Overview

According to the International Labor Organization, ten million Filipinos currently live abroad, and about one million emigrate for economic opportunities. As a result of the Marcos-led Labor Export Policy (LEP), Filipinos have created one of the largest diasporic communities in the world. High concentrations of Filipinos live in the United States, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, and Malaysia. 

Migration is a gendered experience. While men often work production-oriented jobs, women mostly work in the service industry as nannies, au-pairs, and maids. Some work as nurses, which is commonly considered a more lucrative career than domestic jobs. Yet, despite the career, many Filipina women are still subjected to abuse. Although they are commodified and underpaid, they see migration as their last hope to bring comfort and stability to their families. They sacrifice themselves for their families, moving across the globe for a better life for themselves and their children. In order to survive, many Filipinas must hide their identities, molding themselves into a product fit for consumption. During this process, other identities and customs are born, those that we can only describe as diasporic. In migration, people realize their humanity; they lose it, and regain it in various forms. With this regaining and reshaping of personhood, women turn to literature to vocalize their experiences or those of the people around them. In this section, we see the impact that migration has on families and the significance of human compassion. While reading, dare to ask questions about your own diasporic story. What does diaspora mean to you?

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Supplementary Sources:

Philippines: A History of Migration

Filipino Women Migrant Worker Fact Sheet

When love is not enough