Workers leaving

The UP Forum with its slogan “shaping minds that shape the nation” is actually a very helpful publication. Through it we share the findings of researches and reflect on the positions taken from faculty and staff from all over the UP system. Since we just recently had Migrant Workers Sunday, let me share the  interesting points in the issue, Labor Migration.

The  comprehensive issue presents the effects of labor migration on the economy as well as on the people and their families. UP faculty members also answer the question: What should UP do to help solve the problems brought about by labor migration? Possible gains of this phenomenon were  discussed.

Andre Encarnacion in “The Widening Gap” presents the research of Prof. Ernesto Pernia. Starting with the household, he points out: “One of the most disturbing issues is the possibility that the members of the recipient families may reduce their work effort, depleting the local pool of workers.” “On the brighter side, Pernia cited research from Yang (2007) and Tullao, Cortes, and See to show the advantages of remittances, at least at this level. For those overseas workers who experienced favorable exchange-rate shocks, the remittances they sent back helped their  households reduce child labor, increasing spending in education and acquire more durable goods. Remittances also generally led to more human capital investment, particularly in health and education. But Pernia discovered that the more developed regions in the country sent out more OFWs than the less developed ones. This led to more remittances being sent to these regions rather than their less developed counterparts. Pernia also found out that ‘International remittances appear to raise average incomes for all households for all income groups but more so for richer households than poorer ones”; hence the title, The Widening Gap. Rene E. Ofreneo, director of the Center for Labor Justice and professor of the UP School of Labor and Industrial Relations, in “Manpower Export and Philippine Mal-development” stated: “Under a pattern of growing dependence on migration and weak industrial and agricultural development at home, the Philippine economy has developed in a highly uneven, unequal and unsustainable manner.”

The effect of labor migration on the health sector is discussed by Dr. Zorayda E. Leopando of the College of Medicine of UP Manila. She said: “Out migration has affected many people in rural and remote areas as they have been deprived of physicians who could meet their health needs.  The shortage of health workers also leads to an overburdened staff in public hospitals and health centers, individuals not competent enough to perform critical skills in the delivery of health care services, and the loss of popular confidence in the health care sector.” Another article in the issue cites “Galvez-Tan’s earlier findings: “in 2003 to 2005, some 200 hospitals were completely closed, 800 partially closed for lack of doctors and nurses.”

But with “In Search of Silver Linings: Making Labor Migration Work for Us” possible gains are discussed. Celeste Ann Castillo Llaneta first starts by explaining the inevitability of outmigration. Then she brings in Dr. Ramon Clarete, dean of the UP School of Economics who “sees the recent phenomenon of a great part of our workforce getting jobs abroad as a blessing. Otherwise we would have a very serious economic problem on our hands.’” Clarete observed that local manufacturing “has not been active enough in giving employment. Many of our manufacturing companies have closed down…Now imagine if there was no outlet for our labor force; that would result not just in an economic crisis, but a politically explosive situation. So (migration) is like a breather for us.” He continues that this is definitely “not the most ideal situation. What we should have done is fix our economy so that these local industries can stand up again, become competitive and provide jobs for our local population.” After discussing the problems resulting from remittances, Clarete said “What is really our challenge is to transform these remittances into actual direct investments, so we can increase the productive capacity of the economy to provide jobs for our people”.

The writer also discussed ways of “bringing the workers home”. This is part of the Department of Labor and Employment’s plan. It involves “utilizing returning OFWs to conduct training to upgrade the skills of our services workers; assisting OFWs in achieving financial stability through training, investment and savings programs; completing a global trading master plan that relies on the labor, knowledge and entrepreneurial spirit of the OFWs; and facilitating the re-integration of returning OFWs by favorable terms of investment, tax incentives access to government financial institutions and other benefits.”Prof. Jorge Sibal believes that: “Drawing back our scientists, technologists and professionals – people with training, knowledge and vision needed to build up the country’s industrial sector – must be a systematic and comprehensive undertaking.  “All we need to turn things around,” said Sibal, “is for a few nationalistic people who are experts in their fields to come back home and take up key positions in the government, industrial and S & T sectors. What we need is a few determined people who have extreme love for country and its development, such as Silicon Valley visionary Dr. Diosdado Banatao and many engineers and scientists from UP and entrepreneurs like Manuel V. Pangilinan.”

The Brain Gain Network, a “network of experts, professionals, and organizations focused on increasing the competitiveness of the Philippine economy” is cited as an example of professionals abroad promoting Philippine development.

So what should UP do to help solve the problems of labor migration? Here are some answers. Merlyn M. Paunlagui, PhD. UP Los Banos says “the University of the Philippines can contribute to lessen the social cost of migration”  by suggesting reforms to enrich the curriculum for teachers by integrating issues on migration and its effects on children. Pepito R. Fernandez UP Visayas  says , “Design and conduct training programs on financial literacy, entrepreneurship and capacity-building for OWs and their families to prevent dependence on remittances and promote diverse economies. Juvy Lizette Gervacio  UP Open University: “Continue to conduct research related to labor migration; develop and implement programs and courses geared towards knowledge enhancement and lifelong learning that will benefit the labor migrants and their families”  Weena Gera UP Cebu says  “Building and sharing of knowledge through interregional dialogue on labor migration among its academic counterparts in the developing region.”