number of ofws in middle east

OFWs aren’t far from this statistic with most of them being young women, between the ages of 20 to 40 years old. Most of the concern center around three areas, Iran, Lebanon, and Iraq, with many calling for the emergency repatriation of OFWs. Filipinos make up the fourth-largest group of foreigners in Saudi Arabia, and are the second-largest source of remittances to the Philippines. The Middle East comprised the most number of … The OFW population is consistently increasing through the years and this is partly attributed to the government's encouragement of the outflow of contractual workers as evidenced in policy pronouncements, media campaigns, and other initiatives. Even though work migration is mainly a low and middle class activity, the high-income households are able to derive a larger share of their income from abroad due to favorable investment policies. “The economies of some Middle East countries especially Saudi Arabia is predicted to stay flat with lower crude oil prices and that is bad news for OFWs whose main market is Saudi Arabia,” says Emmanuel Geslani, labour recruitment, and migration consultant. “Of the number of conflict that arose in Middle East, especially in Syria and Libya, we face the same problem that they (OFWs) refuse (to go home) because it will be a decision that will stop them from working and will earn nothing,” Arroyo said in an interview. This brings the total number of repatriated Filipinos to 237,363 since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Emigration policies tend to differ within countries depending on if the occupation is mainly dominated by men or women. [42] In 2011, remittances were US$20.117 billion. 31,849 or 85.86% from the Middle East; [43], In 2019, Overseas Filipinos sent back $32.2 billion to the Philippines. It has exceeded the number of Filipinos infected by the virus in Europe and North America, making Middle East the COVID-19 hotspot for OFWs. Employment conditions abroad are relevant to the individual worker and their families as well as for the sending country and its economic growth and well being. The largest proportion of OFWs belonged to age group 30 to 34 years comprising 22.6 percent of all OFWs, followed by those aged 25 to 29 years with 20.7 percent. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported that 37,095 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have been repatriated in October. By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO “There's now a combined estimate of at least 12,000 to 14,000 undocumented OFWs in Saudi Arabia, higher than last year's estimate pegged from 8,000 to … As a result, the number of … Any interesting story to share? In 2012, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the central bank of the Philippines, expects official remittances coursed through banks and agents to grow 5% over 2011 to US$21 billion, but official remittances are only a fraction of all remittances. This inequality threatens to halt the economic development as investments are needed in the Philippines and not abroad in order to increase growth and well-being. [41] For instance, it describes the OFWs as the heroes of the nation, encouraging citizens to take pride in these workers. [43] In 2012, approximately 80% of the remittances came from only 7 countries—United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Japan. Other occupations that recently has seen an increase in deskilling are doctors, teachers and assembly line workers. Total Number of OFWs Estimated at 2.3 Million (Results from the 2017 Survey On Overseas Filipinos) The DFA also chartered three flights from Jeddah and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia which flew home 920 Filipinos including OFWs with chronic medical conditions. Remittances are 9,727,138,000 USD. An infographic recently shared by the DFA reveals the following statistics for the population of OFWs in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region as of January 2020. The result is a "lose-lose" outcome where Philippine workers fail to leverage their skills and a worldwide shortage persists. [48] Likewise, the “reversal of breadwinning and caregiving roles between migrant wives and left-behind husbands” more often results in tension regarding family finances and the role each spouse should play in decision making. Credits: DFA/Facebook Saudi Arabia : 865,121 THE Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) is set to start reducing by the first quarter the number of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) deployed to the Middle East … According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, data from June 2019 placed the number of Filipinos in the Middle East at 2.2 million. 2,716 or 7.32% from Asia and the Pacific; To date, the Middle East and Africa remains to be the region with the most number of confirmed COVID-19 cases, recoveries, under treatment, and fatalities among our nationals. Moreover, female OFWs were younger compared to male OFWs. There is a strong correlation between women's rights and the overall well being of children. [38] Male OFWs account for 52 percent of the total OFW population. Thousands of OFWs working in oil companies, hospital and government controlled firms in the Middle East are losing their jobs. 32 or 0.09% from the Americas, The Filipino Times is the chronicler of stories for, of and by Filipinos all over the world, reaching more than 236 countries in readership. The number of OFWs worldwide is estimated to be around 11 million in 2006 and remittances totaling $12.7 million, accounting for more than thirteen percent of the GNP. More than half of the total number of OFWs worldwide are based in the Middle East, with the majority or more than 500,000 working in Saudi Arabia, more than 300,000 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and more than 100,000 each in Qatar and Kuwait, according to a 2018 survey of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). For Filipino migrant workers, see, Countries and territories with Filipino populations, General statistics from Philippine government, UN (2007). " The estimated number of documented … The result is a no-win situation for the sending and receiving country. As of 2019, there are over 12 million overseas Filipinos. Of this, 29,676 are in Lebanon — with 11,972 being undocumented. MANILA, Philippines - Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) remain safe from the SARS-like virus now spreading in the Middle East, the Department of Labor and Employment said yesterday. Philippine Labor Migration Policy has historically focused on removing barriers for migrant workers to increase accessibility for employment abroad. [51][needs update]. 33.4% are unskilled workers, 15.4% are Trades and related workers, 15.1% are plant and machine operators and assemblers. 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DOLE Plans to Limit Number of OFWs in Middle East News According to data from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), of the over 2.1 million Filipinos leaving the Philippines to work in other countries, around half are bound for the Middle East. 400,000 OFWs repatriated In contrast, Yagi propose more flexible wages to make Filipinos more attractive on the Japanese job market. Of this number, 77,326 OFWs (32.58%) are sea-based while 160,037 (67.42%) are land-based. The Philippine government banned the deployment of domestic workers to Saudi Arabia between 2011 and 2012 due to the rising number of abuse cases. Deployment of Land-based OFWs Land-based migrant Filipino workers still hold the highest percentage of OFWs deployed. A strong worldwide demand for healthcare workers causes many Filipinos to emigrate without ever getting hired or become deskilling while possibly raising their salary. Nurse to patient ratio is down to 1 nurse to between 40 and 60 patients, in the 1990s the ratio was 1 nurse to between 15 and 20 patients. These policies risk to increase gender inequality in the Philippines and thereby this public policy work against women joining the workforce. There is a 26.6% growth since 2004. Japan has been known for rigorous testing of Filipinos in a way that make them look reluctant to hold up their part of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement and solely enjoy the benefit of affordable manufacturing in the Philippines, not accepting and educating OFWs. [47] Women often face disadvantages in their employment conditions as they tend to work in the elder/child care and domestic. The ban was lifted after a bilateral agreement on the recruitment of domestic workers was signed between Saudi Arabia and the Philippines on May 2013. Qatar logged the single biggest number of new 14 confirmed cases, increasing the tally to 3,873 with 19 casualties. The Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) said COVID cases among overseas Filipino workers continue to be recorded daily with the highest number from the Middle East with 6,721 cases. Other top destinations for S&T OFWs include: Saudi Arabia SEI found that Saudi Arabia, one of the wealthiest nations in the Middle East, employs on average 9,066 OFWs in S&T. [56], Returning migrant workers are often argued to have a positive effect on the home economy since they are assumed to gain skills and return with a new perspective. According to a recent report about 4,000 OFW working in oil companies lose jobs in the Middle East. The slightly smaller percentage of the female overseas workers tend to be younger than their male counterparts. “As we sustain our repatriation efforts in the last two months of the year, the DFA remains fully committed to bringing home our kababayan, whatever challenges we may face,” said Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Sarah Lou Y. Arriola said in a statement. All of them escaped from their abusive employers. The Filipino Times is the largest digital news portal for Filipinos in the Middle East and the biggest free newspaper in the United Arab Emirates. Evidence suggests that in intact, heterosexual families wherein the wife-mother works overseas, Filipino fathers have the potential to take on greater roles in care-giving to their children, though seldom few actually do. [57], Results from a focus group in the Philippines shows that the positive impacts from migration of nurses is attributed to the individual migrant and his/her family, while the negative impacts are attributed to the Filipino healthcare system and society in general. Poor working conditions for Filipinoshired abroad include long hours, low wages and few chances to visit family. people who trace their ancestry to the Philippines and who live or reside outside of the country. The Middle East comprised the most number of repatriates in October with 31,849 or 85.86%. Retrieved 2014-05-18. A call for equality.". [45] Women facing just working conditions are more likely to provide their children with adequate nutrition, better education and sufficient health. The department also facilitated several medical repatriations from Australia, Brazil, French Polynesia, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Norway, Oman, Spain, and the USA. Labor standards vary greatly depending on host country regulations and enforcement. A correlation between successful contribution to the home country's economy and amounted total savings upon the migrants return has been found, therefore it is important to decrease income inequalities while attracting capital from abroad to the Philippines. [53]  However, some researchers[46] argue that the cultural trends of female migrancy have the potential to destabilize the gender inequality of the Filipino culture. Most of the S&T OFWs that go to UAE are engineers at 45% with nurses placing second at 42%. The agency is also working on livelihood programs for returning OFWs who wish to stay in the Philippines. Watch Failon Ngayon as we take a look at the situation of stranded OFWs in Middle East.Subscribe to the ABS-CBN News channel! Deskilling has caused many Filipino workers to return less skilled after being assigned simple tasks abroad, this behavior creates discouragement for foreign workers to climb the occupational ladder. 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The number of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who worked abroad at anytime during the period April to September 2017 was estimated at 2.3 million. Working conditions among Filipinos employed abroad varies depending on whether the host country acknowledges and enforces International labor standards. The proportion of female OFWs (56.0%) was higher than male OFWs (44.0%). This page was last edited on 24 January 2021, at 18:54. Filipinos in Saudi Arabia are either migrants or descendants of the Philippines living in Saudi Arabia.Saudi Arabia is currently the largest hirer of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), and has the largest Filipino population in the Middle East. OWWA record shows that there were 25 Ilonggos in Iran and five others in Iraq. In 2007 there were an estimated 12 million Filipinos living overseas. 733,970 are landbased, 247,707 are seabased, which make a sum of 981,677. [55][58], Many host governments of OFWs have protective policies and barriers making it difficult to enter the job market. 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[54] Other researchers report that these situations lead to abuse, particularly of older daughters, who face increased pressure and responsibility in the mother’s absence. [39] Remittances by unofficial, including illegal, channels are estimated by the Asian Bankers Association to be 30 to 40% higher than the official BSP figure. [33][34] [35], In 2013, the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) estimated that approximately 10.2 million people of Filipino descent lived or worked abroad. A healthcare problem arises as migrating women from the Philippines and other developing countries often create a nursing shortage in the home country. The needs of our overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), currently still hovering at around 10 million even during the pandemic, require more focused … The DFA expects to repatriate more than 107,000 Filipinos by year-end. Some 2,716 or 7.32% were from Asia and the Pacific; 2,406 or 6.49% from Europe; 92 or 0.25% from Africa; and 32 or 0.09% from the Americas. [45][46][47] Evidence suggests that these women cope with the emotional stress of familial separation in one of two ways: first, in domestic care situations, they substitute their host-family’s children for their own in the love and affection they give, and second, they actively considered the benefit their earnings would have on their children’s future. [45], The Philippine government has recently opened up their public policy to promote women working abroad since the world's demand for domestic workers and healthcare workers has increased. THE NUMBERS: Why, despite the burgeoning number of OFWs in the Middle East, the Philippine government maintains a very lean staff there is beyond logic and reason. [56], This article is about the Filipino diaspora in general. It has been 8 months since the DFA conducted repatriation flights for OFWs affected by the coronavirus pandemic. This brings the total number of repatriated Filipinos to 237,363 since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. 2,406 or 6.49% from Europe; [48] This has led to the government reporting a recent increase in women emigrating from the Philippines. [49][50], According to a statement made in 2009 by John Leonard Monterona, the Middle East coordinator of Migrante, a Manila-based OFW organization, every year, an unknown number of Filipinos in Saudi Arabia were then "victims of sexual abuses, maltreatment, unpaid salaries, and other labor malpractices". The state of the worlds children. 92 or 0.25% from Africa; and Coming second as top destination for S&T OFWs is the United Arab Emirates, another country in the Middle East. Evidence suggests that these women cope with the emotional stress of familial separation in one of two ways: first, in domestic care situations, they substitute their host-family’s children for their own in the love and affection they give, an… It seems inevitable that the healthcare sector loses experienced nurses as the emigration is increasing. Migrant groups said there are more than 5,000 distressed OFWs different countries in the Middle East, with Kuwait having the highest number of distressed OFWs now housed in POLO-OWWA centers in the Middle East, most of whom are victims of verbal, physical, or sexual abuse. While there were 1,239 reported cases of OFW infection in Asia and the Pacific with one death and 1,165 recoveries. (JANSEN ROMERO / MANILA BULELTIN) Citing reports from their foreign posts, the Labor department said 520 OFWs have died from COVID-19 in the region. In order to fill the nursing shortage in the Philippines, suggestions have been made by several NGOs that nursing-specializing Filipino workers overseas, locally known as "overseas Filipino workers" (OFWs), return to the country to train local nurses, for which program training would be required in order for the Philippines to make up for all its nurses migrating abroad. The Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement is seen as a failure by most since only 7% of applicants or 200 nurses a year has been accepted on average – mainly due to resistance by domestic stakeholders and failed program implementation. If consumer spending and investments in real estate and new businesses, the contribution of the overseas Filipino is included, the percentage to the total GNP may amount to 30%. The Japanese Nursing Association supports "equal or better" working conditions and salaries for Filipino nurses. One of the main reasons for the large differences in labor standards is due to the fact that ILO only can register complaints and not impose sanctions on governments. This is why I am seriously considering, if not to suspend, to decrease the number of deployment of domestic helpers, OFWs, and skilled workers especially in the Middle East,” Bello told a media forum in Manila. [13] This number constitutes about 11 percent of the total population of the Philippines. Data from the Department of Labor and Employment showed there are 2,191 OFWs in Iraq, while the Department of Foreign Affairs counted 4,204 Filipinos in … DFA: Number of OFWs with COVID-19 climbs to 594. [57], Wealthier households derive a larger share of their income from abroad. This might suggest that government policies in host countries favor capital-intensive activities. Bello lamented that OFWs, most especially those deployed in the Arab countries, are highly exposed to abuse by their employers. DOLE Plans to Limit Number of OFWs in Middle East According to data from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), of the over 2.1 million Filipinos leaving the Philippines to work in other countries, around half are bound for the … The receiving countries lose as skilled workers are not fully utilizing their skills while the home country simultaneously experience a shortage of workers in emigrating prone sectors. Like Perez and Torres, many OFWs in the Middle East have been aching to go home. 1–15. These favorable investment policies causes an increase in income inequalities and do not promote domestic investments that can lead to increased standard of living. [44], Employment conditions abroad are relevant to the individual worker and their families as well as for the sending country and its economic growth and well being. These stories of OFWs will not stop not unless the Philippine government bans the deployment of their nationals, mostly women, to the Middle East. Based on a survey conducted in 2011, the demographics indicate how the 24-29 age group constitutes 24 percent of the total and is followed by the 30-34 age group (23 percent) working abroad. Email us at, DFA: More than 31,000 OFWs repatriated from Middle East in October, COVID-19: 3,591 new cases in UAE, total now at 281,546, International fashion retailer Debenhams to close all stores, 12,000 jobs at risk, Oman land borders to remain closed until February 1, Immunologist: Inactivated vaccines like Sinopharm more effective against fighting new COVID-19 variants, Asian sentenced to 10 years, fined AED50,000 for sneaking drugs into Dubai, WATCH: Talabat riders line up to get COVID-19 jab, WATCH: Dubai Police, RTA advise e-scooter users to dismount and walk at pedestrian crossings, UK COVID-19 carrier in Bontoc Province still unknown, Dubai Police chief says that family gatherings, parties contribute to surge in COVID-19 cases. 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