Journeying the Last Mile

Labour migration from the Philippines has consistently increased over the years. As of 2012, the International Labour Organization reported that there were about 10.5 million Filipino migrant workers, 40% of whom are temporary migrant workers. The domestic workers or household service workers belong to this category. It is also interesting to note that in 2012, the Commission on Filipino Overseas highlighted the re-hiring patterns among household service workers. Rehires represent Filipino migrant workers who go back to the same employer in the same country after a contract. This sets the trend of a continuous overseas work contract which has a social impact to the families left behind.

A closer look at a typical Filipino migrant worker in Singapore shows that many are mothers with children left under the care of family members, or a single woman/single parent who is
the sole breadwinner of an extended family. A migrant worker, while seen as a remittance sender, usually is a low-income individual with obligations in two places – (1) paying for a mortgage which was used to pay for her airfare and for her expenses in the first few months of stay in Singapore, and (2) paying for the daily needs of the family members.

The stories presented in the video were the FEW- or the Financially Empowered Women (FEW) it features how the overseas workers have influenced the way their family members think and behave about the money being sent to them. This is a story of women who achieved financial freedom. These FEW stories of OFWs and their families is the first to the last mile of achieving real social impacts towards sustainable growth.