BANGKOK—The Philippines’ “heavy reliance” on remittances of migrant workers—reaching $19 billion last year—has been crippling its domestic productivity for many years, said a regional official of the International Labor Organization (ILO).
Gyorgy Sziraczki, senior economist of the Regional Economic and Social Analysis Unit of the ILO office here, said the increasing remittances “reduces pressure on the government to come up with reforms on the [labor] market structures.”
“Sending Filipinos overseas has resulted in a brain drain and a loss of some educated and trained people from the Philippines,” he said. “This has resulted in major social and economic cost to the Philippines, including a weakening of the country’s competitiveness, although the extent of this has not yet really been qualified.”
Sziraczki was speaking at an ILO media course on International Labor Standards at the UN regional office here for journalists in Asia and the Pacific.
The Philippines has the most number of ILO Conventions ratified, which should have made it attain International Labor Standards. However, ILO officials believe these ratifications “remain on paper” lacking legislative interpretation and implementation.
“When dollars come in through remittances sent by overseas workers, the question is to what extent they contribute to higher living standards and stronger economic development,” he said.
He said the remittances uplift the lives of Filipinos in terms of sending children to school, as well as health care. “[But] what is less clear is to what extent they contribute toward economic progress, for example, in investments to start new businesses.”
The Philippines “scores well” in terms of labor force, educated labor, as well as labor-market efficiency and innovation, but the economic and social performance of the Philippines is one of the lowest in Southeast Asia. “In terms of productivity growth, it is at the bottom compared with many other countries [in Southeast Asia],” he said. –Estrella Torres / Reporter, Businessmirror
July 2025
Nutrition Month
“Give us much more than P50 increase
for proper nutrition!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands #Distancing #TakePicturesVideosturesVideos
July
3 July – International Day of Cooperatives
3 July – International Plastic Bag Free Day
5 July – World Youth Skills Day
7 July – Global Forgiveness Day
11 July – World Population Day
17 July – World Day for International Justice
28 July – World Nature Conservation Day
30 July – World Day against Trafficking in Persons
Monthly Observances:
Schools Safety Month
Nutrition Month
National Disaster Consciousness Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 2: Cultural Communities Week
Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise
Development Week
Week 3: National Science and
Technology Week
National Disability Prevention and
Rehabilitation Week
July 1-7:
National Culture Consciousness Week
July 13-19:
Philippines Business Week
Week ending last Saturday of July:
Arbor Week
Daily Observances:
First Saturday of July:
International Cooperative Day
in the Philippines
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