Gender Roles Among OFWs: Comparison of (Employment) Trends Among Female OFWs in the 1990s and 2020s

Abstract

This study explores the transformation of gender roles in the domestic work of female Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in the 1990s and the 2020s through a multimethod approach. It incorporates quantitative data from government employment databases and qualitative data from Google Forms interviews with female OFWs. In comparison with interviews conducted with non- OFWs using qualitative survey approaches, this research presents new insights on the experiences of Filipino OFWs, their motivations, problems, difficulties, and perceptions about their overseas work. The study also looks at the interplay between socioeconomic, cultural, and policy contexts in shaping female participation in the labor market, options for occupations, and challenges in international employment. Findings indicate a marked shift from an early 1990s focus on caregiving and domestic service occupations to a diverse number of occupational choices including healthcare, education, and information technology by the 2020s. While acknowledging the increased financial independence and empowerment of some female OFWs, the study also found persistent equilibria such as workplace discrimination, wage disparity, work-life balance issues, and occupational marginalization. It concludes by suggesting the need for targeted policy interventions through interventions including mental health support services and skills enhancement programs to effectively address the multifaceted challenges inherent in female labor migration and contribute to a more encompassing understanding of the dynamic interplay between gender, employment, and migration in the Philippines.