Experience of Gardeners EXPERIENCE OF GARDENERS IN DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY MANILA

Experience of Gardeners in De La Salle University Manila A Paper Presented to Mr. Jon Diestro Department of Psychology College of Liberal Arts De La Salle University-Manila

In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Course Qualitative Methods and Research (coded as QUALMET)

Tricia Aimee O. Fabico Sabrina Anne M. Gloria Joanna Marie S. Nidea September 1, 2009

Experience of Gardeners ABSTRACT This paper is a qualitative study on the gardeners of De La Salle University campus. It

aims give extensive answers to the following questions: 1)What are the gardeners points of view regarding their work their overall experiences? 2)What are the challenges do they experience as gardeners and how do they face such difficulties? The research group conducted an extensive interview on four LaSallian gardeners. A thematic approach was used to interpret the responses of the participants. From the answers of the respondents, the following clusters and corresponding themes were formed: Work experience and relationship: Relationship with Employers, Responsibility, Relationship with Colleagues, Work Experience, Achievement/Success; Work Issues: Barriers, Work-related Problems, Regret, Gossiping/Siraan; Resilience: Belief, Coping, Prayer/Spirituality; Characteristics/Traits: Perseverance/Tiyaga, Acceptance, Contentment, Goodness, Happiness, Initiating/Pagkukusa, Loyalty, Trustworthiness.

Experience of Gardeners Experience of Gardeners in De La Salle University Manila The experiences of the blue-collar worker have yet to be satiated. Past researches on this labor population focused on more specific aspects such as job strain and work-related cardiovascular disease (Johnson & Hall, 1988) and tobacco usage (Sonsen, Barbea, Hunt & Emmons, 2004). Rigorous study ventures on basic experience and pragmatic problem-solving capacities are minimal.

A blue-collar worker, as defined by AllExperts.com (n.d.), is any member of the working class who typically performs manual labor and earns an hourly wage. Studies concerning bluecollar workers ranges from that concerning job satisfaction (Herzberg, Mausner, Peterson, & Capwell, 1957; Locke, 1973), effect of race and sex on performance (Thompson & Thompson, 1985) to the effect of objective and subjective work monotony on psychological distress, and absenteeism of blue-collar workers (Melamed, Ben-Avi, Luz, & Green, 1995) and behavior and occupational stress (Evans, Palsane & Carrere, 1987). No doubt, there is a big whirlpool of studies that is related to blue-collar workers all around the world. However, as much as these kinds of research extends, there still has been a limited concern on the blue-collar workers per se. Previously mentioned studies exemplifies effects of various variables to workers while some focus on their performance and whether or not they find satisfaction in jobs assigned to them. Although findings after findings from these studies make an excellent contribution to the society, the experiences of these blue-collar workers were limited to only their performances to satisfaction scales down to the last drop zero; without so much of any details about their life, status and perceptions. It has been informally observed that the blue-collar job has been constantly overlooked. In a society wherein white high class jobs involving elevated jobs in offices or corporations are

Experience of Gardeners basically preferred and looked highly upon, the similar experiences and outlooks of those with more inferior jobs are not that salient. In connection to the present study, the experiences of gardeners of a university were gathered and analyzed to examine their relevance and connection to the bigger picture. The researchers believe that by looking through the smaller aspects that past researches had failed to consider, one will be able to understand more freely about why these things happen therefore aiding more on solving these problems concerning people who have these kinds of job. In Sinay-Aguilars (1983) study about the domestic outworker and the employer, the researchers found out that subcontracting is now commonly practiced in the Philippines. The term subcontracting refers to a company engaging in industrial and commercial practice involving contract request from private subcontractors. Through surveys and interviews, the researchers was able to gather details such as the workers terms and work conditions from its earnings, output requirement, work flow, job content, benefits, etc. Information about physical

work conditions (lights, safety, cleanliness, etc.) and temporal work conditions (work hours, rest periods, etc.), were also collected. Primarily, the study focused on the factors responsible for the existence of domestic outwork arrangement in economic (earning capacity, standard of living), sociological (attitudes) terms. In addition, labor relations and the relationship between the workers status in the society to the growth of subcontracting and government policies on employment undergoing a subcontracting process were also tackled. In relation to the present study, programs and policies implemented by the government mentioned will aid in the research as problems experienced by the workers inside work premises as well as with their employers are inevitable in this kind of work environment.

Experience of Gardeners On the other hand, a research of Hechanova-Alampay (1997) studied hundreds of Filipino working parents in Metro Manila by establishing relationships between demographic, personality, family and work characteristics on their work and non-work stressors from physiological, psychological and behavioral strains. Findings showed that both work and nonwork stressors are related to different strains and that stress plays a vital role in better management in employed parents in providing means to their families and those who are dependent to them. In addition, it was stated that the interaction between work and family

increases the number of stressors experienced resulting to a greater degree of stress one may and could encounter. Because of this, some employers require their employees to seek organizational arrangements and other developing and teaching programs for more efficient parenting on handling stress. These programs usually concerns human resource management in which problem-focused stress management, problem solving, negotiation training, time management and relaxation training are highlighted. Based on Hechanova-Alampays (1997) study, one can say that stress in different perspectives whether associated with personality (internal locus of control), family (children) and work (promotions, performance evaluation) has an effect on oneself. Adaptation to stress and a more effective relation to work are just some concepts that may just answer how these kinds of workers deal with everyday stress that they experience. In de la Llana and Macaraigs (1983) study, the researchers focused on the transition of a large group of local workers in the Philippines all of whom started from a lower level position and eventually reached high level positions. Identification of the process involved in producing the output of the company, classification of the employees based on their identified skill levels, and computation of the workforce composition by the end of the year was done by the

Experience of Gardeners researchers. Although the researchers yielded a result that enables a study of alternative sets of policies and practices and widens the scope of programs and actions availability for

implementation, there had been no detailed examination of the workers themselves, as how these employees experienced each level as they retain or get promoted from position to position. According Sta. Marias study (1990) on Filipinos Representations of the Self, the individual experiences are integrated in a concept of loob which manifests in how people make decisions concerning his or her behavior. She identifies actions related to representations of the self such as pagmamalasakit, pagsusumikap, paghahayag ng kalooban, pagtatago ng kalooban, pagkamasayahin at pagkamatapat. These actions are based on the meanings attached by the participants on their experiences. In relations to the present study, it is assumed that some of the actions related to the aforementioned research are shared by the present participants specifically pagmamalasakit, pagsusumikap, paghahayag ng kalooban, at pagkamatapat. As a supplement to the previous studies, this paper aims to know the overall experience of the gardeners, a job belonging to the blue-collar sector, working at De La Salle University Manila. Several questions which are waiting to be answered were raised by the researchers. Since there is a demand to analyze the smallest aspects concerning these kinds of workers, the researchers decided to take a look into the following: what are the points of view that these gardeners have regarding their work? What are their overall experiences as a gardener? What are the challenges that these workers experience as a gardener? How do these gardeners face these challenges (if there are any) in their day-to-day work? The researchers believe that by answering these questions, a better understanding of the factors missed out by the past researches will be attained.

Experience of Gardeners In addition, the researchers perceive that this paper will aid in bridging the knowledge gap that the related studies had failed to tackle. As most of the studies focused on the aspects besides individual experiences, the researchers believe that focusing on another aspects such as the details about these kinds of work and answering the aforementioned questions will make people aware of what it really means to engage into a blue-collar job and lessen the belief that these field of work are mediocre and undeserving of being a career choice (Hu, 1995).

Thus, this paper will dwell only on the aforementioned topics excluding other topics such as careers belonging to other systems but blue-collar jobs. It will, however, be a concern of the researchers to relate the aforementioned topics to generality while maintaining focus, as previously stated, on specifics.

Experience of Gardeners Method In this chapter, the researchers will be discussing about the method and approaches that will be used in the research. General information about the participants and how the researchers interacted with them will be discussed as well. Participants The selection process of participants was based on convenience with respect to time frame and familiarity with the respondents. The individual and compromised interests of the group in terms of observational interest and practical scrutiny with the target group were also taken into the consideration. In the research group, one member had already established a long term friendship with one gardener namely, Florendo "Paul" Garcia he being the family gardener of the group member for about thirteen years. Through him, the group was able to

contact workers of similar status and interview them with their full consent. The other gardeners were Gerry Gabiazon, Fernando Lino and Jimmy Diadole. The group made sure that the participants were gardeners or had the same level of experience in their field of expertise. All the participants were gardeners who worked within the campus of De La Salle University Manila. Jimmy Diadole is 29 years old, Fernando Lino is 32 years old, Florendo Paul Garcia is 35 yeras old, and Gerry Gabiazon is 36 years old. Each come from different backgrounds and also differed past experiences though such is not within the scope of this papers discussion. The group saw to it that before the interview began, the participants knew what to expect during the interview and understood the objective of the research. They were also asked to make themselves comfortable that there were no right or right or wrong answers as long as they were honest with their experiences. They were also given the liberty to withdraw from the interview or to pause if they were uncomfortable at any point.

Experience of Gardeners Data Gathering Strategy A one-on-one interview was conducted by the researchers: one was the primary spokesperson and interviewer; another was in-charge with digital recording of the interview and formulating follow-up questions; and lastly, the other was the note taker which was in-charge of clarifying vague answers (if there are any). The interviews took place around the grounds of the said university where the participants were most comfortable with but with assurance that the venue would still be conducive for data gathering. The formal interview did not begin until the researchers were certain that a wellestablished rapport, as discussed in the previous section, was created. Thus, there was a

difference in the duration of the conducted interviews because the process of establishing rapport varied between participants as well as the elaboration of their answers to the interviewers questions. The interviews conducted, however, ranges from 10 to 15 minutes. The interviews were recorded using a Samsung SGH-J700 cellular phone which has a built in voice recorder that has a capacity to record long conversations even in hours, thus appropriate in the data gathering. These recorded interviews were then transferred to a computer and files were converted from .amr to .mp3 extension. The recorded interviews were then transcribed individually and word-by-word with careful hearing and typing so as not to affect the analysis of the dialogues given out by the interviewees. To make sure that such a problem is minimized, a comparison between the notes taken during the interview and the transcribed interviews were done by the researchers afterwards to double-check any discrepancies between the recorded then transcribed version and the notes taken during the interview itself.

Experience of Gardeners 10 Data Analysis For this study, the researches decided to use thematic analysis in evaluating the data gathered through interview. Both data will first be analyzed individually and important and dominant themes will be produced from the statements given by the interviewees themselves. The everyday experiences of the participants will be concretized into concepts and theme and from these concepts and themes, clusters (if there are any) will be formed and further analyzed. A social constructivist perspective will also be applied in analyzing the data. Since it is assumed in the social constructivist perspective that during an interview the participants fail to send the meaning of what they really mean to say, the triangular model of the aforementioned perspective will be the researchers guide in analyzing the perceptions of everyday live of the gardeners. Dialogues will not be merely taken as they are but instead a deeper analysis and interpretation of these data will be done in order to arrive at an in-depth explanation of the possible underlying concepts.

Experience of Gardeners 11 Results In this chapter, the researchers will be discussing common themes categorized under clusters yielded from the data gathered. Several excerpts from the interview will also be cited to aid the wholeness of the discussion. Work experience and relationship From this cluster, work experience and relationship directly refers to the gardeners experience with their work proper and their working environment. It also includes the relationship of a worker with his employer and colleagues within the premises of work. After data gathering, the researchers had grouped five themes to further give a definite discussion from the results obtained. These are relationships with employers, responsibility and relationship with colleagues, work experience and achievements/success. Relationship with Employers The treatment of the employer or agency that handles gardeners in De La Salle University - Manila to its employee falls under relationship with employers. Work contracts and rules imposed to the gardeners are also incorporated to the said theme whether how long they would stay with this job given by the rules of the employers if ever they abide or not. The following are specific excerpts exerted from the interviews when they are asked on the problems that usually arise during work:
nung dati maayos kang nagtratrabaho papagalitan ka pa & tapat ako at makapagkakatiwalan sa amo ko (Florendo Paul Garcia, 35) sa City Green talaga kami, bale ano lang kami kontrata & medyo strict yung agency namin eh, kaya mahirap din (Jimmy Diadole, 29)

Experience of Gardeners 12 One of the gardeners talked about his experience comparing the past and present supervisors from the same company. He also stated that even if he experiences maltreatment during work, a person could still be loyal and trustworthy to that person. The gardeners work on contracts in which they renew in near expiration, they also stated that any foul or mistake seen in them might be the cause of the decrease in their number of months to stay. Still, it didnt serve as a hindrance for their performance to deteriorate. From the statements, their encounter could only make this as a learning experience and not as a causal factor of quitting the job. Technically, most of the gardeners had a misunderstanding with their employer but although it seemed to them as a sign to look for another job, they still continue to serve and work for their current employer with loyalty. Relationships can sometimes fall apart because of negative attributions but it only makes both parties understand, and eventually grow and learn with that experience. Relationship with Colleagues In this concept, relationship with colleagues refers to as the interaction of the employees with their co-workers. The gardeners here experience building up a bond with other gardeners since their work is not only considered as a one-man-job. They also stated their problems with the attitudes of their colleagues when they were new in the workplace. Passages during the interview from the gardeners that are specified to be their relationship with their colleagues:
pinagtulong tulungan namin & unang una mga kasama na hindi mo pa alam yung pag-uugali (Florendo Paul Garcia, 35) minsan nakakapagsagutan & pero sa ngayon ok na, magkasundo na (Jimmy Diadole, 29)

Experience of Gardeners 13

nagkakaintindihan na kami (Fernando Lino, 32)

They admitted at first that it was very hard to meet up at one point since they dont know each other that well yet. Sometimes, they end up fighting at a certain problem or disagreement. As they get to know more of each other, they dont only discover each others strengths and weaknesses, but also their compatibility in working as a team. As stated by one of the gardeners, part of their job description is to have team cooperation since some works are not only meant for a person but a group. Fortunately, most of the researchers interviewees said that at present they very well know each other and could understand each others side in good terms. Responsibility Responsibility refers to their assignments of work or the specific work designated for each gardener in the working area. In this concept, the gardeners specify their work proper from different locations of their working environment. Some excerpts when the respondents were asked regarding their work as a gardener:
may indoor ako at may outdoor (Florendo Paul Garcia, 35; Jimmy Diadole, 29; Fernando Lino, 32; Gerry Gabiazon, 36) nagdidilig ng halaman, nagpropropagate, naglilinis sa bawat area (Jimmy Diadole, 29) 'nagdidilig, naglilinis ng halaman [ahh] halimbawa may may mga titriman na mga kahoy, magtitrim. Tapos nagmomower din. Tapos, halimbawa may babaguhin na area na nilalandscape, naglalandscape. (Fernando Lino, 32)

Clearly, all interviewees mentioned their work involved both indoor and outdoor from their working area, although some may have specific assignments on which area to work on, gardeners in De La Salle University - Manila maintain the greenness not only

Experience of Gardeners 14 within premises of the buildings but also with the landscaping. Fortunately, they stated that they not only maintain the floras abundance but also cleanliness around the university grounds. Work Experience Work experience refers to the previous work that the participants had before they engaged in their current job which is gardening. All experiences that the participants encounter in their previous job/s were asked and were described as follows:
nung sa Zobel hindi ko naranasan iyon (Florendo Paul Garcia, 35) hindi ganun kabigat yung trabaho hindi naman dito puwersahan eh dito kasi maintenance lang (Jimmy Diadole, 29) nasa construction ako 'Para sa'kin, mas mahirap talaga [ang] pag-construction sa pagiging hardiner. Masmaganda ang pagiging hardiner. (Fernando Lino, 32) Ahhh, asa door to door promo ako ------ tapos nagtrabaho din ako dati sa 19901991 nasa Coca-cola ako dati. Tapos nagpunta ako dito, 1992 naging alalay ako ng European Spanish kong amo, cook ako. Ahh, sa ngayon, ang compare ko sa trabaho ko dati at tsaka yung sa ngayon yung dati kasi hard work talaga yun. Magbubuhat ka ng mabibigat, lahat. Uhhhm, , ngayon naman, pati sa isip siguro masakit naman minsan sa ulo pag ----- area area Siguro ----- parang wala namang kaiba iba siguro yung dati parang yung sa ngayon na dati door to door promo ako tapos parang assistant, house hold ako sa bahay ng boss ko nung 1993 to 2000. Kasi 2001 ako nagstart. Ang ako din nagmanage nun kasi walang as Gusto kong trabaho sa ngayon? Ngayon siguro, kasi sa ngayon, yan yung trabaho ko gusto ko kasi mas maganda yung ngayon kasi ---- tsaka yung ----" (Gerry Gabiazon, 36)

All participants had different jobs before they entered their current job. Apart from the first and second excerpts which stated that the interviewee worked as a gardener before in another branch of the same institution and as a helper in landscaping respectively, the last two had a completely different line of work as to what they do now;

Experience of Gardeners 15 one was a construction worker, while the other one entered several jobs before arriving at the present. During the flow of the interview, comparisons were inevitable as these participants described their work experiences with their previous work and the present. Although they had different experiences, one cannot hide the fact that majority of these participants are satisfied in what they are doing now than before. Some might still say that they could have stayed in their previous work but when asked if they were satisfied with the current, no one hesitated answering that they were. Considerations on the benefits that one gets might just be one of the things that make a person satisfied in their work. As previously mentioned, there are times that even though people knew that they can stay in a particular job and be of service for years, satisfaction on whether or not they are enjoying also depends on the benefits they get from work, and the contentment in general that they get. Achievement/Success Achievement or success refers to something accomplished by a person may it be of the ordinary or extraordinary. It can be anything ranging from extents of academic achievement, work, promotion, and things that are recognized as feat on the person involved in a particular situation. In the interview conducted, when asked for a time when they experienced a problem and was successful in overcoming that particular problem, the interviewees all had a particular moment that fit the question asked by the researchers. The following are some of the excerpts from the interview that clearly showed the criteria for being successful in solving problems:

Experience of Gardeners 16
Sa akin, oo, kasi kahit papano nakakaraos ako sa pamilya ko... sa awa ng Diyos tumagal din ako ng 13 years... naabot naman kahit papano (Florendo Paul Garcia, 35) masasabi kong nagtagumpay din sa ngayon nakamove on na rin... wala ng mga problemang kinakaharap ngayon... (Jimmy Diadole, 29) Ahh, matagumpay... (Fernando Lino, 32) ...2006-2007 napromote ako naging supervisor ako Opo. Nagtagumpay talaga. Basta sipag tsaka prayer. Yun lang, tapos gawa lang ng mabuti sa kapwa... (Gerry Gabiazon, 36)

As achievement had come to be part of the outcome of successfully solving a problem, these participants not only admitted that they have successfully overcame challenges they face in their work but also stated some ways on how they were able to do it. Some referred to prayers and their spirituality, others on doing good deeds onto others, and others just plain hard work. Although they have a dominant way upon which they use in overcoming problems, these gardeners can still be said to have commonalities. Achievement and success has become part of their everyday job. Work Issues This cluster focuses on work related aspects of the Gardeners life the processes, feelings and issues that arise in the work area. The themes in this cluster are dominantly negative. Work-related Problems This theme basically illustrates the problems faced by the interviewees at work. Though all of them went through hardships, some of the difficulties they mentioned focused on different things depending on the varying situations they experienced.
Nung bago pa lang nangangapa pa ako kasi dati maayos kang nagtratrabaho papagalitan ka pa (Florendo Paul Garcia, 35)

Experience of Gardeners 17
Hmm, halimbawa may may nagawa kang hindi maganda dito sa trabaho. (Fernando Lino, 32) Halimbawa yung may, kapag may burilyaso sa trabaho siyempre lahat lahat yan sayo yung titingnan ka ng boss mo (Gerry Gabiazon, 36)

The first excerpt focused on the interviewees problems with inexperience. The knowledge of inexperience may be enough to lower the self-esteem of workers which may, in turn, affect their work performance. Though this knowledge may be viewed as negative, there are also positive outlooks to this mind-set. The knowledge of inexperience may increase a persons readiness to learn which is positive in nature. In this case however, the context places this issue in a negative light. In the second excerpt, the interviewees problem was centered on the actions of his supervisor. This, in contrast to the first excerpt is a more external mindset. The first excerpt viewed the problem as a cause of self inexperience a more intrinsic attribution. Going back to the second excerpt, the supervisor is the primary cause of the problem which could lead us to surmise that the personality of the supervisor is an important factor in the performance of the workers. The third and fourth excerpts gotten from two different interviewees were based on the influence of their peers. This observation brings into light the importance of peer influences in the field of work. Barriers This theme concerns the obstacles that hinder the workers from performing well in their work. Some barriers even hinder the interviewee from continuing his work. Here are some excerpts that will elucidate the previously emphasized points.
may time na hindi nagtatagumpay, may time kasi na nabuburilyaso konting pagkakamali lang maaari ka nang masibak (Gerry Gabiazon, 36)

Experience of Gardeners 18 In the first line in the excerpt, the interviewee focused on an event, burilyaso that may lead to the removal of the worker from his job position. The second line talks about the fear of removal. Barriers apply to such instances when the presence of threat and fear prevent the worker from maximizing their manual performance. Regret Regret may be qualified as the disappointment a person feels when his/her dreams or aspirations are not met.
Wala na siguro. Unang-una, wala akong pinag-aralan (Fernando Lino, 32) Meron, meron niyan. Ano ba... sa mga pangarap ko, sa mga pangarap ko siyempre ahehe, kasi gusto ko ahhh, siyempre makatapos ng pag-aaral tapos so ano na ako nun... pangarap ko din kasi maging politician dati. Kaso high school graduate lang ako. (Gerry Gabiazon, 36)

The common denominator between both excerpts given was the focus on lack of educational attainment. It could be claimed from both participants that, had they finished their studies, they would have chosen better and more comfortable jobs. The inability of the participant to have a better education could be viewed as a form of regret. Gossiping/Siraan This theme is very common among Filipino communities. Gossip, natively called as siraan by the participants, is contextualized as the bad-mouthing of ones colleagues behind his/her back. This may also be a product of envy or inggit.
May ganun din, hindi mawawala sa ugali ng Pilipino yan eh, palakasan eh, minsan hindi pantay. (Jimmy Diadole, 29) Siyempre sa ----- di mo talaga maiwasan na sa school o sa klasrum pede kang siraan ng isang classmate mo. (Gerry Gabiazon, 36) yung tsismis tapos yung siraan marami yung mga ano siguro mga walang magawa sa buhay mga inggitero (Jimmy Diadole, 29)

Experience of Gardeners 19

The first and second excerpt talked about gossip as a reality in Filipino culture. In the first, it was also mentioned that gossip could be brought about by inequality or the strengthening of status of the one involved. The second excerpt gave school or the classroom as a more specific venue of gossip. The third excerpt talked was an answer to the question of what issues plagued the working place of the participants. The fourth excerpt mentioned inggit and idleness as a causal factor in engaging in the activity of gossip. Resilience This cluster focuses on how the workers deal with their problems. This is in terms of how they perceive their hardships (Belief), how they cope with their difficulties, how they view prayer and spirituality as a means of facing each suffering, and how they value what they have. Belief/Values This theme focuses on the ideas or cognitions that the participants hold as important. This segment is a collection of beliefs that the participants apply in response to works challenges or life in general.
karangalan ng tao ni minsan hindi mawawala sa tao... kahit mahirap ako hindi ko ugali ng gumawa ng hindi maganda Hindi baling mahirap basta may magandang hanapbuhay. (Florendo Paul Garcia, 35) Opo. Kasi hindi naman sa lahat ng pangarap mo matagumpay ka e. Hindi naman sa lahat lahat ibibigay sayo e yung lahat lahat meron na e kasi ako meron ako na wala sa inyo kayo meron kayo na wala sa akin, ganun lang ----- masaya na kami kasi ganito (Gerry Gabiazon, 36)

The first three excerpts coming from the same participant talked about the importance of karangalan in terms of work ethics and the work itself. Though the participant previously admitted that his work wasnt the ideal, he was proud of what he

Experience of Gardeners 20 was doing because he considered his work as an honest and respectable way of life. The last excerpt talked about acceptance that not always does one achieves success. Though this is so, the participant admits that there is justice in the world, that through what they have what they work hard for and what is given to them, they are happy. Coping This theme is the highlight of this cluster (Resilience). This section shows the ways or methods of coping which the participants apply in the face of difficulties.
kailangan mong labanan Pag tapak mo dito, alisin mo muna ang problema para lang ang trabaho mo eh hindi maapektuhan. (Fernando Lino, 32) Ano, ahh, siguro sa pagtatiyaga lang siguro yun (Gerry Gabiazon, 36)

The first excerpt shows the participants fighting spirit. The participant uses this strong response as a way of overcoming the hurts and hardships accompanying everyday work. The next excerpt is a follow-up of the first which shows how the concept of laban is applied in real work. The third excerpt on the other hand, shows pagtatiyaga or perseverance as way of coping and handling hardships. Prayer/Spirituality Given our countrys dominant religious orientation, spirituality and prayer is a common area in which a native expresses Resilience. This theme basically focuses on the religious aspect of the participants as their answer to difficulties and everyday occurances.
----- Prayer, si God, ang the best na kaibigan sa buhay mo. Kahit anong pagsubok pisikal, mental pati ispirituwal ----Opo. Nagtagumpay talaga. Basta sipag tsaka prayer. Yun lang, tapos gawa lang ng mabuti sa kapwa. (Gerry Gabiazon, 36) hindi ko nakalimutan yun basta dasal lang talaga

Experience of Gardeners 21
sabi ko sa sarili ko ang Diyos walang pinipiling tutulungan mahirap ka man o mayaman basta pagtititwala mo sa Kanya tapat Unang una respeto sa sarili at dasal, yun yung importante kasi eh wala ka ng respeto sa sarili mo at nakakalimutan mo na yung Panginoon. (Florendo Paul Garcia, 35)

The first two excerpts coming from the same participant talk about prayer and relying on the Lord as the best way of overcoming trials, may it be physical or spiritual. The next four excerpts coming from another participant similarly shows the reliance on the Lord and prayer in hard times. Both interviewees showed how much importance they give to Panginoon He being their source of strength and comfort. Characteristics/Traits Characteristics or Traits refers to the personality that these gardeners may or may not have that they think they could use in order to achieve success in their endeavors and their job as a full-time gardener. As previously mentioned, these traits may or may not be possessed by the gardeners themselves as some are just suggested. In the data gathered, the researchers have found eight characteristics or personality traits that the participants have commonly agreed to have important roles in achieving success. These are the following: perseverance/ tiyaga, acceptance, contentment, goodness, happiness, initiating/ pagkukusa, loyalty and trustworthiness. Perseverance/ Tiyaga Perseverance or Tiyaga refers to determination in adhering to a course of action, a belief, or a purpose; steadfastness. In this concept, the gardeners are pertaining to being determined in their responsibilities, that no matter how hard the responsibilities bestowed upon them are, they should never fail to persevere and be matiyaga until they finally get the work done.

Experience of Gardeners 22 When asked about how they think they will be able to achieve success in their field of work, one of the interviewees said:
Ano, ahh, siguro sa pagtatiyaga lang siguro yun. At tsaka, pinili na rin nila akong maging supervisor nila, ng mga kasamahan ko. Tsaka yung sa company tsaka sa La Salle. (Gerry Gabiazon, 36)

As the participant was asked about how he got promoted from being a hands-on gardener to a supervisor, he directly stated that one can achieve what he did through perseverance being determined in their work and having their mind set that working hard will take them to the next level. To obtain success, as the participant stated, one should be able to possess this trait. Although there were no specific segment or dialogues found in the other participants stating that perseverance itself helps them in being successful in their work, there had been a common pattern of conversation that success is dependent on the persons will to achieve it. Thus, all agreed that being a hard worker and a determined person in their field of work contributes much to a persons success. As these two are underlying factors of perseverance, one can say that there is a hollow agreement between the participants that a persons success lies on how much one perseveres. Accepting The concept of being accepting refers to the act of taking or receiving something that is either offered or given. It is a favorable reception, an approval. In this concept, the participants are pertaining to the act of accepting what is already given and understanding the situation in an open-minded point of view. During the course of the interview, there were dialogues recorded that indicated this kind of trait. Some chosen excerpts from the interviews are the following:

Experience of Gardeners 23
May ganun din, hindi mawawala sa ugali ng Pilipino yan eh, palakasan eh, minsan hindi pantay. (Jimmy Diadole, 29) Ahh ganun din sa trabaho. Ganun din sa showbiz. Lahat lahat. Oo. Basta sa komunidad meron niyan (Gerry Gabiazon, 36)

When asked what kind of problems they faced in their line of work, the participants gave specific problems that they experience in their job. However, what followed were statements, as stated above, that indicated another pattern of trait the act of being accepting. Although faced with problems such as gossiping and others, these gardeners merely stated that these problems or challenges are already part of their job; that facing them is inevitable. However, as opposed to what entirely being accepting is, these participants do not really favor this kind of issues they face in their work. It is merely accepting that one cannot really deny that these issues exist and that there is little to nothing that they can do about it. Putting a hard thought into such matters might and may only hinder them from focusing in their jobs and accepting its existence is easier than trying to solve it. In achieving success, there may be times that one should not try to overcome challenges but instead, accept and embrace its existence to be able to focus on the more important things that mattered. Concentrating on work, for one, will do good to a person than trying to think of possible solutions to problems that should already be considered part of their work. Contentment Contentment refers to satisfaction an ease of mind. A contended person can be someone who does not necessarily need to be happy, but is already satisfied with what he has, may it be pertaining to social status, ownership, or merely the current state that a

Experience of Gardeners 24 person is in now. Contentment in itself, is a state that a person is already pleased with what s/he currently posses. In the interview conducted, most of the participants motioned for this trait as something that they have in common. The following are excerpts from the interview conducted by the researchers:
garden din ako hawak nun pero maliit lang, hindi kagaya dito buo sa iyo sa awa ng Diyos tumagal din ako ng 13 years masaya na ako sa trabaho ko... nagpapasalamat din ako... kung ikararaos ng paghihirap, hindi po... (Florendo Paul Garcia, 35) ayos lang po... Oo, masaya rin... dahil sa nangangailangan kaya medyo ok na rin... hangga't ok siya parenew lang ng parenes (Jimmy Diadole, 29) Maliban sa pagiging hardinero ko, wala na ako hihilingin (Fernando Lino, 32)

The aforementioned dialogues all exhibited a hint of contentment in their line of work that is being a gardener. However, a closer look dictates that there is really no indication that they wanted to have a better status in life. They may be contented with their current lifestyles, but there is not indication that they mind being promoted into a higher position than that of what they are currently in. It may be that these people are already contented with their job as a source of daily income to make it through the day. In order to be successful, it can be said that a person needs to be contented first on the line of work that they are currently in, however, not stopping growing and working harder to the betterment of their status. Being contented does not mean being stagnant and being caught up in one position without any aspiration of aiming higher.

Experience of Gardeners 25 Goodness Goodness refers to the kindly feeling or kindness and generosity of a person towards another. It is extending good deeds to others in accordance to the societys ideals. Being good is doing the right things to others without asking for anything in return. In particular, goodness is depicted in acts of humanity. Certain excerpts were also noted to exhibit this trait:
Opo. Nagtagumpay talaga. Basta sipag tsaka prayer. Yun lang, tapos gawa lang ng mabuti sa kapwa. Kaya gagawin natin yung right. Kahit hindi tayo masyadong mayaman (Gerry Gabiazon, 36) kahit mahirap ako hindi ko ugali ng gumawa ng hindi maganda (Florendo Paul Garcia, 35)

Supported by the aforementioned excerpts, these people consider a great deal in doing well, a principle that they truly value and they apply in their work. The former excerpt strengthen this claim as he stated that he, himself, became successful in overcoming his problem through prayer and doing good to others.

Experience of Gardeners 26 Discussion There are several ways in which how the gardeners view their work. Their work experience before and now clearly depicted that although some of them were already satisfied with the job they have now, it still inevitable that some of them feel regret of having to change their jobs. However, this is not to say that the participants do not take their current job positively. In fact, most of them are contented with their present jobs. Factors such as the benefits they get from the kind of work they engage into, success and achievement they get from working, difficulty of the task assigned to them and the relationship they have with the employers and colleagues are those that influence them greatly on how they perceive their work. Majority are satisfied with the benefits they get even stating that as long as they are able to get their pay to get on with their lives, they are happy and contented. A case wherein being promoted made the participant feel contented as well. Promotion, made the person feel that all the hard work he has done had paid off therefore leaving him feel happy and satisfied with his work. Lastly, when asked to compare their work experience in their previous job and their current job as a gardener, the task difficulty also played a role in influencing their perception as to how they view their work. Those that took a difficult job such as being a construction worker preferred their current job as a gardener simply because they find the task easier than being the former. In addition, although problems generally affect the gardeners in their work, results show that the participants point of view regarding their work is not affected. This is because traits they possess such as being resilient, accepting and contented help these gardeners disregard

Experience of Gardeners 27 the existence of these problems in such a way that even though it challenges them in attaining success, it does not hinder them from appreciating their job. As for the overall experience of the gardeners, it has been found out that it is inevitable for these kinds of workers not to experience a variety of hardships, success, challenges and problems. Whether it comes from the work itself or their relationships with other people (i.e. employer and colleagues), it does not matter. They all experience these things. Furthermore, these gardeners all have their own responsibilities in their work which ranges from planting, watering the plants, cleaning the surroundings and in general maintenance of the whole university, may it be indoor or outdoor. Their experiences are not only focused on the work itself but also on the things that influence their work. Challenges are the most prominent experience that majorly influence their work as a gardener. These include challenges from their relationship with the employer and their colleagues, as well as their work load, barriers in attaining success, regrets and work-related problems. However, although these challenges hinders them, at some point, to achieve success in their career, it is evident that these gardeners do not stop plainly on backing out but instead facing these challenges in any possible way that they can. Because of these, characteristics of these gardeners play a big role on how they face the challenges they encounter in their everyday job. In addition, resilience also works side by side with the characteristics they possess in facing and coping up with their problems. It is through beliefs and values, prayers, perseverance, acceptance, contentment and goodness to mankind these gardeners are able to attain success over various challenges. In return, achievement/success is also experienced by the gardeners who thrived to accomplish a certain task, whether it concerns a small or a big thing. Their accomplishments are

Experience of Gardeners 28 not only limited within the work environment like doing their responsibilities since attaining ones goal for the family to survive can also give a sense of success. For one thing, being able to support their family through their jobs gives these gardeners a sense of accomplishment that they are able to feed their children and send them to school. The second basic question was covered by three of the four clusters formulated from the responses of the participants. These themes include the following: Work Issues, Resilience and Characteristics/Traits. All themes from the first two clusters (Work Issues: Barriers, WorkRelated Problems, Regret, Gossiping; Resilience: Belief/Values, Coping, Prayer/Spirituality) could be used to answer the question in focus. The third cluster (Characteristics/Traits), on the hand, partially overlaps with the Resilience. Thus, we can also make use of some themes included in this cluster to further strengthen the answer to the given question such as Perseverance and Acceptance. In terms of the challenges aspect of the question, let us take the cluster of Work Issues into consideration. We grouped the relevant responses of the participants into four themes namely Barriers, Work-related Problems, Regret and Gossiping or Siraan as it was natively called. The Barriers given by the respondents were basically about the restrictions and tightness of their working atmosphere. The rules and working ethics given to them were strict and there was a shared fear of burilyaso or getting caught doing unacceptable acts or behavior while working. Other Work-related Problems included being new in the field and having hard times adjusting to working demands and to the scrutiny of co-workers as well. Another given problem was the character of a past supervisor who would reprimand some workers even if nothing wrong was done. Regret was another aspect of the work-related challenge. Three of the interviewees shared that, given a chance, they would choose another career if only they had

Experience of Gardeners 29 finished their studies. Though the contentment with their present job was present, there were still dreams of better and more dignified careers. All participants agreed that Gossip or Siraan was an immediate and sad reality they had to face during work. It was shared that inggit was a common causal factor that triggered such instances or siraan that prevented a total harmony and smooth rapport between workers and superiors. In terms of how the participants face their day-to-day challenges, let us take the clusters Resilience and Characteristics/Traits into consideration. Resilience is the basic category which houses the answers to how our respondents faced their difficulties. These difficulties were expressed as work-related and family-related as well. Again, the responses were grouped into themes that were relevant to the pressing question. These themes were aptly labeled as Belief/Values, Coping, Prayer/Spirituality for the cluster of Resilience and Perseverance as well as Acceptance for the cluster of Characteristics/Traits. In terms of Belief/Values, the responses given concerning this construct were basically about honor karangalan personality and in work. Another aspect in this construct focused on justice in life Hindi naman sa lahat lahat ibibigay sayo e yung lahat lahat meron na e kasi ako meron ako na wala sa inyo kayo meron kayo na wala sa akin, ganun lang (Gerry Gabiazon, 36) and the acceptance of that reality. Coping on the other hand dwells more on the strength and courage the participant utilizes in facing problems. The concept of laban comes into play. Pagtatyaga was also mention as a mechanism for coping. The theme Prayer/Spirituality talks about the religious aspect of the participants resiliency. Here, the culture and personal context of the participant is examined. The dominance of prayer in the daily lives of most Filipinos the influence of what is seen in school and in traditional families moves even people from such status and lifestyle to give substantial importance to God through the observation of prayer. The

Experience of Gardeners 30 overlap of the Characteristics/Traits cluster in terms of the themes Perseverance and Acceptance could be viewed as an integration of personality in problem confrontation. This possibility could be pursued further in subsequent research.

Experience of Gardeners 31 Conclusion and Recommendation Similarities and differences can be found as to how these kinds of worker perceive their work experiences in general. Whether it is positive or negative, at some point these workers meet at a certain level where all of them have come across an agreement. As previously mentioned, various studies can be found concerning the blue-collar workers. There is enough to consider a number but most lack the consideration on the workers themselves. Job satisfaction (Herzberg, Mausner, Peterson, & Capwell, 1957; Locke, 1973), for one thing, was analyzed through survey questionnaires which limits the say of the participants regarding their contentment. Effect of race and sex on performance (Thompson & Thompson, 1985) was studied in an experimental setting without consideration on other factors that actually existed at the workplace (i.e. gossiping, etc.). This paper, however, does not imply that past researches are not sufficient enough to stand alone with their claim. It is to say, on the other hand, that these researches failed to put consideration to those aspects that may have started with the specific. One thing that the past researches have in common is their attempt to explain a bigger phenomenon as to how particular things happen. In explaining such phenomenon, however, it has been found out that several things that individually concerns blue-collar workers may also be the answer. Problems which directly came from the side of the workers themselves answered what kind of problems these people really face during work. Problems they experience with their employers, gossiping, regret, and in ability to finish their work on time were just some of the concepts that were clearly manifested during the interview. In a way, these problems may just affect their job satisfaction in term affecting their performance. Likewise, relationship with their employers and colleagues may just also affect in the previous claims. All these are interrelated

Experience of Gardeners 32 and may just as well explain why some of these workers are not satisfied; why some do not perform well. This is only a proof that an analysis of the specific aspect may just be something that can explain fully why a bigger concept happens in a workplace. However, it is also not to say that the conducted research is enough to stay as it is. Recommendations for additional participants asides from gardeners but also composed of blue-collar workers are raised. Other employees who work in the same agency but in a different job and institution could also be interviewed for a more diverse opinions and points of views. Other participants who work in the same institution could also be included in addition to the said respondents for better understanding of their work relations and work experience as an employee. Additional questions could also be formulated for an in-depth analysis of the participants work experiences such as how they perceive the challenges they face in work. Relations to other colleagues could also be examined beyond the boundaries of interviewing through observation to better evaluate their responses, as well as the characteristics discussed. Lastly, examination of other external factors such as those concerning their family and social relations outside work could also be examined to further understand if these things also play a big role in the work experience of these kinds of workers and if does play a big role, in what way do this external factors affect them.

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