The Episcopal Commission for

the Pastoral Care of Migrants

and Itinerant People (ECMI)
Catholic Bishops Conference of
the Philippines (CBCP)
22nd nd Asia Pacific Congress on Migration Asia Pacific Congress on Migration
and Family and Family
Taipei, Taiwan Taipei, Taiwan
September 24-28, 2014 September 24-28, 2014
Introduction and overview of
international migration in the
Philippines
Effects of Migration Effects of Migration
Emerging Challenges Emerging Challenges
Conclusion Conclusion


Mlgrauon ls as old as humanklnd. 1he clrcumsLances may
have dlered over Lhe mlllennla buL Lhe mlgranL's
mouvauon have remalned more or less Lhe same: Lhe
search for beuer worklng condluons, salary prosperlLy,
reseulemenL, and famlly reunlcauon. and yes even for
Lhe sake of curloslLy.
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As of May 2010 Census:
92.34 Million

The Population will double in
36.8 years
FIRST WAVE USA
1900 TO 1950
SECOND WAVE US/EUROPE,
Oceania
1950 TO 1970
THIRD WAVE MIDDLE EAST
1970 TO 1990
FOURTH WAVE
EAST ASIA
1990 TO PRESENT
WAVES OF MIGRATION

4.9 million Permanent (Emigrants)
4.2 million-Temporary(MIGRANT WORKERS)
1.3 million Irregular Migrants
366,865 - Seafarers



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Total No. of Filipinos Overseas 10.5 Million (CFO 2012)

220 countries/territories
Region Region Permanent Permanent Temporary Temporary Irregular Irregular TOTAL TOTAL
World 4,925,767 4,22,1041 1,342,790 10,489,628
Americas 3,875,930 240,827 272,595 4,396,352
Asia, West 7,478 2,449,583 378,475 2,835536
Asia, ES 286,627 798,510 514,215 1,599,352
Europe 392,195 219,896 156,315 768,326
Oceania 358,926 97,448 5,950 462,324
Africa 4,641 47,992 8240 60673
Seafarers 366,865 366,865
!"#$% '!"()*"' #+ ",' #-'.!'*! +(/(0(1#! 0#02/*"(#13
4564
Ambivalence in appreciating the effects of international Ambivalence in appreciating the effects of international
migration migration
Migration always has two Migration always has two
Faces Faces
The positive material benefits of migrant labor remittances for the
family have been well documented
and confirmed.
Remittances help lift recipients out of poverty,
increase and diversify household incomes,
provide an insurance against risk,
enable family members to benefit from educational and training
opportunities and
provide a source of capital for the establishment of small
businesses
(Global Commission on International Migration 2005, 26).
The positive material benefits of migrant labor remittances for the
family have been well documented
and confirmed.
Not only do remittances increase the consumption
levels of recipient families, thereby putting education and health
care within reach,
but they also contribute to infrastructure development and
investment for increased income in the long term when consciously
saved and aggregated

(Wolfensohn 2005, ix, cited in Kunz 2006)
OFW Remittances
2011-2013)
(In US Dollars)
2012
$20.1B

$21.4B
2013 2013





POSITIVE EFFECTS OF MIGRATION

FINANCIAL
IMPROVEMENT

MATERIAL BENEFITS

PROVIDE BETTER
EDUCATION
FAMILY COMFORT AND
RECREATION




POSITIVE EFFECTS OF MIGRATION

44ACQUIRED NEW TECHNOLOGY ACQUIRED NEW TECHNOLOGY
44IMPROVED SELF-ESTEEM AND CONFIDENCE MPROVED SELF-ESTEEM AND CONFIDENCE
44EXPOSURE TO NEW CULTURES, PEOPLE AND EXPOSURE TO NEW CULTURES, PEOPLE AND
ENVIRONMENT ENVIRONMENT
44SKILLS UPGRADED SKILLS UPGRADED
NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF MIGRATION
FAMILY

Estrangement
of Relationship
Marital
Break-ups
MOTHER-ABSENT CHILDREN MOTHER-ABSENT CHILDREN
Mother-absent children were observed to be the most susceptible Mother-absent children were observed to be the most susceptible
to cold, cough, headache, stomachache and loss of appetite to cold, cough, headache, stomachache and loss of appetite
Hearts Apart 2004
If someone in the family had to migrate, in general, the popular If someone in the family had to migrate, in general, the popular
choice was the father, 49% according to all the children. And 61% choice was the father, 49% according to all the children. And 61%
among the children of migrants among the children of migrants
Among the children of migrants, the children of migrant mothers Among the children of migrants, the children of migrant mothers
were the least likely to describe their parents were the least likely to describe their parents relationship as relationship as very very
good good..
the children of mother absent families did not do as well in the children of mother absent families did not do as well in
school. school.


!Weakened family ties.
!Sense of abandonment
!Confusion and sense of insecurity / anxiety.
!Incomplete self identity.
!Colonial and migration mentality.
!Poorer school performance.
!Behavior problems in school.
!Absence of role models for behavior.
!Consumerism and materialism.
!Deviant behavior, crime, prostitution,
gambling, drugs.

EFFECTS ON THE CHILDREN EFFECTS ON THE CHILDREN

!Physical and forced separations.
!Loneliness, sexual frustrations.
!Indelity and extra marital affairs.
!Lack of intimate contact & communication.
!Estrangement
!Unequal cultural or social exposure.
!Broken marriages / divorce.
!New roles for spouses.

EFFECTS ON THE COUPLE EFFECTS ON THE COUPLE


(When the Wife Migrates)

!More free to be attached to barkada.
!Most likely freer to yield to temptations
of gambling and womanizing.
!Lose face because wife earns more and
supports the family.
!Less responsible at home.
!Tendency to be over dependent of remittance.

EFFECTS ON THE HUSBAND EFFECTS ON THE HUSBAND


(When the Husband Migrates)
!More independent.
!Income earner.
!Sole manager of the household.
!Monopolizes decision-making.
!Has more freedom to socialize.

EFFECTS ON THE EFFECTS ON THE
WIFE WIFE



!The creation of family is postponed.
!Marriage is tested and relationship can
be unduly strained as both cope with
new work, culture.
!Money becomes the priority rather than
the family.
!Care of children left to relatives.

WHEN BOTH PARENTS MIGRATE WHEN BOTH PARENTS MIGRATE
- !"#$%& () *(+%),%-. for Lhe sake of Lhe famlly (and
or exLended famlly)
- lnsecurlLy: quesuon of nanclal sLandlng arlses
once Lhe conLracL ls over
- lL may relnforce Lhe pauern le Lhe colonlzers,
amLude of servlLude, or serve Lhe forelgner: Lhe 3u
[obs (dlrLy-dangerous-dlmculL)
- 1he lack of opporLunlues Lo make use of
experlences and newly acqulred skllls
- When back, lf Lhe husband/wlfe lnslsLs on
monopollzlng declslon-maklng ls equal Lo Lrouble

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$8:':)8: )8 :'(4*)8: ;$'0+ (,8$+<
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6#$( 0,5)'* 06'6?0
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6#)8:0 ;5,80?($3)0(<
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1$/040#)

- Mlgrauon has a greaL lmpacL on Lhe culLure: boLh Lhe
ClWs and famlly become more maLerlallsuc and
consumerlsL. dependenL on remluances
- CulLural values can be aecL, changed or even losL
- 1here ls a hldden pressure from Lhe famlly members
llvlng behlnd on Lhe one worklng abroad. erhaps we
can aurlbuLe. lL Lo !"##$ &'# ()*+,- (&,&.( /,+0#1 2+&'
)3#4(#,( #5$-)65#0&7
- uependency on ClW's earnlng noL only by Lhe famlly
buL Lhe exLended famlly as well.
1. HOMESICKNESS
2. CONTRACT VIOLATION
3. MALTREATMENT BY EMPLOYER
4.
ILLNESS
5. RETIREMENT
6. FAMILY PROBLEMS
COMMON EXPERIENCES OF OFW RETURNEES UPON THEIR RETURN
Most of the problems encountered by OFW upon their return are
economic in nature. These experiences can be categorized accordingly
1. Workers with no savings upon return.
2. Workers with some savings which were soon depleted
during the periods of unemployment.
3. Workers who were past their prime productive years and
found it difficult to compete with the local workforce.
4. Those who found local jobs but considered the salary
inadequate Or were asked to begin at a lower position
than their experience commands.
5. Those who sought loans to begin a business venture but
were discouraged by the prohibitive requirements.
ICMC Research October-December 1998
ECONOMIC- ECONOMIC-
SOCIAL NEEDS SOCIAL NEEDS
OF FAMILIES OF FAMILIES
OVERSEAS OVERSEAS
EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT
INEFFECTIVE INEFFECTIVE
REINTEGRATION REINTEGRATION
VICIOUS
CYCLE
Emerging Social Challenges
- Lack of awareness of the consequences of the feminization of Filipino
migration
- Dangerous transformation of the structure of Filipino Family
- Migration as threat to the strength of the family relationship and
marriage
- Increasing laziness of families left behind
- Increasing gap between migration and local sustainable development
- Migration resulting to skilled and professional drain


0
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FAMILY FAMILY
PRE - PERSPECTIVE
SETTING
DURING POSITIVE
COMMUNICATION
POST STRONG POST STRONG
FAMILY BOND FAMILY BOND
PARENTS PARENTS CHILDRE CHILDRE
NN
ENCOUNTER ENCOUNTER
!"#$%&# ()*+)",-"( %.* /-,*+0) %+/-#-"(
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FAMILY FAMILY
PRE DEPARTURE
PERSPECTIVE SETTING

PARENTS PARENTS CHILDRE CHILDRE
NN
ENCOUNTER ENCOUNTER
1. Talk about and plan how Talk about and plan how
many years spent working many years spent working
abroad. abroad.
2. Set goals for each Set goals for each
desired plan or projects. desired plan or projects.
3. Monitor regularly the Monitor regularly the
set goals. set goals.
4. Regular updates/follow- Regular updates/follow-
up about family up about family
projects and plans. projects and plans.
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FAMILY FAMILY
DURING EMPLOYMENT
POSITIVE COMMUNICATION

PARENTS PARENTS CHILDRE CHILDRE
NN
ENCOUNTER ENCOUNTER
1. Regular Regular
communication with communication with
loved ones abroad. loved ones abroad.
2. Prioritize sending Prioritize sending
messages, messages,
cards, letters (vice- cards, letters (vice-
versa) versa)
3. Communicate good Communicate good
stories stories
inspirational letters. inspirational letters.
4. Avoid communicating Avoid communicating
petty problems. petty problems.

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FAMILY FAMILY
POST EMPLOYMENT
STRONG FAMILY BONDING

PARENTS PARENTS CHILDRE CHILDRE
NN
ENCOUNTER ENCOUNTER
1. Ensure that the whole Ensure that the whole
family warmly welcomes family warmly welcomes
returning loved ones. returning loved ones.
2. Be excited from Be excited from
his/her his/her
arrival abroad and not on arrival abroad and not on
the material things. the material things.
3. While on vacation, While on vacation,
spend spend
4. more time in sharing, more time in sharing,
talking talking
to deepen family to deepen family
relationships. relationships.
4. Update developments 4. Update developments
on on
family projects/plans. family projects/plans.
SOME RECOMMENDATIONS
Mass Media can be harnessed to provide education and information to OFW
Families (e.g. parenting tips, child rearing, the role of fathers, changing gender roles)
The School as venue for offering programs on parenting/care-giving, gender
sensitivity, constructive coping mechanisms, and program for children.
Local government units could be encouraged to establish Migration Desks to
coordinate activities pertaining to the migrant sector.
Training migrants and their families on the use of internet and e-mail to facilitate
communication between family members.

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Conclusion Conclusion

The FAMILY The FAMILY
is the first is the first
and vital cell and vital cell
of society. It of society. It
is the is the
domestic domestic
Church, the Church, the
Church in the Church in the
home, a home, a
community of community of
love and life! love and life!
CBCP Pastoral letter on the occasion of the 20 CBCP Pastoral letter on the occasion of the 20th th
Anniversary of Anniversary of FAMILIARIS CONSORTIO FAMILIARIS CONSORTIO
Let us help strenghten
migrant families
Thank You! Thank You!
Episcopal Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People Episcopal Commission for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People
(ECMI) (ECMI)
a service arm of the
CATHOLIC BISHOPS CATHOLIC BISHOPS CONFERENCE OF THE PHILIPPINES CONFERENCE OF THE PHILIPPINES