Economic and Social Implication of Female Overseas Filipino Workers as Care Workers: A Systematic Review

Date

6-2025

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Economics

College

College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Luisito C. Abueg

Committee Member

Ma. Janda Ira Felina M. Benedictos, Gideon P. Carnaje, Maria Angeles O. Catelo

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Abstract

The country has actively marketed Filipina women as an ideal source of global care labor, positioning remittances as a key contributor to national GDP. Yet behind these economic figures lies an invisible gendered dynamic, as care work remains undervalued precisely because it is seen as an extension of women’s unpaid domestic roles. As the marketization of care intensifies under global market demands, women, particularly Filipinas, are recruited by wealthier nations to meet rising care needs. Thus, the main objective of this paper is to explore the economic and social implications of feminization of migration manifesting through female OFWs employed as care workers. Through a systematic review of 23 literatures, it is revealed that female OFWs encounter numerous challenges shaped by intersecting economic, social, and cultural forces. Migration is framed not only as an economic decision but as a moral obligation rooted in gendered expectations to support families. This results in intense pressure to endure all kinds of abuse, as failure to remit to immediate, and even extended, families invites social stigma. Emotional labor, such as sustaining long-distance family ties and managing guilt over absence, is substantial but often overlooked. Limited reintegration programs and skill mismatches at the destination country limit upward mobility, trapping many women in cyclical migration patterns. While migration provides temporary financial relief, it rarely resolves the structural poverty or gender inequities at home. This research urges to recognize the economic and social burdens that Filipina care workers bear and not let it be masked by the economic benefits that labor migration brings. Filipina care workers are the backbone of both the global care economy and their families. Supporting them means creating a fairer, more humane migration system that respects their dignity and resilience.

Language

English

LC Subject

Overseas employees, Employment in foreign countries, Foreign workers, Filipino--Social conditions.

Location

UPLB College of Economics and Management (CEM)

Call Number

LG 993.5 2025 E2 M46

Notes

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Document Type

Thesis

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