Articles and essays which have no systematic evidence and are purely based on anecdotal cases allege that the migration of parents creates emotional displacements among children left behind. Many of the newspaper writing about the OFW families assert that the children are prone to delinquency and declining moral values. Church authorities, social workers and teachers/counselors who equate good parenting to physical presence of both spouses can have biased perceptions on the students with migrant parents.

The problem is when one journalist who may not have an OFW member in the family writes about his negative opinion based on his observation on one family; another picks it up and bloggers may write and discuss about the issue like it is the TRUTH that should be accepted, the perceptions are erroneously validated.

But did they ever look at the studies conducted? Nah. Sabi nga ano ba talaga pare ang katotohanan?

In my opinion, it seems that there is a gap between perceptions and findings on social costs of Pinoy Workers Migration.

First we have the motivations of the OFWs. It is true that workers are economically motivated but it is interesting to note what children say about it.

Most of the articles published in the newspapers point to the “escape from poverty” as a main reason for the labor migration when in fact, not all who migrated are necessarily poor.

From the studies conducted, most of the children responded that the fathers decide to migrate either to provide for the families or to seek career advancement.

As to the mothers, findings are on agreement that women migrate because there are no labor opportunities in the Philippines especially if you have no college degrees or you have already reached the age limit of employability.

Escaping poverty may be true for single parents for the reason that they were abandoned by the husbands or are unfortunately married to irresponsible-drunkard-no-good-womanizer head of the family.

First let us take a look at the study conducted in 1987 where a few researches were made to find out whether the perceptions on children of migrants are valid and true.

Cruz, Victoria Paz (1987). Seasonal Orphans and Solo Parents: The Impact of Overseas Migration. Scalabrini Migration Center and CBCP Commission on Migration and Tourism.

This is one of the earliest researches on children of migrant workers. The findings showed that there was no significant difference between children of migrant and non-migrant workers as to students’ performance. Majority received good ratings in terms of conduct and discipline in class from the teachers (78% children migrants, and 81% children of non-migrants).

After almost ten years another study pointed out to the same findings.

Battistela, Graziano and Conaco, Ma. Cecilia G. (1996). “Impact of Migration on the Children Left Behind” in the Asian Migrant, Volume 9 Issue No. 3

This extensive research in 1996 when cell phones were still not popular means of communication between migrants and children, the findings showed that the parental absence creates a sense of loneliness and abandonment.

However, it did not become a reason for laziness and unruliness for the children of migrant parents except for a few. For others, it made them, more self-reliant and responsible.

Although some felt confusion and anger, the overall findings of the studies revealed that the absence of the parents did not have a decisive negative impact on spiritual and motal formation of the children. “. This can be attributed to the regular communication of parents (particularly the mothers) with their children where they continue to monitor and guide their children thru letters and long distance calls.

The research paper argued that “family separation does not necessarily lead to extreme cases of emotional disturbance and delinquency among children.

Ten years after, another study belied the negative perceptions on the children.

Asis, Maruja M.B. (2006). “Living with Migration: Experiences of Left-Behind

The key findings here were:

(1) On average, children of migrants are better off financially than children of non-migrants.

(2) Children of migrants are more likely to attend expensive private schools than children of non-migrants, so children of migrants receive higher quality of education.

(3) Children of migrants reported the same levels of happiness as children of non-migrants, with the exception that children whose mothers had migrated reported slightly lower scores than other groups.

In-between these ten-year gaps, there were studies like 1) Nagasaka, 1998; 2)Anoneuvo 2002; and 3) Parrenas, 2005 which showed evidences that children of migrants being lonely,materialist, selfish, anxious, and resentful–

however, many children of non-migrants in the Philippines also face difficult lives and experience social and psychological problems

With the technological advancement on communication, a different level of intimacy strengthens the bonding among children and migrant parents.

The Filipino parents who are used to not demonstrating their care and love for children personally become less shy of expressing I love yous to their children by means of letters, texts and video conferencing.

What do you think made the phone cards very in demand?

Whether labor export is a good development policy or not, I believe that it is here to stay because the seed has been planted. These children of migrant parents will themselves migrate in the future whether because their career choices are what are in demand abroad or because the parents have opened the doors to the global labor markets.

Pag nagkaroon ng isang Pilipino sa isang isla, asahang maraming Pilipino pa ang darating.

Now let’s rumble by sharing OFW experiences and parenting.

Contributing Writer: Cathy
She blogs at Now What, Cat?

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