40,000 of 2.0 MILLION OFW IN SAUDI ARABIA AS OF 2010 SURVEY comes from Region 10

40,000 of 2.0 MILLION OFW IN SAUDI ARABIA AS OF 2010 SURVEY comes from Region 10

The Overseas Contract Workers (OCWs) or those with existing work contract abroad comprised 94.9 percent (1.9 million) of the total 2.0 million OFWs during the period April to September 2010.

In Region X, the percentage of overseas Filipino workers went up to 0.2 percent from 2009 to 2010 or 40,000 comes from the region. The largest proportion of OFWs came from CALABARZON with 16.0 percent followed by Central Luzon with 14.4 percent and the National Capital Region with 13.8 percent. The number of OFWs from these three regions altogether comprised 44.2 percent of the total number of OFWs. On the other hand, the smallest proportion of OFWs came from Caraga (1.4%).

There were more male OFWs (52.3%) than female OFWs (47.7%). Female OFWs were younger compared to male OFWs. Twelve percent of female OFWs were in the age group 15 to 24 years and 30 percent were in the age group 25 to 29 years, while the corresponding percentages of male OFWs in these age groups were 7 percent and 21 percent. Female OFWs aged 45 years and over made up 11 percent of all female OFWs. For male OFWs 45 years old and over, the corresponding proportion is much higher at 22 percent.

Saudi Arabia was the most preferred destination of OFWs with 22.1 percent of the total OFWs working in this country during the period April to September 2010. The other preferred destinations of OFWs were: United Arab Emirates (15.1%); Qatar (6.3%); Singapore (5.9%); and Hong Kong (5.7%). Almost one-third of the total OFWs in April to September 2010 were laborers and unskilled workers (32.0%). Those who worked as service workers and shop and market sales workers made up 15.1 percent. The trade and related workers (14.9%) and plant and machine operators and assemblers (14.3%) registered similar proportions.

The total remittance sent by OFWs during the period April to September 2010 was estimated at 141.2 billion pesos. These remittances included cash sent home (104.9 billion pesos), cash brought home (30.1 billion pesos) and remittance in kind (6.2 billion pesos). Of the total cash remittance sent by OFWs, the remittance sent by laborers and unskilled workers comprised the biggest share with 20.6 billion pesos or an average remittance of 39 thousand pesos per OFW. OFWs working in Asia, comprising 80 percent of all OFWs, have the biggest share of cash remittance (70.9% of the total cash remittance). The proportions to total cash remittances that came from other countries were: North and South America (11.7%), Europe (11.3%), Africa (3.8%) and Australia (2.3%). The majority of OFWs sent their remittance through bank (73.7%) while the rest through door to door (8.0%), agency or local office (3.1%), through friends or co-workers (0.9%) or through other means (14.4%). (NSO 10)

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