The situation, in brief
Almost 70% of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) cited higher pay and better opportunities as their main reasons for working abroad, according to a report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG). The report found that 69% of OFWs surveyed identified higher income as their top motivation, while 57% said…
Almost 70% of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) cited higher pay and better opportunities as their main reasons for working abroad, according to a report by Boston Consulting Group (BCG).
The report found that 69% of OFWs surveyed identified higher income as their top motivation, while 57% said they sought to improve their quality of life. Another 41% said they went abroad to support their families.
Meanwhile, 31% of respondents said they chose to work overseas for personal growth, while 30% cited the lack of job opportunities in the Philippines.
The survey was conducted in February 2026 among 1,337 OFWs based in the United States, Asia, the Middle East, and the United Kingdom.
1 in 14 Filipino families has an OFW
For many respondents, working abroad is a key strategy for ensuring household stability.
“Working abroad is among the most reliable routes out of income fragility available to Filipino families,” the report said.
The survey showed that 49% of OFWs are the primary breadwinners in their households, contributing about 66% of total household income, while 40% serve as co-providers.
BCG also reported that 83% of OFW households fall within income classes AB to C3, or those earning at least P23,001 per month, compared with 45% of the overall Philippine population.
“Virtually, no OFW family remains in Classes D and E, against 55% of the population overall,” it added.
OFWs a ‘pillar of the Philippine economy’
The report underscored the importance of remittances, describing OFWs as a key driver of the Philippine economy.
Remittances are among the country’s largest sources of foreign exchange inflows, trailing only the electronics and business process outsourcing (BPO) sectors. Nearly nine in 10 OFW families rely on remittances for their daily expenses.
“Overseas Filipino cash remittances reached USD 35.6 billion in 2025, up from USD 32.5 billion in 2022, growing at around 3% annually,” the report said.
BCG concluded that many Filipinos go abroad not just to pursue opportunities, but to secure stability for their families, particularly amid rising living costs.
“The first is immediate: 64% of Filipino families cannot cover a PHP 10,000 hospital bill without borrowing, and the OFW becomes the household’s buffer against the medical emergency that would otherwise pull everything backward. The second is forward-looking: 41% cite supporting their family’s needs and children’s education as a top reason for leaving,” it said.
“The overseas salary protects the family from the crisis happening now, and funds the future the family is trying to build. Both of these are the architecture of a household trying to stay whole.”
