Philippine Policy and Experience
Mainstreaming Migration into Development
Planning
Carlos D. Sorreta
Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative
New York, 28 November 2011
Permanent Mission of
the Philippines
to the United Nations
Philippine Migration Profile
• 11 million
• Over 10% of total Philippine population
• Diverse occupations
• In over 190 countries and most merchant
vessels
Americas
M. East
Asia
3.9 million
2.7 million
1.4 million
Europe
954,000
Africa
105,000
Seafarers 400,000
Philippine Migration Profile
• Remittances in 2010: $18.8 billion
• First 9 months of 2011: $14.76 billion, up by
7% from same period last year.
• Projected for 2011: $20.1 billion.
• Second leading source of foreign exchange
receipts.
Legal and Institutional Structures
• Legal and institutional structures established starting 1973
• Laws primarily to ensure protection of safety and welfare of
Filipino Migrants
• Cabinet-level agencies dealing directly with migration and
development issues: Foreign Affairs, Trade and Investment,
Finance, Labor and Employment, Social Welfare and
Development, Education, National Economic and Development
Authority
• Sub-cabinet agencies dealing with migration:
• Philippine Overseas Employment Agency
• Overseas Workers Welfare Administration
• Commission on Filipinos Overseas
• Integrated in Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016
• Sectoral Representative in Congress
Development Planning Areas
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Investments
Philanthropy
Education
Return and Reintegration
Investments
• Diaspora Investment - A program where
new financial instruments are developed and
promoted for overseas Filipinos to invest.
• Business Advisory Circle Program - Assists
overseas Filipinos in building linkages and
business partnerships in the Philippines.
• Tourism Initiatives – Focuses on supporting
the drive to encourage overseas Filipinos to
investment in small to medium tourism
enterprises as well as to visit as tourists.
Investments
• Exemption from Philippine income tax
• Robust remittance industry/Reducing
remittance costs
• Overseas Filipinos Remittances for
Development (OFs-RED) - Grant from UNDP
(Project ID # 76817). To review and develop
policies that would facilitate the use of
remittances for productive and job-creating
investments.
Philanthropy
• Diaspora Philanthropy (Lingkod sa Kapwa
Pilipino) - Focus primarily on facilitating
donations in cash or in kind for development
projects.
• Medical Missions
• Disaster Assistance
Education
• Continuing Education – Skills training,
business and money management education.
• Alay Dunong (Offered Knowledge) Program Systematizes and strengthens the skills and
technology exchange/transfer.
• Balik-Turo (Return to Teach)/Educational
Exchange – Encourage return of academics and
professionals to teach and work with the
academe to strengthen and enhance academic
programs of partner schools.
Education
• Balik-Scientist (Returning Scientist) - Grants
are given to overseas Filipino scientist to spend
time in the Philippines teaching or working with
local scientists.
• SCAT and TOKTEN - Science and Technology
Advisory Council and Transfer of Knowledge
Through Expatriate Nationals.
• Maintaining Competitive Edge - Improving
local education to remain competitive in global
labor markets
Return and Reintegration
• Reintegration - Focuses on providing
returning overseas Filipinos information and
facilitating services for a successful
reintegration into local life
• Livelihood and Housing programs
• Returning Filipino retirement program
• Portability of social security and health
insurance
• Displacement assistance
Thank you.
Permanent Mission of
the Philippines
to the United Nations