December 22, 2014 7:47 AM
MABALACAT—
FILE - Cedric Caubalejo, 8, looks at a picture of his mother while sitting on his father's lap at their home in Manila, Oct. 19, 2006.
In the Philippines, husbands left behind by wives who work overseas are learning to cope as single fathers, thanks to a parenting course designed just for them.
At a town hall meeting room in Mabalacat, Pampanga, just north of Manila, about a half-dozen fathers receive tips on personal finance and budgeting.
Alvin Balenton, 37, is a willing participant and always first to raise his hand. He is part of a pilot program that supports fathers who raise their children by themselves while their wives work abroad.
FILE - Cedric Caubalejo, 8, looks at a picture of his mother while sitting on his father's lap at their home in Manila, Oct. 19, 2006.
"I really like that there are a lot of folks to give advice and it's interesting. Everyone here's like family. There's a lot to do," Balenton said.
"My wife is in another country and sometimes I start to think about her. So this removes some of that stress, you know?" he said.
Emotional support
Balenton said he appreciates the emotional support he gets while taking the course called AMMA, which means “a father who rears his children well.”
He juggles raising five children ages 6 to 17 with a part-time job while his wife works as a domestic helper in Macau.
Close to 10 million Filipinos live overseas and about half are contract workers, seeking better-paying employment outside the country. More Filipino women than men work abroad and a majority of them work as household help.
Emigdio Tanjuatco heads the Clark International Airport, which funds t
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