CEBU INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

UNIVERSITY

FILIPINOS CHOOSING TO WORK ABROAD: IMPACTS

In Partial Fulfillment for the Requirement in

The Contemporary World

Submitted by:
Arbonida, Merry Joy B.
Dela Cerna, Reggie P.
Diongzon, Denisse Marie
Dominguez, Sheila Marie D.
Muñoz, Pia Blanca
Pando, Reycil Ann

March 18, 2019

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study and Rationale

One common characteristic of Filipinos is being family-oriented. They

consider their families as their source of strength and main commitment and

responsibility. They value them so much that they will do anything to give them a

better life. However, Filipinos who are referred to as skilled and talented workers

and professionals are having a hard time landing to a job that would provide

enough for their families’ needs. With the increasing number of Filipinos dealing

with limited employment opportunities and poverty, it seems for being an OFW to

occur in conformity in the Philippines. They leave the country to enjoy the perks

of having higher salaries and better opportunities given in other countries that

they think they’ll never have in the Philippines.

According to Lucas (1998), human capital formation is vital on the

economic growth in the long-run. It was in 1970’s when the Philippines launched

an overseas employment program wherein men left the country to work on oil

rigs and construction sites in the Middle East. Many will still be able to remember

the popularity of the phrase “Katas ng Saudi” [fruit of Saudi] to refer to material

possessions or a better life as a result of working in Saudi Arabia especially the

denim jackets jokingly referred as an indication of someone from abroad. The

service sector continued to boom during the 80s through 90s where destinations
diversified and women began joining the labor migration flow to fill domestic and

caregiving vacancies in the developed countries.

Today, Philippines is one of the countries with the most number of

overseas workers across the globe. In 2013, the Commission on Filipinos

Overseas estimated that 10% of the country’s population live and work abroad

with seafaring, domestic work and nursing as the major sectors dominated.

Over the past decades, outward migration has shaped Philippine society

in many ways. Initially intended as a temporary measure to catalyze economic

development, migration is now a major contributing economic force. According to

International Monetary Fund (2013), remittances have increased rapidly to

become a significant source of national income, making the country, third, in

Asia.

Undeniably, labor migration has contributed mainly to the economic

aspect but its impacts cannot be all to the economy. It is also manifested in the

different aspects as to political, social and cultural aspects. (Yu 2015) in a study

said that Migrant workers returning back to the Philippines have been found to

exhibit socio-cultural changes in the form of heightened independence and

confidence due to their cosmopolitan exposure although their attitudes to family

and religion generally remain unchanged.

Philippines, being considered as one of the largest labor-sending

countries in the world, has been an interesting topic on migration. There have

been numerous studies on the impacts of Filipinos working abroad but studies
that focus in the other factors or areas other than economic are quite scarce in

the Philippines. There are still aspects that have not yet been explored. In this

paper, the researchers aim to expand and enhance the current and previous

researches by examining the impacts of labor migration among Filipinos on

cultural, social, economic and political aspects.

Statement of the Problem

Overseas Filipino Workers' are increasing. Almost all of the countries in

the world have Filipinos who are working there having different reasons why they

took the risk of leaving home. In view of this, this research study aims to know

the impacts of Filipinos who are working abroad, politically, economically,

culturally and socially.

To further understand the impacts of the Filipinos working abroad in

different aspects, the following Research Questions are essential:

1. What are their reasons of working abroad?

2. What are the possibilities that might happen to them in choosing to

work outside of the country?

3. What are the adjustments to themselves and to their surroundings?

How did they adjust?

4. How did they adopt in the way of life in the country that they are

working?

5. What is the currency of the country that they are working in? How often

do they send money to their families in the Philippines?

day?

7. What are the physical and psychological effects to them being away

from their home and family?

Scope and Limitation of the Study

This study focuses on the impacts of working abroad to the Filipino

workers than staying in the Philippines including the factors affecting its political,

economic, cultural, and social influence during the year 2019.

This study will not cover other problems that are not consider as political,

economic, cultural, and social factors.

The respondents of the study are limited to the Filipinos working outside

the Philippines, both male and female, twenty years (20) old and above.

The study would be done through interviews and survey questionnaires as

reference.

The researchers will survey at least 10 000 Filipino respondents, both

male and female.

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Millions of Filipinos travel outside the country every year and the reasons

vary. One of the most known reasons is through work. Filipinos work outside the

country for the sake of their family. Salaries and wages are greater from other

countries when being spend in the Philippines because of how low the Philippine

peso is compared with other currency. Filipinos are skilled and talented

professionals who work hard to give hope to their families and to the Philippines

economy. The country is proud to export its workforce. It is totally part of the

government strategy to boost the economy.

An article entitled “5 Reasons Why Filipinos Are Going Abroad” said, “With

attractive salaries and benefits, more and more Filipinos are going abroad to

work. In fact, a report released by the National Statistics Office last September

2013, states that there are around 2.2 million Filipinos who go abroad as

Overseas Filipinos Workers (OFWs) anytime between April to September 2012.

These OFWs work as laborers or unskilled workers, service and sales workers,

professionals, plant and machine operators, and more.”

Everywhere you go there are overseas Filipino Workers that you will meet.

Most Filipinos who work outside are either caregivers or nurses. Filipinos are

known to be one of the most in demand in other countries in this job. This is

because Filipinos tend to be known to have this magical touch to patients that

makes them feel special. Filipinos choose to work outside the country because of
poverty. They want to improve their lives and the lives of their love ones by

earning bigger salaries.

Another reason from the same article stated, “Many Filipinos go

abroad to migrate. One of the main reasons for migration is employment. High

salary and great benefits attract Filipino workers to migrate. Other Filipinos also

bring their families along with them in their country of employment. There are

also Filipino citizens who are married to foreigners, causing their migration

abroad. For the senior migrants, they migrate abroad for retirement.”

From a different article in Approachpeople.com it indicated that the top

reason why people work abroad is to take up a great challenge. “Living abroad is

a challenging experience. You will have to adapt to a new culture and a new way

of life. Immersing yourself in a foreign environment requires flexibility and

determination. That might not be easy at the beginning but it is a great life

lesson. You will find yourself becoming more independent and will gain strength

of character.”

Different places and much more different countries have different culture.

If you are from the Philippines, you would know how close the family ties are and

once Filipinos migrate to other countries like USA they would feel really different.

And it is really true that being in a different place where there is a different culture

and adjusting to it and adapt to theirs is really a great challenge but in the end it

will give a good effect on you. Filipinos are also known to be flexible, they are

able to adjust in short amount of times.

economic and financial instability, it can be a good idea to go abroad if you can’t

get the job you want in your own country. In the countries that don’t struggle to

turn around their economies, you are more likely to get a good job with a

competitive salary. Joining a large corporation will open you the doors to great

benefits and perks.”

There are jobs that can only be found in other countries and this is why

people tend to go in other countries to reach their dreams and achieve their

goals. The Philippines being in the third world country gives more reason to

Filipinos to work in other countries, it may be because of the salaries but also

some are caused by the fact that advance jobs aren’t available in the country just

like in research. There are doctors who work in other countries as part of a

research team to formulate medicines and some of these doctors might be a

Filipino. Imagine how we lost a great mind to other nations because our

government or country cannot support the study or research they wanted to

make.

For the last twenty-five years’ short-term overseas workers has irreversibly

shaped the Philippine economy modified the bureaucracy transformed the

Filipino family the relation between spouses and between parents and their

children. (David, 2001) Overseas Filipino workers were greatly affected or

influenced by the culture and mentality of the countries they worked at despite

residing there in a short period of time. They were able to bring home another
cultural identity and further impressed it to their communities, families, society,

and even to the government which made a global impact in the country.

According to Moneytis.Com, "The Philippines are the third country

receiving the most remittances worldwide. Right after India and China. It can be

surprising as its population of 100 million people is far smaller than its two giant

neighbors. Remittances from those foreign workers to the Philippines are

essential to the country. It helps to sustain the country’s domestic consumption

and growth. Remittances represent 10% of the nation’s GDP. Filipinos are

supportive. We saw a record amount of remittances in 2015 as a result of a

decrease in the public expenses. Moreover, those remittances help to stabilize

the peso against the US dollar".

All those people are sending money back home every year to their loved

ones. The remittances go straight to families, relatives, households, friends. So

they can improve their quality of life.

According to Xpress.Com, "The impact of remittances on the Philippines

economy goes beyond GDP. OFW remittances have contributed to a positive

impact on the country's earnings of foreign exchange. By substantially adding to

the country's earnings in foreign exchange, these remittances have contributed to

the strengthening of the nation's balance of payments position, bolstering the

surpluses on current accounts".

Another statement from the same source states “The receipt of

remittances increases the total incomes of the receipt households. If the

disposable income. With more income, household consumption rises. This goes

in different directions - from basic needs toward an improved consumption basket

of food, clothing, leisure, and then some luxuries. Hence, most families enjoy an

improvement in their standard of living. An important element of this

phenomenon is the impact on the typical household's educational choices.

Families have better opportunities for higher quality education for their children,

which is probably one of the most crucial impacts of OFW remittances on the

economy".

Every Filipino family has relatives abroad. They could be immigrants,

contract workers or overstaying tourist. Filipino family’s immigrants are now

prominent. And one of the reason of their transfer is the culture. Filipinos

believed in many things and in many ways. Filipinos adapt easily and connect to

other countries that it is easy for the Filipinos to travel around the globe.

According to the article entitled "Filipino Culture and Pinoy Abroad" states,

"Culture shock happens to a certain degree and we strive to blend in. We begin

to assimilate whatever social constructs, political point of views, stereotypical

choices, and beliefs of foreign country to a certain extent. We acclimatize and

adjust so fast that some Pinoys become recognizable after just a year of being

there. There are even Filipinos who are so convinced that the system and how

things are done where they currently stay are far better than what our country

has to offer".
 The survival instinct of a Filipino is top of the line. Our mental constructs

allow us adapt very quickly and though we are consciously resistant to change,

when survival and sanity is on the line, our race does adjustments beautifully. But

of course, it won't be a complete change. Like the history of our country, it is an

integration to what we are, therefore we still retain what we've learned, lived and

believed.

“Philippine government is faced with this dilemma: how do they make sure

that these Filipinos outside of the country maintain their links to the country. The

fact that they send money back to the Philippines is not enough. They have to

make sure that these Filipinos remain connected to their homeland lest they

might lose them someday. A stronger sense of identity, solidarity and nationalism

will ensure that these Filipinos will participate in the affairs of the country which

will then ensure continued support from them in terms of financial matters. In

order to induce such participation, the government should cross borders and

exert re-territorialization and extra-territorial jurisdiction efforts-the government

now faces the issue of transnational governance. These integration mechanisms

to induce participation from Filipinos abroad is an effort that should be carried out

by the Philippine government to make sure that Filipinos abroad remain

connected to their home country", Essay 2018.

Additionally, from the same source, “Different countries turn to different

national strategies in order to maintain a competitive edge in the global market.

For many developing countries, the labor force that they possess is a significant

resource that may be utilized in order to pursue economic and social growth and
development within their countries. The Philippines is one of the major countries

that rely heavily on its workforce for economic stability and social advancement.

Indeed, the Philippine experience of Diaspora is a sad and happy story to tell.

The fact is that Filipinos working outside of the country brings the bacon home-

the dollars that supports the economic activities in the country”.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Data Sampling

The participants in this study are Filipino workers who are working outside

the Philippines. The researchers will choose at least 10,000 respondents within

Cebu both male and female and ranges from 20 years old and above. The

respondents will be purposively selected because of their expertise and

experience as per requirement of this study that every respondent shall be

Filipino workers who works outside the Philippines.

The participants will be selected as they considered to be appropriate for

this study, they have the knowledge and be able to give adequate information

that the researcher needs.

Data Collection Process

The researchers will interview the respondents in order to get the

necessary data. The researchers will first make a guide questions in relation to

the topic impacts including the factors affecting its political, economic, cultural,

and social influence of working abroad to the Filipino workers than staying in the

Philippines.

Having found out that the research instrument is valid and reliable the

researchers will secure necessary documents such as permit to conduct the

presented the researcher will know conduct the research.

Data Analysis

The researchers will now analyze the data gathered from the respondents.

The researchers will first identify key questions that they want to answer through

the analysis then categorize the data and create a framework. Also, identify

patterns and make connections of the data gathered. The researchers will now

interpret the data and explain the findings. The researchers will use Narrative

Analysis to analyze the text that came from the interview of the respondents. It

involves reformulating stories presented by respondents in different context and

based on their different experience.

Electronic Devices

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Corporation. Retrieved March 17, 2019 from

https.//www/ultimatevisa.com/5-reasons- filipinos-going-abroad/.

“Filipino Culture and the Pinoys Abroad.” (2012, Aug. 29) The Pinoy Warrior.

Retrieved March 17, 2019 from

www.thepinoywarrior.com/2012/08/filipino-culture-and-pinoys-

abroad.html?m=1.

Galvez (2017) Allocation of Remittances of Overseas Filipino Workers'

(Ofws') Households in Cebu, Philippines. Retrieved March 17, 2019

from

http://library.usc.edu.ph/Filipiniana/pdf/Business%20Administration/G

alvez.pdf

Laura. (2017 Mar. 02). “Philippines: OFW Impact on the Nation's Economy.”

Moneytis, Moneytis Corporation. Retrieved March 17, 2019, from

moneytis.com/en/blog/living-abroad/philippines-ofw-impact.

Lucas (1988). On The Mechanics of Economic Development. University of

Chicago, Chicago. Retrieved March 17, 2019 from

https://www.parisschoolofeconomics,eu/docs/darcillonthibault/lucasm

echanicseconomicgrowth.pdf
“OFWs – The Strong Pillars OF The Philippine Economy | Xpress Money.” 4

(2016, Apr. 04), Global Site. Retrieved March 17, 2019 from

www.xpressmoney.com/blog/industry/ofws-the-strong-pillars-of-the-

philippine-economy/.

“Why Working Abroad?” International Recruitment Agency - Approach People

Recruitment. Retrieved March 17, 2019 from

www.approachpeople.com/candidates/newsletter/articles/why-

working-

abroad/?fbclid=IwAR0jY1WqA1ltDIExqpO9L0iKiRrFtyJU29KMyqMK

H4uzOI7-k6l-3BiJsY.