Human Migration and Children
Writing 39C
1/29/2013
Philippines’ Children Gone Bad: Impacts of Labor Migration
Everyday there are about more than 3,100 Filipinos temporarily leaving the country in search of jobs (POEA). In the Philippines, many parents believe that labor migration is their only solution to finding more job opportunities in other countries. However, parents have not considered the impact that will be imprinted on their children when they are separated. Statistics have shown a dramatic increase in labor migration in the Philippines since 1970. Thousands of children are growing up apart from either one of their parents because of labor migration. Children were not allowed to follow them because their parents could not take care of them while they are working. Thus, parents have to leave their children behind but send back remittance as a source of income. Even though remittance is good for their children and family by paying for their education in the Philippines, children still suffer emotionally because they are without the care of their parents. Researchers found an increase in emotional insecurities, anger, abandonment, confusion, and lack of familial support among children with one or no parents, which result in poor performance in school (Parrenas Global). Parental neglect causes this prominent problem of care deficit among many children in the Philippines. This not only affects those families that are separated, but also affects the rest of the Philippines population. Due to the absentee of parents not being by their side, emotionally unstable children are more likely to misbehave and may harm or injure others. This results in children engaging in bad behavior or experiencing psychological trauma. Consequently, the distressed children commit crimes to get attention and this becomes a threat to Philippines society.
The persistence of labor migration in the Philippines population has caused many families to be separated. Due to the economy and growth of population, the
1/29/2013
Philippines’ Children Gone Bad: Impacts of Labor Migration
Everyday there are about more than 3,100 Filipinos temporarily leaving the country in search of jobs (POEA). In the Philippines, many parents believe that labor migration is their only solution to finding more job opportunities in other countries. However, parents have not considered the impact that will be imprinted on their children when they are separated. Statistics have shown a dramatic increase in labor migration in the Philippines since 1970. Thousands of children are growing up apart from either one of their parents because of labor migration. Children were not allowed to follow them because their parents could not take care of them while they are working. Thus, parents have to leave their children behind but send back remittance as a source of income. Even though remittance is good for their children and family by paying for their education in the Philippines, children still suffer emotionally because they are without the care of their parents. Researchers found an increase in emotional insecurities, anger, abandonment, confusion, and lack of familial support among children with one or no parents, which result in poor performance in school (Parrenas Global). Parental neglect causes this prominent problem of care deficit among many children in the Philippines. This not only affects those families that are separated, but also affects the rest of the Philippines population. Due to the absentee of parents not being by their side, emotionally unstable children are more likely to misbehave and may harm or injure others. This results in children engaging in bad behavior or experiencing psychological trauma. Consequently, the distressed children commit crimes to get attention and this becomes a threat to Philippines society.
The persistence of labor migration in the Philippines population has caused many families to be separated. Due to the economy and growth of population, the
Bibliography: Cortes, Rosalia. Global Report on Migration and Children. “Children and Women Left Behind in Labor Sending Countries: An Appraisal of Social Risks.” October, 2007. Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA). 2005. ‘Stock of Overseas Filipinos as of December 2004’ Behind Children in the Philippines. 2006. 2: 45–67 Maruja M New global economy’, in Global Woman: Nannies, Maids and Sex Workers in the New Economy, Eds B. Ehrenreich & A. R. Hochschild, Metropolitan Books, Henry Holt &Company, LLC, New York, 2002. 39–54 Rhacel S Behind: A Study of Elementary School Children in the Philippines." SOJOURN: Journal of Social Issues in Southeast Asia. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS). 1998. HighBeam Research. Labor Sending Countries: An Appraisal of Social Risks.” October, 2007. University Press. 2006. This book is relevant to my topic because the author Jane Waldfogel guides the audience through researched evidences on what children need when they are growing up and developing