In the PIDS discussion paper, “The Future of Work in Aging Societies: Filipina Migrant Workers in the Asia-Pacific Value Chains,” published last May, authors Jean Clarisse T. Carlos, Jocelyn O. Celero, and Evangeline Katigbak-Montoya said the Philippines has become a major supplier of female workers, particularly in caregiving, healthcare, and domestic work, supporting the social and economic well-being of aging societies across the region.

In a statement last Thursday, July 30, PIDS noted that the study found that Filipino workers remain highly sought after because of their English proficiency, caregiving skills, and cultural adaptability. Drawing on data from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), it also noted that women account for more than 85 percent of those enrolled in and graduating from caregiving training programs.

According to the study, Singapore employed about 250,000 foreign domestic workers in 2021, around half of whom were Filipinas. More than 3,000 Filipino nurses and caregivers have been deployed to Japan under the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA), while Australia employs an estimated 10,000 Filipino healthcare professionals.

Despite their growing importance in sustaining healthcare, eldercare, and domestic care services abroad, many Filipina migrant workers continue to face insecure employment, long working hours, language barriers, limited opportunities for career advancement, and unequal access to labor protections, healthcare, and social security benefits.

“When it comes to care labor hierarchy, Filipino nurses and care givers are regarded as the gold standard... With these structural conditions in place, it has become expensive for Japanese companies to hire one Filipino care worker,” the study said.

The authors also warned that while overseas employment creates jobs and generates remittances, the continued migration of caregivers and healthcare professionals may contribute to shortages in the Philippines’ own health and care sectors, creating what they described as a “care deficit.”

To address these challenges, the study recommended aligning technical-vocational and higher education programs in caregiving and nursing with international standards, expanding continuous skills development through artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled digital and interactive learning, institutionalizing a national care economy framework to balance labor export while mitigating the country’s “care drain,” strengthening labor protections through broader visa classifications, portable social protection and healthcare benefits, ethical recruitment, and stronger bilateral agreements with destination countries.

At the regional level, the authors also urged the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to strengthen workforce planning through better labor data sharing, digital credential recognition, and AI-integrated labor matching systems.

“The future of work in aging societies will increasingly depend on the equitable governance of global care and value chains. For the Philippines, this means balancing its dual role as a labor-sending economy and a future aging society,” the authors wrote. - Danielle T. Bayani