Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in April to September 2004 reached 1.06 million . . .

• The number of Overseas Filipinos Workers (OFWs) who worked abroad during the period April to September 2004 reached 1.06 million, up by 8.2 percent from 982 thousand a year ago. Of this total, 92.9 percent (988 thousand) were overseas contract workers (OCWs) or those with existing work-contract abroad. Their number also went up by 5.9 percent from 933 thousand in 2003.
• Increase in the number of OFWs was registered in 10 regions with Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) posting the biggest increase of more than 100 percent. Region VIII (Eastern Visayas) and Region III (Central Luzon) came next with 26.3 percent and 25.2 percent, respectively.
• Ten regions also exhibited increases in the number of OCWs during the six-month period of 2003 to 2004 with ARMM leading again. These were National Capital Region (NCR), Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Ilocos, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, Bicol, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula and Davao.

The National Capital Region (NCR) had the most number of OFWs . . .

• The National Capital Region (NCR) reported the biggest number of OFWs with 194 thousand of which 184 thousand were OCWs. CALABARZON and Central Luzon followed with 191 thousand and 149 thousand OFWs, respectively. About half (50.2 percent) of the total OFWs came from these regions. Meanwhile, Caraga reported the least number of OFWs at 10 thousand.

Female OFWs increased by 13.5 percent . . .

• Of the 1.06 million OFWs, 49.3 percent (524 thousand) were males while 50.7 percent (539 thousand) were females. From 2003 to 2004, the number of male and female OFWs went up by 3.1 percent for the males and 13.5 percent for the females.
• An increase in the number of female OFWs was observed in all age groups.
• The bulk of the female OFWs (24.3 percent) belonged to the 25 - 29 age group. On the other hand, 23.9 percent of the male OFWs were 45 years old and over.

Most OFWs worked in Asia . . .

• Of the 1.06 million OFWs in 2004, 820 thousand worked in Asia, 108 thousand were in Europe and 95 thousand were in North and South America.

• Among the 820 thousand OFWs in Asia, the largest number was found in Saudi Arabia with 29.3 percent, followed by Hongkong with 12.4 percent, Japan with 11.8 percent and Taiwan with 8.2 percent.
• Saudi Arabia remained to be the favorite destination of male OFWs (172 thousand) while Hongkong was for female OFWs (96 thousand).

A greater number of OFWs were laborers and unskilled workers . . .

• About 33.4 percent or 355 thousand OFWs were laborers and unskilled workers. Trades and related workers came next with 15.4 percent (164 thousand) followed by plant and machine operators and assemblers at 15.1 percent (161 thousand).

• Of the 355 thousand laborers and unskilled workers, about 85.9 percent were sales and services elementary workers; about 13.2 percent were laborers in mining, construction, manufacturing and transport and the rest (0.8 percent) were agricultural, forestry, fishery and related laborers.
• Male OFWs were observed to be working as drivers and mobile plant operators (124 thousand). On the other hand, female OFWs were mostly sales and service elementary workers (288 thousand) or more than half of the total female OFWs.

Remittances in 2004 totaled 64.7 billion pesos . . .

• The total remittances of OFWs from April to September 2004 amounted to 64.7 billion pesos, lower by 5.7 million from the 70.4 billion pesos recorded from the same period last year. These remittances include cash sent (50.4 billion pesos), cash brought home (11.2 billion pesos) and remittances in kind (3.1 billion pesos).
• The average remittance within the six-month period was estimated at 72,795 pesos, a decrease of 9,326 pesos from 82,121 pesos last year. On the average, male OFWs sent higher remittances than female OFWs.

Most OFWs sent cash remittances through banks . . .

• Of the 861 thousand OFWs sending cash remittances, about 616 thousand or 7 in every 10 OFWs used banks while about 201 thousand or about 23 percent used door-to-door delivery. Others remitted through agency or local office, friends/co-workers and other means at about 5.1 percent or 44 thousand.
• Cash remittances sent through banks amounted to 38.1 billion pesos or about 76 percent. Cash sent through door-to-door delivery amounted to 10.3 billion pesos or 20.4 percent while the remaining 2 billion pesos or 4.0 percent were either remitted through agency or local office, or friends or co-workers or other means.

OFWs in Asia sent 33.9 billion pesos of cash remittance . . .

• OFWs working in Asia sent the biggest cash remittance of about 33.9 billion pesos. This was followed by remittances from OFWs in Europe with 7.4 billion pesos and those in North and South America with 6.4 billion pesos.
• Among the 663 thousand OFWs in Asia who sent cash remittance, the biggest was sent by OFWs in Saudi Arabia amounting to 11.4 billion pesos.

Laborers and unskilled workers sent the biggest cash remittances . . .

• Of the total cash remittances sent by OFWs, about 11 billion pesos were from laborers and unskilled workers followed closely by plant and machine operators and assemblers with 10.8 billion pesos. Coming in third were those who worked as trades and related workers with 8.5 billion pesos.
• Looking at the average cash remittances sent by OFWs, those who worked as officials of government and special-interest organizations, corporate executives, managers, managing proprietors and supervisors had the highest with 99,592 pesos, plant and machine operators and assemblers followed with an average remittance of 78,578 pesos.

                                                                                               (Signed)
                                                                                                CARMELITA N. ERICTA
                                                                                              Administrator

EXPLANATORY TEXT

The data presented in this press release were taken from the yearly Survey on Overseas Filipinos (SOF) from 2003 to 2004. The SOF gathers estimates on the number of Overseas Filipinos Workers, their socio-economic characteristics and the amount and mode of remittances, in cash and in kind, received by their families. Only the data for Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are reported in this release.

The SOF results have the following limitations:

1. OFWs include overseas contract workers (OCWs) who were presently and temporarily out of the country during the reference period to fulfill an overseas contract for a specific length of time or who were presently at home on vacation during the reference period but still had an existing contract to work abroad and other Filipino workers abroad with valid working visa or work permits. Those who had no working visa or work permits (tourist, visitor, student, medical, and other types of non-immigrant visas) but were presently employed and working full time in other countries were also included.
2. The OFWs covered in this report were those working abroad during the period April 1 to September 30 of every year. The workers who were at home on vacation from their jobs abroad who left earlier than April 1 of the reference year were also included in this report as long as they worked during the specified reference period.
3. The SOF did not ask for the total salary received by the OFWs. Hence, the remittances presented in the results may just be part of the total salary received by the OFWs.

Starting July 2003 round of the Labor Force Survey (LFS), the generation of the labor force and employment statistics has adopted the 2003 Master Sample (MS) Design. Using this new master sample design, the number of samples increased from 41,000 to around 51,000 sample households. The SOF, being a rider of the LFS, has also adopted the new master sample design starting October 2003. Careful evaluation must be made in comparing the results of the 2003 and 2004 SOF with other SOF results prior to the implementation of the new MS design.

For the 2003 and 2004 SOF results, the province of Basilan is grouped under Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao while Isabela City (Basilan) is grouped under Region IX. This is to adopt the regional grouping under Executive Order No. 36.

Source:  Income and Employment Statistics Division
                Household Statistics Department
                National Statistics Office
                Manila, Philippines