Philippines - Filipino migrant workers or overseas Filipino workers (OFW) represent a major socioeconomic sector of the Philippines, contributing about USD 21.3 billion of remittances in 2012. In fact, the recent improvements in the country's GDP were largely due the consistent financial flow from these migrants.

On the heels of this economic growth, the International Organization for Migration today (27 June 2013) launches the Philippines’ first Country Migration Report (CMR), profiling the migration flows of the island nation.

With the Philippines being a prominent origin of migrant labour and permanent migrants to more than 200 destinations worldwide, the 291-page book was drafted in cooperation with 30 contributing organizations, including the Department of Labor & Employment, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration and the Commission on Filipinos Overseas.

The Philippines CMR is the newest addition to more than 40 country migration profiles that IOM has documented since 2007.

The CMR, largely authored by the Scalabrini Migration Center, highlights the country’s most comprehensive and integrated account of its migration management profile. The report discusses the Philippines’ migration history, the trends and characteristics of its migration flows, the impact of international migration on various fronts and its migration governance.

IOM programme officer Ricardo Casco says the CMR is a good reference for an informed policy as well as responsive service programming and delivery. He says the report was completed through a series of inclusive consultations and data-mapping exercises.

Under the Migrant Workers and Filipinos Act, a provision states that there is a need for a shared government information system on migration.

“One good thing about the process was to have rekindled the network of institutions who needed to sit together just on the goal of migration data sharing and report integration”, says Casco.

The report also brought to light critical analyses of migration issues as well as recommendations on how to address these challenges.

"The recommendations point to the need to view migration issues in a larger perspective. The Philippines must take action, through the domestic economy, to positively redirect migration flows – one that will benefit local and regional development," Casco explains.

The Philippines CMR also underscores the need for engagement of government institutions that are not traditionally sensitized with any role in migration.

The launch was spearheaded by Marco Boasso, Chief of Mission of IOM Philippines, with the keynote address of DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz and a message from CFO Secretary Imelda Nicolas who shared the lead in mobilizing the inter-agency technical working group.

For more information, please contact

Ricardo Casco
IOM Philippines
Email: rcasco@iom.int