Analysis on Philippine Migration Policies and Its Impact on the Exodus of Health Professionals

Abstract

This study to probed if the current migration policies that were passed and implemented were more of policies promoting labor migration rather than policies that protect the welfare and rights of the Filipino health professionals abroad. The objectives of the study were fourfold: 1) To obtain information on the trends in the demand for and utilization of Filipino Health professionals in the local and international. markets; 2) To provide comprehensive, integrated and updated information about the existing labor migration policies in the country; 3) To evaluate the labor migration policies’ impact on the migration of health professionals; and 4) To propose policy options and strategies for the solution of the continued exodus of health professionals. The results of the study showed that the current migration policies that were passed and implemented were more of policies promoting labor migration rather than policies that protect the welfare and rights of the Filipino health professionals abroad: The migration policies that were formulated and enforced were results of the increasing International demand for Filipino labor resources rather than with the basis of the grounds that these policies came up because the welfare and rights of Filipinos should be promoted and protected abroad. The promotion of Filipino health professionals’ migration is only supported by the phenomenon that is based on economic and sociocultural factors that is heavily facilitated and promoted by the government through its migration policies.