OFW deployment reaches record high

Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have proven to be more popular than ever among foreign employers.

The hiring of Filipino workers for overseas deployment reached record highs in 2008 despite the prevailing global financial crisis, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) reported yesterday.

POEA chief Jennifer Manalili said the number of workers employed abroad went up dramatically by 27 percent, from 1,077,623 in 2007 to 1,376,823 last year.

Manalili noted that the overseas deployment for the whole 2008 was 300,000 more than the previous year and half a million higher since 2003.

From a total deployment of about 800,000 in 2003, Manalili said deployment of workers abroad continuously went up and reached one million for the first time in 2006 and a high of 1.37 million in 2008.

Except for the months of February, March and December, Manalili said the POEA recorded monthly deployment of more than 100,000 during the past year.

Based on the number of employment contracts processed last year, Manalili said the number of new hires also went up by more than 100,000 from 313,280 to 428,429.

Land-based workers still accounted for the bulk of workers who were deployed overseas.–Mayen Jaymalin, Philippine Star