Walang hanggang paalam : the case of international labor migration and underdevelopment in the Philippines.

Abstract

International labor migration has become a vital component of the Philippine economy during the last three decades. As serious structural transformation seems to never take off, employment and poverty issues have persisted in the country, driving many Filipinos to seek better opportunities abroad. Roughly 10 percent of the country's population—that is, 14 percent of the country's labor force—is employed overseas. Remittance inflows of US14 billion dollars last year amount to about 12.5 percent of the economy's gross domestic product (GDP).