Protecting Filipino Overseas Migrant Workers

Abstract

The Philippines has a large, diverse, and highly trained workforce. Yet a high proportion of skilled Filipinos leave their home country, seeking opportunities in other countries. The Philippines has become one of the top exporters of labor in the world. Common destination countries are in the Middle East and East Asia regions. Filipinos tend to migrate to other countries due to the prospect of higher salaries than in the Philippines, enabling a means of family advancement by sending remittances back home. Remittances now compete with overseas aid in terms of financial inflow to a country. However, overseas workers are highly vulnerable to exploitation by their employers and can often face mental, physical, and sexual abuse. In response to this issue, the government of the Philippines developed national agencies and a multitude of programs designed to protect overseas Filipino workers from exploitation, including legal protection and advocacy. Although imperfect, the Philippines is recognized as a pioneer in the development of policies to protect the welfare of its workforce abroad.

Appendices

Discussion Questions

• 1. Migration has negative connotations but migrants also contribute positively to both the sending and receiving countries. Name at least three of the benefits of migration.

• 2. Why do people move? List the three major reasons for why people would want to leave and settle in another country. How do the motivations to migrate differ among groups?

• 3. What are the historical roots of outbound migration in the Philippines? What strategies could the Philippine government employ to improve the local conditions that contribute to the desire to work abroad? And what are the reasons why the government might not implement these strategies?

• 4. Name five challenges that migrant workers might face when settling in their country of destination. How can the government prevent or reduce the problems that migrant workers face? Suggest at least two interventions that the receiving country’s government could implement that would provide enhanced support for migrant workers.

• 5. What would effective, ethical labor migration look like at the regional level? What are the likely challenges that intergovernmental institutions like the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Union (EU) need to overcome in order to achieve this?

Follow-Up Reading

• Orbeta, A. Jr., Abrigo, M., & Cabalfin, M. (2009). Institutions Serving Philippine International Labor Migrants. Philippine Institute for Development Studies Discussion Paper Series No. 2009–31. Available from https://dirp3.pids.gov.ph/ris/dps/pidsdps0931.pdf.

• Asis, M. M. B., & Baggio, F. (Eds.). (2008). Moving out, back and up: International Migration and Development Prospects in the Philippines. Quezon City: Scalabrini Migration Center.

• Ducanes, G. (2015). The welfare impact of overseas migration on Philippine households: Analysis using panel data. Asian and Pacific Migration Journal 24(1), 79–106.

• Encinas-Franco, J. (2015). Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) as Heroes: Discursive Origins of the “Bagong Bayani” in the Era of Labor Export. Humanities Diliman 12(2), 56–78.

• International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Scalabrini Migration Center (SMC) (2013). Country Migration Report, The Philippines 2013. Makati City: IOM.

• Orbeta, A. Jr., &Abrigo, M. R. (2011). Managing International Labor Migration: The Philippine Experience. Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) Discussion Paper Series 2011–33. Available from https://dirp4.pids.gov.ph/webportal/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidspjd11-philippines.pdf.

• Zosa, V., & Orbeta, A. Jr. (2009). The Social and Economic Impact of Philippine International Labor.

• Migration and Remittances. Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) Discussion Paper Series no 0.2009–32. Available from https://dirp4.pids.gov.ph/ris/dps/pidsdps0932.pdf.