International migration and poverty in the Philippines: Insights from the household-level data obtained through the community-based monitoring system

• Main Author: Sobreviñas, Alellie B.
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2022
• Subjects: Foreign workers, Filipino; Emigration and immigration—Economic aspects; Poverty—Philippines; Philippines—Economic condition; Economics; Migration Studies
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/faculty_research/5794
• Institution: De La Salle University

International migration has been an important economic strategy of many Filipino households. Records show that a significant number of Filipinos work abroad and send remittances to their families back home. Using household-level data obtained by selected local government units (LGUs) in the Philippines through the community-based monitoring system (CBMS), this study aims to examine international migration and its impact on poverty. To address the endogeneity of migration decision, the impact on poverty is estimated using the instrumental variables method. Results showed that international migration led to an increase per capita income of households, thereby resulting in a reduction in poverty, in general. At the same time, poverty as measured by the CBMS simple composite index (SCI) and multidimensional poverty index (MPI) declined because of international migration.