CRITICAL ISSUES & SURVEY OF

THE PHILIPPINE DIASPORA LANDSCAPE

Far East Asia Diaspora Educators Consultation
August 11-14, 2011, Manila, Philippines

Jojo Manzano
Asian Theological Seminary

Waves of Filipino Migration in

Search of Employment
Opportunities
1920s under American colonial rule, the Filipinos worked in
pineapple plantations in Hawaii, California, and to
Washington and Alaska to work in fish canneries.
1960s, Filipino nurses, doctors, medical technicians filled in
skill gaps in the United States, Canada and other European
countries.
1970s, the phenomenon of overseas contract workers
(OCWs) emerged. Filipinos leave the Philippines in even
larger numbers to fill in labour shortages in rich and
industrializing countries in the Middle East (e.g. Saudi
Arabia, Kuwait) and the Asia-Pacific (Hong Kong, Singapore,
Taiwan, Malaysia)as construction workers, nannies,
domestic workers, nurses and entertainers.

http://www.poea.gov.ph/about/hiring.htm;
http://pmscontario.tripod.com/id1.htm

Around 8.6 million to 11

million Filipinos (about 11% of
the total population of the
Philippines) live in 214 countries
overseas.
Sources: Department of Foreign
Affairs, Philippine Overseas
Employment Administration,
Commission on Filipinos Overseas

Where the 8M+

Filipinos are going
Europe
722,427
Americas
3,582,879

@
2009
Asia
1,074,496

Middle East
2,415,896
Africa
64,738

www.poea.gov.ph

Philippines

Sea-based
330,424

Oceania
388,520

Stock Estimates of Filipinos

By Major World Group
Total: 8,579,378 @ December
2009)

330,424 64,738
722,427
3,582,879
1,074,496
2,415,896

www.poea.gov.ph

Permanent - Immigrants or legal permanent

residents abroad whose stay do not depend on
work contracts.

Temporary - Persons whose stay overseas is

employment related, and who are expected to
return at the end of their work contracts.

Irregular - Those not properly documented or

without valid residence or work permits, or
who are overstaying in a foreign country.

Sources: Department of Foreign Affairs, Philippine Overseas Employment

Administration, Commission on Filipinos Overseas

The top 10 destination countries of

Filipinos:

United States of America

Saudi Arabia

Canada
United Arab Emirates

Australia

Malaysia

Japan

United Kingdom

Hong Kong

Singapore

Diaspora in the Philippines

1.

The Permanent and Temporary

Migrants (OFW/OCW)

2.

Irregular Migrants

3.

Internal Migrants

4.

The Foreign Migrants and

Tourists in the Philippines

1.

The Permanent and

Temporary Migrants

Permanent Migrants
Filipino permanent migrants are in the developed
countries of North America, particularly the United
States (US). Other destinations of permanent migrants
are countries in Asia, Oceania, and Europe but the
proportion is far lower than that in North America.

Mostly highly educated they emigrated because of

more career advancement opportunities, over and
above the differences in wages

The larger proportion of permanent migrants are

unemployedhousewives, students, and minors. This
scenario is created by the family reunification goal of
permanent migration in the US the prime
destination of Filipino emigrants.
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=575792&publicationS

Temporary Migrant Workers

Temporary migrant workers. This includes the increasing

number of new-hire and the even faster increasing proportion of
rehired workers.

Land-based temporary migrants are composed of professionals,

service workers, production process workers, transport workers,
and laborers.

Filipino temporary migrant workers are shown to be younger

and better educated. Around 7 out of 10 are of ages between 24
to 44 years old and half of them have at least some tertiary
education.

Temporary labor migration is likewise selective of gender, with

majority of temporary migrant workers being women.
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=575792&publicationSu

The history of systematized export of Filipino labor

abroad is a product of extreme poverty,
underdevelopment and joblessness in the country,
rooted in the uneven distribution of land and wealth
that has benefited a handful of rich landlords, big
business, cronies, and multinational companies.
This system started under Spanish colonial rule,
was entrenched under American colonial rule and
continues to this very dayfrom Marcos era up to
this present government administration of Benigno
Aquino III.

http://www.poea.gov.ph/about/hiring.htm;
http://pmscontario.tripod.com/id1.htm

The deepening economic crisis in the

Philippines has aggravated the migration of
Filipinos abroad to the point where 8 million
people, more than 10% of the population, now
work abroad as migrant labor in 214countries.
Filipino migrant workers contribute significantly
to the ailing Philippines economy through
their remittances. In 2010 remittances of
migrant Filipinos were registered at $18.
7billion. This contribution is recognized by the
government. Migrant workers are hailed as
"new economic heroes.

http://www.poea.gov.ph/about/hiring.htm;
http://pmscontario.tripod.com/id1.htm

The Philippine government has been unable

to provide protection to its migrant workforce,
despite the hefty fees OCWs have to pay in
order to be employed overseas. Many Filipinos
continue to experience abuse and exploitation
contract violations, termination without
cause, rape, sexual harassment, and even
death.

The anguish and ordeal of migrant Filipinos

continue. The conditions that confront them
necessitate the continued organizing,
education and mobilization
work, in order that
http://pmscontario.tripod.com/id1.htm

Deployment Trend of OFWs

1975 - 2001

www.poea.gov.ph

Ramos Gloria
00-10
Marcos Cory 92-98
Erap
64-86 86-92
98-00

Deployment Trend of OFWs

2004 - 2010
1600000
1400000
1200000
1000000
800000
600000
400000
200000
0

Y-2004

Y-2005

www.poea.gov.ph

Y-2006

Y-2007

Y-2008

Y-2009

Y-2010

Gloria Nonoy
00-10 10-16

2010 Deployment of OFW

347,150
44,272

280,808
25,696
15,448
48,185

25,207
684,060

otal: 1,470,826

www.poea.gov.ph

2010 daily deployment average

of Landbased OFWs
a

3,303* daily!
1,164 new hire; 2,139 rehires
*Figures do not include
Sea-based workers
www.poea.gov.ph

2010 Top Ten OFW Destinations

(Landbased, New Hires & Rehires)
Countries

No. of
Departures

Saudi Arabia

293,049

U. Arab Emirates

201,214

Hong Kong

101,340

Qatar

87,813

Singapore

70,251

Kuwait

53,010

Taiwan

36,866

Italy

25,595

Bahrain

15,434

Canada

13,885

TOTAL

1,123,676
http://www.poea.gov.ph/about/hiring.ht

2010 OFW Deployment by Major

Occupational Category

(Land-based, New Hires & Rehires)

Countries

Number of
Departures

Professional Medical, Technical &

Related Workers
Administrative & Managerial
Workers
Clerical Workers
Sales Workers
Service Workers
Agricultural Workers
Production Workers
Others

41,836
1,439
10,706
7,242
154,536
1,122
120,647

2,753
http://www.poea.gov.ph/about/hiring.ht

2010 Top Ten OFW Deployment by Occupational

Categories and Gender (New Hires)
Occupation

Male

Female

Total

Household Service Workers

1,703

94,880

96,583

Charworkers, Cleaners & Related

Workers

2,612

9,521

12,133

Nurses Professional

1,828

10,254

12,082

543

8,750

9,293

Waiters, Bartenders & Related

Workers

4,393

4,396

8,789

Wiremen & Electrical Workers

8,576

30

8,606

Plumbers and Pipe Fitters

8,391

16

8,407

Welders & Flame-Cutters

5,037

22

5,059

Housekeeping & Related Service

Workers

701

4,098

4,799

Bricklayers, Stonemasons, & Tile

Setters

4,478

29

4,507

Caregivers & Caretakers

TOTALS

http://www.poea.gov.ph/about/hiring.ht
154,67 185,60 340,27

2.

The Irregular Migrants

Irregular migrants people who have fled their

homes for reasons similar to refugees, but who
remain within their own national territory and are
subject to the laws of that state.
Irregular migrants are a hidden population of people
thus difficult to know their exact number. They
avoid identification for fear of arrest and
deportation. Irregular migrants are everywhere but
a significant number of them are in East Malaysia.
http://www.irregularmigration.info/2010/11
/why-not-bilog-filipino-irregular.html

Definition: This entry includes those persons residing in a country

as refugees or internally displaced persons (IDPs). The definition of
a refugee according to a United Nations Convention is "a person
who is outside his/her country of nationality or habitual residence;
has a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race,
religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or
political opinion; and is unable or unwilling to avail himself/herself of
the protection of that country, or to return there, for fear of
persecution

The term "internally displaced person" is not specifically covered in

the UN Convention; it is used to describe

Fillipino refugees in Borneo, Malaysia

Since 2008, sporadic attacks by the militants have forced more than
400,000 Muslim to flee their homes in Mindanao.
About 100,000 fled to Malaysia joining others who have settled there
over the past four decades of war in Mindanao.
"Many have become stateless
Scores of refugee camps dot the coastline of Malaysia's Sabah state,
on the tip of Borneo island. The camps are poor and squalid.
Many of them have been in the camps so long that they no longer
identify with their own country. Many also are second and third
generation and sometimes even fourth generation who no longer have
any form of identity or knowledge of the Philippines.
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/Aid-Workers-Urge-Philippines
-Government-to-Address-Needs-of-Filipino-refugees.html

3.

The Internal Migrants

Refugees and internally

displaced persons:
With the continued tension
between government troops
and Muslim militants and NPA,
many Filipinos are displaced.

4.

The Foreign Migrants

and Tourists in the
Philippines

2010 total number of visitors in

the Philippines:
3.5 million

http://www.census.gov.ph/data/quickstat/qs110

Foreign Nationals in the Philippines

Over the past few years theres been a growing number of

foreign nationals living in the Philippines. Most of those
migrating to the Philippines are Americans, Chinese, Koreans,
Japanese, Indians and Europeans.
For several reasons
Married to Filipinas,
To invest in businesses,
To study,
To live here because of the low cost of living and
To retire. The government is also marketing the Philippines
as a retirement haven for foreign nationals.

http://EzineArticles.com/469935

South Koreans in the Philippines

Total Population: 115,400 (2009)
Most live in:
Metro Manila, Baguio, Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod,
Davao, Cagayan de Oro.

Indians in the Philippines

Approximately 38,000 Indians and Indian Filipinos
Most of them are Sindhi and Punjabi, but there is
also a large Tamil population as well. Many
Indians have intermarried with Filipinos,
Most live in:
Manila, Cebu, Davao and Zamboanga

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non

Foreign Students in the

Philippines
Bureau of Immigration 2010 statistics:

26,823 Koreans
3,395
Chinese nationals,
2,980
Iranians
1,004
Americans.

http://www.journal.com.ph/index.php/news/nation
al/1324-south-koreans-top-list-of-foreign-stude

Critical Issues of
Philippine Diaspora

The weakening the Filipino family. The

increased number of parents now working
abroad has resulted in prolonged
separation of families. This has led to a
radical change in the family structure: the
emergence of single-parents and femaleheaded households, and households
headed by older children of OFWs.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nat
ion/view/20061117-33105/Migration_weakening_Filipi

Feminization of migration. Female new

hires, mostly mothers, comprised 72
percent of total deployment in 2005.
Mothers are perceived as the first teachers
of Filipinochildren and play a crucial role in
their formation and transition to adulthood.
Millions of Filipino childrengrow up without
their mothers and the psychological
support and guidance from their parents.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nat
ion/view/20061117-33105/Migration_weakening_Filipi

Threat to national development. As

more and more skilled workers and
professionals opt to work abroad to support
their families, the country is left with fewer
skilled workers and professionals to help
with nation-building.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nat
ion/view/20061117-33105/Migration_weakening_Filipi

Increasing number of irregular migrants.

Mostly under-aged and low-skilled to become
service workers.
Disturbance in the Middle East. Many
workers had to return home in the Philippines
with no jobs and little or no financial
resources.
Host Government Policy. E.g. Saudi Arabia
will impliment Saudinization of low-skilled
workers. This will mean many people will

Philippine Government Policy. For financial

reasons, the Philippine government are
aggressive marketing Filipino workers but with
very little regard for the workers welfare and
the left-behind.
The Evangelical Churches Response.
Although there are efforts to minister to
Filipino migrants and their families as well as
to the foreigners, many evangelical churches
are still not responding to the challenge of
diaspora ministry.

end