner:

Federico Tampos 58 years old Barangay Pagina Central, Cebu City

(at the back of Cebu City medical Center)

Place of Origin of Partner: Kawit, Cebu

Marital Status of Partner: Married at San Nicolas Parish, Pasil to Baby Alvarez, a nurse with one (1) child. They separated after one (1) year of their marriage. She is now in Singapore. After the first marriage, he cohabited with Christina Maculi cohabited with Sandy and they have three (3) children. He also after the relationship with Christina failed.

They have one (1) after these series of III. Presented Problem:

child. His relationship with Melissa came failed relationship.

DIFFICULTY IN LIFE AND HER YOUNGEST CHILD IS SICKLY NOWADAYS.

Walking along Colon St., Cebu City, I spotted an elderly lady selling shoelaces who looked so desperate and sad. I approached her saying, Nganong magul-anon man kayo imong nawong nay? She replied, Lisod kaayo ang kinabuhi ug kinahanglan ko magpadala ug kwarta sa akong anak. Nagluya man gud siya karon mga adlawa. As the interview progressed, she divulged that she has been a battered wife for the duration of her cohabitation with Federico Tampos. This is the very same reason why she finally separated with him two (2) years ago. At the follow up interview, she also said that what made her decide to end her relationship with him is when she was actually beaten in Colon St. in October 2009. After that incident, she was taken to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries. Federico hit her often especially when he is drunk and this happened many times during the week. She had bruises on the face and the body most of the time. Federico would beat her and accuse her of misusing their money. He was selling videos in Colon St. and went bankrupt because of his drinking habit. Being asked why she stayed with him all those years, she replied that he always promised not to do it again. Once she took him to the Barangay Hall and had a written agreement against harassment made but he never followed it. She also took the matter to the Capitol and was told to report him to the police if it happens again and it did. He would have been imprisoned but her children begged her not to do so. Until two years ago, she decided to part ways with him. He would still come and visit her from time to time in Colon St., in which he would just call her names and verbally abuse her. He wants her back but she does not want it again. Sakto nadili nako she expressed. IV. The Client Melissa mentioned that when she was in Grade 1, she was employed as a maid by one of their neighbors. It was her mother who took her there. She stayed with this family until she was in Grade 2. She then ventured to Cebu City and stayed with her maternal aunt in Barangay Pagina Central. In 1988, she cohabited with Federico Tampos, 35 years old and had five (5) children. They lived in the same place. At that time, they were selling videos in Colon St. and business flourished. Federico was drunk

almost everyday and would beat her, accusing her of misusing their money. This went on for 21 years. In October 2009, they separated and she left their home and stayed in Colon St. Four of her children remained with Federico in their home while the youngest (Alona) is with her mother in Bogo. Colon St. has become her home now and her children would come and visit her from time to time. Federico comes as well to harass her. On Sunday evenings, she would go to Bogo and visit her youngest daughter and bring her provision. She comes back to Colon St. the following day. In her absence, Junrey keeps her shoelace stall. V. The Family Melissas parents separated when she was still 10 years old. Both remarried and she is still in contact with them. Apparently, she has a good relationship even with the partners of both parents. Father: Crescencio Villaganas - 60 years old - Living at Inayawan, Pardo at present. - Married to Teresita, 50 years old and no children. - He had a vasectomy. Mother: Lucresia Ausero - 55 years old - Staying in Bogo City. - She is married to Noning. - They have five children. Sibling: Arsenia - 37 years old - Living in Pagina Central. - Cohabiting with Orlando Dicon - She has three (3) children. VI. The Home As mentioned above, Colon St., has become Melissas abode since October 2009 when she separated with her partner, Federico Tampos. She lives and makes a living there. In her domicile, she has very limited access to her basic needs. She buys water for drinking and takes shower at Carbon Market. It is also there that she does her other personal needs. She sleeps sitting on her chair and the

table where she lays her head. Every Sunday, she goes back to her mother in Bogo City where she has left her youngest daughter. VII. The Environment Colon St. is the oldest street in the Philippines and it is one of the business centers of Cebu City. It is located downtown. Many businesses are flourishing there for quite sometime now. It is a place where one can buy cheap things and anything. The street is buzzing with people and establishments. It is always busy except for the wee hours of the night. It is also the place where anything goes. Snatchers, prostitutes, street people, sidewalk vendors, drugs and other things thrive and co-exist. Melissa mentioned that Colon is a place where anything can happen. Many people are involved with all sorts of petty crimes especially snatching. She has seen all of these and is afraid that Junrey, her second child is also doing it with his friends. The place is noisy most of the time but Melissa is already used to it now. VIII. The Economic Condition Melissa survives the harsh environment of Colon St. by selling shoelaces. She takes it from a certain shop for consignment. There are two of them selling the same stuff at the same place. She earns very little. Some shoelaces sell at Php 25 pesos, others at Php 20, Php 15 and Php 10. Everyday, she hopes to sell a bit more than usual but she cannot foretell it. She does not cook but buys food which usually costs Php 10 pesos (Php 5 rice and Php 5 meat or vegetables). She mentioned that her income is not enough. She provides for her youngest daughter in Bogo City who is also very sickly. For her to be able to sell in Colon St., she needs to have an ID from the Cebu City Hall. Having such a document makes her a legal shoelace vendor there. IX. Diagnostic Impression The first encounter with Nanay Lisa was friendly. She looked tired and problematic. She was however very responsive to the interview. There was sincerity in her answers and she was not afraid to divulge things about her life. While she was narrating her story to me, emotions would well up from time to time. When it came to her marriage and family, her face looked so sad with teary eyes. She obviously would have liked something more in her life than what she is living now. Being asked about her present economic situation, she was obviously very uncomfortable about it as can be seen in her

body language especially during the first interview. She would point at the shoelaces that she was selling looking a bit shy and embarrassed as if unwilling to continue on with her answer. She was still smiling while talking about it. Her face embodied her feeling as she was narrating about her life. It is amazing that she never displayed disinterest in the interview. In fact, at the end of the interview, I asked her if she would not mind if I come back for a follow up interview and she answered positively. I went back for a follow up interview on August 17, 2011. I met her son Junrey who was keeping her stall while she went to buy something. While waiting for her, I had the chance to talk to him. This is how I manage to get a bit more of information about his life and the family. He was a bit more reserved than Nanay Lisa. He had a long hair and was quite untidy. Obviously, he did not sleep well during the night. His friends were sleeping at the sidewalk comfortably. At first sight, Junrey looked like a drug addict but harmless. Nanay Lisa came sooner than expected. It was good to see them both very close to one another. She looked so proud of her son. She had her hand on his shoulder all the time while I continued on with the interview. He would supplement some information which the mother would miss. Junreys presence was very helpful to validate some of the information. Before I left them, I had asked if it were possible to ask for their cellular phone number which they both willingly gave. I sent text messages to Nanay Lisa after the follow up interview. She responded positively as well. I was surprised that her text messages were very clear and well written. From time to time, I would send her a message of greetings as well as follow up questions and she has no problem with it.