SOC210 PT

A HISTORY LESSON ON PHILIPPINE LABOR MIGRATION

© WBEZChicago

As of today, the Philippines is one of the biggest exporters of laborers in the world, even being
considered a major source of labor migrants for various countries across the globe. This is a
result of the nation’s rich and deeply rooted culture of migration which has made moving abroad
a common, acceptable, and even desirable option for Filipinos. This motivation of Filipinos to go
overseas is explained by the long and deep history of migration which has been deeply
ingrained in the social, economic, and cultural climate of the Philippines.

According to the Center for Migration Advocacy, an organization focused on upholding the rights
of Filipino migrants and their families, migration in the Philippines is characterized by four
distinct waves.

The first wave of migration began with the first ever recorded instance of Philippine migration in
1417 which involved Sulu royalties and their families moving to China to improve trade relations
with the Chinese emperor at the time. This first wave lasted until the end of the 19th century, in
that timeframe Filipino migrants, specifically Filipino seafarers and fruit pickers moved to places
like Mexico, Louisiana, and California. By the end of the first wave, Filipino students,
professionals, and exiles began immigrating to Europe in large numbers.
The second wave of migration started at the beginning of the 20th century with the immigration
of Filipinos in large sums up to 100,000 to the United States of America, most of whom migrated
to Hawaii. As this was during the American colonial period and the Philippines was considered a
US colony, Filipinos were considered US nationals which made migration easier. This
large-scale systematic migration of Filipinos lasted until the 1940s.

The third wave of migration began following the end of the Second World War. After the US
implemented policies that restricted immigration, there was a decline in Filipino migration to the
country which resulted in more Filipinos migrating to other Asian nations. Specifically,
approximately 200,000 Filipinos were employed in Malaysia during the 1950s. After years of
restrictions, the US and Canada began relaxing their regulations on immigration which resulted
in a significant increase in Filipino migration to North America. Additionally, Filipinos also began
to migrate to Middle Eastern countries such as Iran and Iraq, many of whom worked as
engineers. In this same period, Filipinos also began migrating to Europe to work as nurses and
domestic workers.

The fourth wave of migration began in the 1970s when former President Ferdinand Marcos
implemented policies that encouraged emigration to boost the economy. While at the time, these
policies were put in place as a temporary solution, labor migration has still been increasing
since. A variety of push factors such as high unemployment rates and poor living situations in
the country combined with government policies encouraging emigration, thousands of Filipinos
began seeking employment overseas. The political, social, and economic uncertainty under the
martial law rule of President Marcos pushed middle-class Filipinos to leave the country. The
development of neighboring countries and other promising destinations further encouraged
Filipinos to migrate.

In today’s modern world, the rise of globalization has made Filipino migration even easier. For
example, through globalization and the interconnectedness of the world, the Philippines has
established positive relations with various countries around the world. This has led to the
deployment of millions of Filipino workers worldwide, particularly in the Middle East, Asia,
Europe, and North America. As countries become even more connected socially and culturally,
this trend of globalization will further expand.

This culture of migration in the Philippines has a variety of benefits for the Filipino people, but it
also poses numerous negative effects. Thousands of migrant workers often experience harsh
working conditions. Migrant workers are possible victims of forced labor and human trafficking
as they are often susceptible to these crimes. With some workers being forced to work against
their will with little to no pay. The government has provided solutions to these issues in the form
of forming bilateral agreements with countries that prioritize the welfare of Overseas Filipino
Workers (OFWs) and protect their rights. These diplomatic agreements often include provisions
to address harassment, abuse, and exploitation of Filipino workers abroad.
The Philippines has a very high number of overseas workers, so much so that Filipinos are
globally known to be hardworking. It is often said that labor is the Philippines’ primary export,
the current estimate being that over 2.3 million Filipinos are currently working abroad. This high
number has resulted in a very high number of remittances from OFWs, making up for
approximately 12% of the national GDP. From this statistic, we can deduce that remittances
from overseas workers contribute significantly to the Philippine economy. The heavy reliance of
various Filipino families and the Philippine economy in general on remittances from OFWs
display the Philippines’ inability to be a self-sufficient nation. The government is taking
measures to reduce this heavy reliance on remittances such as strengthening the agricultural
sector of the country to become more globally-competitive, encouraging foreign investment, and
nurturing local and small businesses to improve business and innovation.

© PhilStar

In conclusion, the Philippines has a very long and rich history of migration dating back to the
pre-colonial period. Colonialization and a variety of push factors have led to the further
stimulation of migration. The integration of migration into the social, economic, and cultural
norms of the Filipino people has led to the desire to work overseas becoming an aspiration for
most of the working class, and even becoming a symbol of success for most families.
Additionally, with the further expansion of globalization and the ever-increasing
interconnectedness of the world, it is expected that Filipino migration and the exporting of
Filipino workers to countries with which the Philippines has bilateral agreements with is an
inevitable outcome. As a result, the country will continue to become heavily dependent on the
overseas working force as a source of income for the economy if drastic measures are not
taken. While the government is working to combat this, it is becoming apparent that this culture
of migration will not go away any time soon.

References:

● https://centerformigrantadvocacy.com/philippine-migration/history-of-philippine-migration/
● https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/philippines-beyond-labor-migration-toward-develo
pment-and-possibly-return
● https://www.ilo.org/regions-and-countries/asia-and-pacific/philippines/areas-work/labour-
migration-philippines
● https://www.rappler.com/moveph/62055-history-migration-filipinos/
● https://www.wbez.org/stories/the-history-of-filipino-nurses-in-the-us/834f0ac7-eb56-4303
-8670-4903ccf42f53
● https://www.philstar.com/business/2020/12/03/2061250/quick-comeback-unlikely-migrant
-workers-after-coronavirus/