Feminization of migrant labor

The get-together  for the opening of   Cebuana Trailblazers of the Provincial Women’s Commission and Legal Alternatives for Women Center Inc. exhibit was joyous and functional. Women of accomplishments were reconnected. A good number of the living trailblazers attended.

Sr. Marie Belen Alcoseba, ICM, with Pundok Higalang Kababayn-an took charge of the opening ritual. Vice Gov.  Agnes Almendras-Magpale was there for the ribbon-cutting, and Titang Diola came for the drum roll. Dr. Esther B. Velasquez oriented all on the rationale of the exhibit, citing the law on calling the first week of March as Women in History Week. The Philippine National Police was represented by 40 women of the Women and Children Protection Desk of the various municipalities—coming from as far as Bantayan Island.

Students and professionals, young and old, locals and foreigners took some time to view and learn from the exhibit. There was a continuous flow of viewers.

The UP Cebu Gender and Development Office and Sidlak-Region 7 Gender Resource Center celebration consisting of Research Sharing on the Lives of Migrant Women and the Renewal of Commitment of Sidlak Partners was also well attended. Fifteen government agencies, seven nongovernment organizations (including WINGS of Bohol) and seven academic institutions (including Argao-based Philippine Science High School) participated. The provinces of Bohol and Negros Oriental and the Cebu Provincial Women’s Commission were represented.

The dean of Humanitarian and Development Studies of Miriam College had an enlightening and provocative discussion titled “Gender, Migration and Social Change: The Return of Filipino Migrant Workers.” At the start, Dr. Tharan clarified that her research and discussion were focused on the consequences of the “prolonged migration of women, their families and society.”

She said her research was qualitative and included a gender perspective. The main approach was collecting the life stories of fourteen life female migrant workers. She observed that more women became migrant workers and we can say there is “feminization” of this sector. This is caused by a “weak economy” with “limited opportunities” resulting in “poverty.” She also cited the “facilitative role of social networks.” She reminded us of the “role of the state in labor market protection and worker deployment.”

She categorized “return” as “voluntary” or “involuntary.” “Illegal recruitment, armed conflict/civil unrest, illness in the family, problems with children and the sense that separation had become unbearable” caused the “involuntary” return of women. Women go home after they think that their goals were already achieved.

The positive results of migrant work on the women were “opportunity to see the world” and having experienced “freedom and autonomy.” The problems they had to cope with upon return are “lack of job opportunities” for their age group, the “breadwinning continues and even expands” because the dependence has developed, “difficulties in setting up and managing a business and psychological adjustments.

In their families, the returnees faced the challenges of breakup with unfaithful husband, coping with an unfaithful husband, threatened separation from husband who mismanaged funds and the inability of husband to assume traditional roles of wives.

From this long history of migrant labor emerged a culture of migration. Dr. Caridad Tharan said migration is a manifestation of a deep crisis. She observed that the phenomenon “has distorted society’s institutions in its role of building a nation harnessing the human capacity and capability of its people”; it has created distortions in the educational system!

So she urged “action directed at political and social change” for there is an “urgent need for policies and programs to address the concerns of returning migrants.” We also need a “global forum tying migration with macro-concerns and issues such as trade, debt and development goals, and the social consequences of the feminization of international labor migration.

The reactors, Dr. Ma. Rosario Piquero-Ballescas of Toyo University, Japan, and Dr. Weena Jade Gera of UP Cebu, confirmed the necessity of structural change considering the realities faced by the female migrant worker. Ms Winifreda Lepiten-Ministerio  of Overseas Workers Welfare Administration presented the Philippine government’s efforts to have safety nets for the migrant workers on their return.

We were happy that the OWWA staff and OFWs attended the forum.