PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Wednesday vowed to boost the Philippines’ ties with nations that host Filipino migrant workers, an apparent continuation of the government’s longstanding labor export policy.
In his message on National Migrants Workers Day, Mr. Marcos Jr. said overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) “have left an indelible mark that uplifted both their host countries and our nation.”
The commemoration is in line with the June 7 passage of Republic Act 8042 or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995, a law intended to protect and promote the welfare of OFWs.
“We understand the challenges that you faced being far from your loved ones, adjusting to new cultures and overcoming barriers,” he said.
“That’s why this administration will continue to foster stronger ties with countries that host our migrant workers, ensuring safety, welfare and wellbeing,” Mr. Marcos said.
Cash remittances sent through banks jumped to $2.67 billion in March, from $2.59 billion in the same month in 2022, according to the Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
The growth seen in March was the fastest in two months or since the 3.5% posted in January.
In 2022, remittances hit a record high of $32.54 billion, accounting for 8.9% of the country’s gross domestic product and 8.4% of gross national income, according to the central bank.
“Your contributions have enriched the lives of countless individuals and societies to your different professions and capacities,” Mr. Marcos told OFWs. “Your hard earned reward has likewise nurtured dreams, elevated livelihoods and fueled the engine of progress in our beloved Philippines.”
Remittances sent by land-based workers jumped by 3.3% to $2.09 billion in March from the same month last year’s $2.02 billion, while those sent by sea-based workers increased by 1.8% to $583 million from $570 million.
The United States, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, Qatar, Taiwan, and Hong Kong accounted for 79.2% of total cash remittances in the first quarter.
Mr. Marcos’ stance on labor export was not clear during the 2022 presidential campaign.
He promised to create more jobs locally to encourage migrant workers to return home and help rebuild the Philippine economy, but also vowed to reimpose an “old system” that “when an OFW comes home after finishing a contract, there will be a program of retraining especially for those… who are hoping to go back for a new contract.”
After winning the presidential race, economists predicted that he will pursue an economic recovery that is partly reliant on the 1974 labor export program that was implemented by his father, the late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos.
The 1970s policy saw the rise of many Filipinos going to Middle Eastern countries, including domestic workers, laborers, and skilled manpower and professionals.
“The entire nation stands with you every step of the way and all of us are united in pride and in admiration for the work that gives you meaning and purpose,” Mr. Marcos told OFWs. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza