NCR, Central Luzon, top senders of Filipinos abroad

CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan, November 12 (PIA) — The National Capital Region (NCR) and Region III accounted for the most number of Filipinos migrating to other countries as the number of intermarriages through the internet increases.

From 1988 to 2009, over 490,000 people from NCR and 223,000 from Central Luzon traveled abroad either for work, marriage or forced labor, according to the report of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO).

“The Philippines ranks third among the top sending countries in the world after China and India,” said the CFO in the report.

The number of Filipinos marrying foreign nationals also increased through the years with the advent of modern technology. About 4,100 Filipinos in 2008 met their foreign spouses through the internet compared to only 427 in 2000.

Citizens of the United States lead the list of the most preferred partner as 155,000 Filipinos have already espoused Americans from 1989-2009, followed by the Japanese with 108,245 relationships.

However, the CFO saw this increase in number of intermarriages also as a rise in cases of human trafficking.

The International Labor Organization estimated that there were 12.3 million people in forced and bonded labor, child labor and sexual servitude. Approximately 80 percent of transnational victims are women and girls and up to 50 percent are minors.

“The Philippines is identified as a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor,” said CFO.

With this, the CFO is regularly conducting pre-departure orientation seminars for emigrants age 20-64 years old; peer counseling program for age 13-19 years old; and guidance and counseling program for Filipino spouses and partners of foreign nationals.

For any reports on human trafficking or illegal recruitment, call the new worldwide hotline of CFO: 1343. Dial first 632 when out of the country or 02 when outside Metro Manila. For inquires, call CFO at (02) 552-47-00 or email them at info@cfo.gov.ph. (WLB/JMG-PIA 3)