The profile of selected Japanese-Filipino children (batis clients) in Metro Manila

The study aims to describe the profile of selected Japanese-Filipino children residing in Metro Manila, who are clients of Batis Center for Women, an NGO catering to the needs of distressed Filipina migrant workers. The profile consists of four basic concepts: (1) family background, which includes the educational background, marital status and employment status of parents (2) educational level (3) living conditions and (4) interpersonal relations. The descriptive design of research was employed in this study. Semi-structured interviews were used to generate data. In this study, the respondents were consisted of 30 Japanese-Filipino children age ranging from 3-16 years old. Their respective mothers were also interviewed. Respondents were contacted through the assistance of Batis volunteers. The results were compiled then tabulated to identify the most frequent and dominant answers to each question. Japanese-Filipino children are those born of Filipina entertainers to Japan with Japanese nationals. Most of them were born here in the Philippines and more than half of them fall in the age-range between 3-7 years old. They are treated just like ordinary Filipino children but some of the people around them inevitably tease them. Most of the Japanese-Filipino children perceive themselves as Filipinos since majority of them were born and grew here in the Philippines. Their conditions at present were greatly affected by the separation of their parents and which then led to abandonment and absence of the Japanese father. Despite these, Japanese-Filipino children still maintain composure with their families and friends and at the same time live normally just like Filipino children do