Filipino Overseas Workers (OFWs) – Education, Work, Family, and Their Role in Philippine Society
Overseas Filipino Workers, commonly known as OFWs, became a defining feature of Philippine society after overseas labour was formally promoted under the Marcos administration in the 1970s. What began as a state-led response to unemployment and foreign currency shortages gradually expanded into a global workforce spanning healthcare, maritime, domestic service, construction, and skilled trades.
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Early deployments were poorly regulated, leaving many workers exposed to exploitation and weak legal protection. Despite this, OFW remittances and personal sacrifice quickly became central to family survival and broader economic stability. Over time, labour protections improved and OFWs came to be publicly recognised as “Bagong Bayani” — Modern-Day Heroes — embedding overseas work deeply into Filipino identity and family life.
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This article traces how overseas work first emerged in the Philippines, how protections and worker welfare gradually developed in response to early abuses, and how OFW remittances came to play a stabilising role in the national economy. It also looks at how education and training systems adapted to meet overseas labour demand, shaping career pathways for millions of Filipinos, and the impact of overseas employment in modern Philippine society — from identity and expectation to the lasting social effects on families and communities at home.
Table of Contents
1. The Origins of Overseas Work
2. Changing Rights, and Worker Welfare
4. Training Pathways Shaped by Overseas Work
5. OFW's in the Modern Philippines
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The Origins of Overseas Work in the Philippines
By the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Philippines was undergoing significant economic and social strain during the early years of the Marcos administration. Planned large-scale industrialisation failed to expand quickly enough to absorb a growing workforce, while heavy reliance on imports left the country exposed to rising global oil prices and increasing external debt.
At the same time, rapid population growth — driven by improvements in basic healthcare and falling mortality — intensified pressure on an already fragile labour market. Employment creation struggled to keep pace with demographic change, leading to rising unemployment and large numbers of people stuck in low-paid or unstable work across much of the country.
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Faced with limited policy options and unable to rely on slow and uncertain domestic industrial growth, the Marcos administration made a deliberate decision to deploy Filipino workers abroad as a state-led labour strategy. Overseas employment was formalised through government programmes placing workers on fixed-term contracts in sectors with strong global demand, easing unemployment at home, raising household incomes through remittances, and securing much-needed foreign currency for the national economy.
In its early years, overseas employment involved relatively small numbers, with official deployments reaching the tens of thousands by the mid-1970s, largely focused on the Middle East. As global labour demand expanded and government systems matured, those numbers grew steadily. By the 1980s, annual deployments had reached the hundreds of thousands, and by the 1990s and 2000s, millions of Filipinos were working abroad at any given time, either on land or at sea.
What began as a limited and temporary labour programme evolved into a permanent feature of Filipino society. Overseas employment reshaped household finances, funded education and housing, and influenced long-term family decisions and expectations across generations.
Changing Protections, Rights, and Worker Welfare
In the early years of overseas deployment, government oversight was limited and uneven. Recruitment systems expanded faster than regulation, and many workers relied on private agencies or brokers with little accountability. Contracts were often poorly enforced, information was incomplete, and workers had limited access to legal support once abroad. This environment made contract substitution, excessive fees, unsafe working conditions, and abuse more likely, particularly in high-demand sectors and destinations.
As overseas employment expanded and cases of exploitation became more visible, public pressure grew for stronger safeguards. Early failures in oversight made it clear that informal systems were not enough to protect workers deployed abroad.
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In response, the government gradually introduced regulatory frameworks, standardised contracts, and dedicated welfare institutions to oversee recruitment and worker protection. These measures expanded access to legal assistance, dispute resolution, and repatriation support, marking a shift from ad-hoc deployment toward a more structured system — although enforcement and effectiveness continued to vary by country and employer.
Today, overseas employment is governed by a far more developed framework than in its early decades. Agencies such as the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) oversee recruitment, contract verification, welfare support, insurance, and repatriation, while standard contracts and pre-departure orientation are now mandatory. These systems have significantly improved worker protection, though challenges remain in enforcing rights across different legal systems and in safeguarding workers in informal or domestic roles.
The Economic Role of OFWs and Remittances
The role of overseas Filipino workers cannot be overlooked. Remittances sent home by OFWs have become a critical pillar of the modern Philippine economy. In 2024, remittance inflows reached a record high of over USD 38 billion, equivalent to around 8.3 percent of Gross Domestic Product and a significant share of Gross National Income.
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These inflows support household spending, education, healthcare, housing, and investment, often funding major expenses such as homes, vehicles, and school fees, while also driving consumer demand across multiple sectors. Beyond their impact at a national level, remittances provide income stability for millions of families across the archipelago — stability that is often difficult to achieve through local employment alone — and continue to play a role in reducing poverty in many regions.
Education and Training Pathways Shaped by Overseas Work
As overseas employment opportunities expanded, education and training systems in the Philippines adapted to meet global labour demand. Universities, state colleges, and private institutions increasingly shaped programmes around overseas hiring needs rather than purely domestic employment.
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This shift was most visible in fields linked directly to overseas work. Nursing schools expanded to serve demand in the United States, the Middle East, and later Europe, while maritime academies trained seafarers for international shipping fleets. Caregiving, hospitality, engineering, and skilled trades also became common pathways, supported by technical and vocational institutions, including TESDA-accredited centres that focused on practical skills certification required by foreign employers.
Over time, these pathways became embedded in education planning and family decision-making. Many students now choose courses based on overseas employability, viewing education as a strategic investment toward working abroad. This has shaped enrolment patterns, career aspirations, and curriculum design, tying parts of the education system closely to external labour markets and making overseas demand a lasting influence on how skills are developed in the Philippines.
OFWs in Modern Philippine Society
Overseas work is now deeply woven into everyday life in the Philippines, shaping family structures, social expectations, and ideas of success. In many households, having a parent, spouse, or sibling working abroad is no longer unusual but expected, particularly in communities with long histories of overseas employment. Education choices, career planning, and even family roles are often shaped around the possibility of working overseas.
While remittances provide opportunity and financial stability, they also come with lasting social costs. Long-term separation has normalised absence within families, altering parenting roles, relationships, and emotional dynamics at home. Children may grow up with one or both parents abroad, marriages are sustained across distance, and extended families often step in to fill the gaps. For many Filipinos, overseas work remains a sacrifice worth making — a reality reflected in the term - Bagong Bayani.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs)
Who are Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs)?
Overseas Filipino Workers are Filipinos employed outside the Philippines under fixed-term contracts. They work across sectors such as healthcare, maritime, domestic service, construction, and skilled trades, and play an important role in supporting families and communities at home.
Why did the Philippines begin sending workers overseas?
Overseas employment was formally promoted in the 1970s as a response to unemployment, limited domestic job creation, and foreign currency shortages. Sending workers abroad helped ease pressure on the labour market while generating income and foreign exchange for the country.
What problems did OFWs face in the early years?
Early overseas deployments were poorly regulated, leaving many workers vulnerable to contract abuse, unsafe working conditions, excessive fees, and weak legal protection. These issues later led to stronger regulation and the creation of dedicated worker welfare agencies.
How important are OFW remittances to the Philippine economy?
OFW remittances are a major pillar of the Philippine economy. In 2024, they exceeded USD 38 billion, accounting for roughly 8.3 percent of GDP. These funds support household spending, education, healthcare, housing, and provide economic stability for millions of families.
How has overseas work influenced education in the Philippines?
Education pathways have adapted to overseas labour demand, particularly in nursing, maritime studies, caregiving, hospitality, engineering, and skilled trades. Many students now choose courses with overseas employability in mind, supported by universities, maritime academies, and TESDA-accredited training centres.
Why are OFWs called “Bagong Bayani”?
OFWs are referred to as Bagong Bayani, or modern-day heroes, in recognition of their economic contribution and personal sacrifice. The term reflects the reality that many workers spend years away from their families to provide financial stability and opportunity at home.
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