Large number of Filipinas working abroad helps reduce population growth

The growing number of Filipino women working abroad has helped to reduce population growth in the Philippines, a senior official said recently.

"If one partner is working overseas, it is possible that couples are practicing longer birth spacing. I think this is happening now," said Tomas Osias, executive director of the Commission on Population.

"The increasing number of female overseas Filipino workers has mitigated a population explosion in the Philippines," explained Osias, adding that women on temporary visas practice longer birth spacing and are unlikely to have children while working abroad. Once Filipino workers have gained permanent residence abroad they and their families are unlikely to go back to the Philippines, said Osias. This also results in lower levels of population growth in the Philippines.

A report presented by the Commission of Population has shown that more Filipino women are now working abroad than Filipino men.

The population in the Philippines' grows at an annual rate of 2.36% rate with two million babies being born every year. The Philippines is now ranked as the 12th most populous nation in the world.

"This could have been worse if not for the country's labor migration policy, which has been in effect for 32 years," said Osias.

The Commission of Population is currently undertaking research on the relationship between various factors affection population growth such as migration, population control and economic development, which will be presented in the government agency's second quarter report, said Osias.

This latest research has been initiated because other government agencies have not given attention to the impact of the government's policy of sending workers abroad, to population perspective, said Osias.

"We think that other agencies have not looked at the other effects of migration," said Osias, adding that the report on the issue will be a meaningful contribution to demography.

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