Psst...Did you hear she grew up without her mom? In this week’s episode, Ryan Lacanilao chats with Francesca Doniego, Ericka Sisgundo, David John Lubuguin, and Marielle Diaz. They all grew up in the Philippines with one of their parents working abroad, and now they all live in Edmonton.

It’s quite common for children in the Philippines to grow up with one or both of their parents working in another country. This is because many families find it hard to make ends meet while working at local jobs with local pay, so they go overseas.

This season’s theme is resilience, and this episode touches on it on multiple levels. Parents faced with limited local options find a way to make things work by going to where there’s more opportunity to provide for their family and give future generations more opportunity. And the children of migrant workers find a way to deal with growing up without their parent and the toll that takes on their relationship.

Francesca and Ericka talk about what it was like to grow up without their mom. How did they deal with bullying at school, how did it affect their relationship, and how did it shape their views on family and future plans?

DJ talks about what it was like to grow up without his dad. What milestones did his dad miss, what was it like when he visited, and what kind of things do they do now that they live together again?

Listen to find out!