Survey on Overseas Filipinos

Managing the Development Impact of International Migration September 23, 2008, NEDA sa Makati
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Survey on Overseas Filipinos (SOF) Outline of Presentation

1. 2. 3. 4. Who are they? How the data items were generated? Major problems in producing the data items What are the uses of the data items?

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Who are they?

Filipinos who are presently and temporarily out of the country during the reference period to fulfill an overseas work contract for a specific length of time. Filipinos who are presently at home on vacation during the reference period but still has an existing contract to work abroad. They may be:

Landbased
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Seabased
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Who are they?

Overseas Filipino Workers
Include OCWs who were presently and temporarily out of the country during the reference period to fulfill an overseas work contract for a specific length of time; or were presently at home on vacation during the reference period but still had an existing contract to work abroad Other Filipinos abroad with valid working visa or work permits
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Who are they?

Those who had no working visa or work permits (tourists, visitors, students, seeking medical treatment; other types of non-immigrants visas) but were presently employed and working full time in other countries. Filipinos who went out of the country through backdoor means and worked there during reference period
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How many are they?

2007 1.75 M

15.3%
2006 1.52 M
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How the data items were generated?

Survey on Overseas Filipinos (SOF)

nationwide survey that gathers information on Filipino citizens who left for abroad in the 5 years prior to survey date
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How the data items were generated?

Survey on Overseas Filipinos (SOF)

undertaken every year as rider to the October round of the Labor Force Survey (LFS)

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How the data items were generated?

Objectives of the SOF

Obtain national estimates on the number of overseas Filipinos Obtain some information about their characteristics such as age, sex and occupation Provide estimates on the amount of cash received by families
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SOF Questionnaire
2-page, 25
questions

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SOF Questionnaire

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SOF Questionnaire

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SOF Questionnaire

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How the data items were generated?

Personal interview Data processing using Census and Survey Processing System (CSPro)

CSPro is a menu driven software use for entering, editing, tabulating and disseminating data for censuses and surveys
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Major problems in producing the data items

Survey Operations Constraints Information about overseas Filipinos are obtained directly from them if present in the household. BUT if the overseas Filipino is away, information are obtained from their relatives, or any member of the household who knows the person who left for abroad
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Major problems in producing the data items Survey Limitations The OFW included are those whose families still reside in the country as of time of survey visit. The OFWs covered in this report were those working abroad during the period April 1 to September 30 of the reference year.
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Major problems in producing the data items

Survey Limitations
The workers who were at home on vacation from their jobs abroad who have left earlier than April 1 of the reference year are also included as long as they worked full time abroad.

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Major problems in producing the data items

Respondents Knowledge The SOF does not ask for the total salary received by the OFWs. Hence, the remittances presented in the report may just be a part of the total salary received by the OFWs.
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Major problems in producing the data items

Inappropriate sampling frame The SOF sample households are the same as that for the Labor Force Survey (LFS).

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Major problems in producing the data items

Weight Adjustment Procedure The current procedures does not take into account any abnormal increase in the number of OFWs.

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Major problems in producing the data items

Comparability with other data on OFWs produced by NSO from the census as well as POEA The census uses a 5-year reference period while the SOF utilized a 6-month period, that is, April to September.
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What are the known uses of the data items?

Inputs to the formulation of programs for the welfare of overseas Filipino workers Breakdown by demographic characteristics Educational planning Country of work as reported by their families Remittance channels

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What are the known uses of the data items?

Inputs for planning of business and industry
Opening of channels for remittances Communication media that addresses the needs of OFWs abroad and their families in the Philippines Establishment of businesses catering to OFWs leaving the country Establishment of business catering to OFW families
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What are the known uses of the data items?

Data for research

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How much do they contribute to the economy?

7.7%
PhP 110 Billion

PhP 102 Billion

2006
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2007
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How much do they contribute to the economy?

Total = PhP 9.7B Ave = PhP 77,000

N&S America

Total = PhP 10.1B Ave = PhP 78,000

Europe

Total = PhP 57.7B Ave = PhP 53,000

Asia

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How much do they contribute to the economy?

Laborers & unskilled workers

PhP 17.6 Billion or 21.5 %

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NSO Website: www.census.gov.ph

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