NSCB Resolution No. 13
Series of 2008

APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE OPERATIONAL FRAMEWORK
FOR COUNTING OVERSEAS FILIPINOS

WHEREAS, there has been a significant increase in the number of overseas Filipinos (OFs) over the years and this has contributed in boosting the national economy through higher foreign exchange remittances and cash transfers;

WHEREAS, a number of government agencies are currently producing overseas Filipino worker (OFW)/ OF counts, following different concepts, coverages, frequencies of reporting, and methodologies;

WHEREAS, the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) has been compiling stock estimates and other statistics on OFs since 1981, which are sourced from the different embassies and consulates of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA), and other sources covering 193 countries/territories;

WHEREAS, the POEA generates data on the number of OFWs deployed by type of worker, by country of destination, and by type of skill;

WHEREAS, the National Statistics Office (NSO), through its annual Survey on Overseas Filipinos (SOF), generates survey estimates of OFWs;

WHEREAS, other agencies like the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) use OFW counts to compute for compensation;

WHEREAS, the Interagency Committee on Labor, Income and Productivity Statistics (IACLIPS) and the Technical Working Group on Overseas Filipino Statistics (TWGOFS) deemed it important to develop a harmonized system for counting OFs to ensure that comparable and accurate estimates of OFs are used in formulating sound policies and programs for the protection and welfare of OFs and their families;

WHEREAS, the IACLIPS and the TWGOFS have developed an operational framework for counting OFs, which is intended to capture both the stock and flow of OFs;

WHEREAS, the framework was developed in accordance with the UN Recommendations on Statistics of International Migration, 1993 System of National Accounts, and Balance of Payments Manual;

WHEREAS, the IACLIPS and the TWGOFS have also prepared corresponding definitions of terms, and metadata for the framework;

WHEREAS, after thorough review and discussions, the IACLIPS has agreed to endorse for approval of the Board the framework and the corresponding definitions of terms and metadata;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, that the Board approve the proposed operational framework for counting OFs (Annex BR-13-2008-01) and the corresponding definitions of terms (Annex BR-13-2008-02a); and metadata (Annex BR-13-2008-02b) for adoption by all concerned government agencies;

BE IT RESOLVED FURTHER, that:

1. the IACLIPS continue to work on improving the  generation of data requirements of the framework and on addressing the data gaps. Specifically, the IACLIPS shall draw up recommendations on the:
   

   a. improvement of the methodology for computing stock estimates of OFWs;  and

   b. refinement of the survey design of the SOF;  and

2. the IACLIPS, in coordination with other concerned interagency/technical committees (e.g., Technical Committee on Population and Housing Statistics), request the DFA to regularly report to the IACLIPS the status of statistical activities of the Interagency Committee on Shared Government Information System for Migration.

Approved this 11th day of June 2008, in Pasig City.

Attested by:

ROMULO A. VIROLA
Secretary General