MORE THAN WHAT I CAN OFFER - The Lived Experiences of Altruistic Public-School Teachers in Laguna

Sep 21, 2026

Teachers, often framed as “secondary parents,” sometimes extend beyond formal duties by using personal resources to support less privileged students. Although altruism reflects selfless concern without expectation of return, it can still impose personal costs. Using Batson’s Empathy-Altruism Theory, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis explores altruistic public-school teachers’ lived experiences in Laguna. Results show empathy, personal struggles, and responsibility drive support, while altruism triggers exhaustion, financial strain, and relational complexity. Resilience emerges through collaboration, emotional management, and seeking support.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages27

Reading Time1 h 8 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Theoretical Framework

MORE THAN WHAT I CAN OFFER THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF ALTRUISTIC PUBLICSCHOOLTEACHERS IN LAGUNA Jan Nicole P. Sanchez, CHRA, Ann Charity S. Chua, CHRA, Phinelophy Joy M. Manaig, CHRA, Renzo Isabelo D. Patinio, Psychology Department, University of Perpetual Help System DALTA, Calamba City, Laguna, Philippines [https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15287999](https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15287999) ABSTRACT Teachers, often referred to as “secondary parents,” sometimes go beyond their professional duties, dedicating their personal resources to support less privileged students. Altruism, though a selfless concern for the well-being of others without expectation of reciprocation can still come at a personal cost. Grounded in Batson's (1991) Empathy-Altruism Theory, the research utilized Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to deeply understand the personal experiences of altruistic public-schoolteachers (APTs) in Laguna. The findings revealed that APTs are primarily motivated by empathy, personal struggles, and a strong sense of responsibility to address their students' emotional and other personal needs. However, their altruistic behaviors lead to emotional exhaustion, financial strain, and relational complexities. Despite these challenges, teachers exhibit resilience by adopting coping strategies such as collaboration, emotional management, and seeking support from others. In response to these findings, the researchers propose the Altruistic Teacher Assistance (ALTA)—an adaptable framework that stakeholders such as Department of Education (DepEd) and school administrators can implement. ALTA includes structured recognition, mental health support, peer mentoring, and wellness initiatives to promote teacher well-being. The study underscores the urgent need for systemic reforms to ensure consistent support, address burnout, and sustain altruistic behavior. Keywords: altruism, empathy, burnout, sacrifice, public-school teachers well-being. INTRODUCTION In Filipino culture, there is a profound emphasis on the education of children (Alampay & Garcia, 2019) . This reflects the societal conviction that education’s transformative power is the key to securing a child’s future for a better life. And while education alleviates poverty by solutions such as increasing economic growth and reducing income inequality, a complicated issue is that poverty and education are inextricably linked. This means that although education provides a pathway out of poverty, there are also barriers within education that are primarily caused by poverty. Students frequently arrive at school unprepared, hungry, and lacking home support, prompting teacher concerns about poverty’s impact on education. Recognizing this issue, 67% of teachers are prepared to offer support to students living in poverty, which means that the education profession involves not only the systematic teaching of information to students but also a dedication to contributing to the welfare of humanity (Ghent, 2020) . Helping others and bearing that responsibility are the most satisfying aspects of the teaching profession, aligning with the concept of altruism or the act of helping others without any thought of personal gain, as cited by Palta (2019) . In the context of the Philippines, a developing nation, such dedication is crucial. A significant portion of the population, including students in public schools, encounter socioeconomic challenges that may influence educational outcomes. Such factors include compromised academic performance, decreased retention rates, and behavioral changes in school (Bradley, 2022) . While teachers act as “secondary parents” and a public servant, educators may feel a considerable amount of concern regarding the future trajectories of these students’lives, particularly on how it will affect their overall well-being. Hence, educators tend to go beyond conventional role as ‘teachers,’ demonstrating altruistic behaviors, such as dedicating signi

FAQs

What theory and research method guide the study?

The study is grounded in Batson’s Empathy-Altruism Theory and uses Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to understand teachers’ lived experiences.

What motivates altruistic public-school teachers in Laguna?

Findings indicate motivation comes mainly from empathy, personal struggles, and a strong sense of responsibility to meet students’ emotional and personal needs.

What challenges do these teachers face because of their altruistic behavior?

Altruistic actions lead to emotional exhaustion, financial strain, and relational complexities, even though teachers maintain resilience.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Felix Montgomery