More women, middle-aged Pinoys seeking work abroad

More women and older Filipinos are leaving the country to seek employment overseas, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reported yesterday.

A study done by the DOLE-Bureau of Employment Statistics (BLES) showed that the age distribution of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) has shifted toward the older population over the years.

While most OFWs are still aged between 25 to 34, DOLE officials said there has been significant growth in the number of slightly older migrant workers.

The number of OFWs aged 44 and older went up from 12.6 percent in 1993 to 18.1 percent at present and those belonging to the 35 to 44-year age group also increased from 28 to 30 percent.

The same study revealed that the sex distribution of OFWs also changed over the past 12 years.

Male OFWs used to dominate overseas employment with a ratio of three men for every two females seeking employment abroad. However, the number of female OFWs has risen steadily from 40 percent in 1993 to over 50 percent now.

"Over the past decade the participation or share of males in overseas employment has gone down by as much as 10 percent in favor of females," labor officials said.

Data from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) revealed that nearly 75 percent of newly hired OFWs were women.

Labor officials said the increase in the number of female OFWs may be due to the fact that many job providers overseas seek or prefer women workers.

Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) planning and development director Vivian Tornea said the departure of more female workers for overseas employment will have impact on the Filipino family structure.

"There are support groups to cushion the absence of a mother figure, but we have yet to feel its impact on how the OFW families are able to cope without mothers in their families," Tornea said. — Mayen Jaymalin