The employment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) is shifting gradually from low-end to higher-end occupation with the upsurge in the job orders for Filipino professional workers abroad, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said.

Speaking at the University of the Philippines Alumni Council Meeting, Labor and Employment Secretary Patricia A. Sto. Tomas said the government efforts to look for higher-end employment for the OFWs abroad gained headway with the increase in the number of deployed professional and skilled OFWs in 2004.

Sto. Tomas disclosed the following statistics:

• 2,558 OFWs deployed everyday (average)
• 78,956(2003) to 93,006(2004): hiring of Filipino professionals and skilled workers(up by 17.8 percent)
• 86% of Filipino professionals and skilled workers are women
• 2% average increase in OFW Deployment annually from 1998 to 2004
• 61,352 (2003) to 62,708 (2004): number of bricklayers, plumbers, stonemasons, tile setters, carpenters, and drivers deployed overseas
• 3,965(2003) to 5,221 (2004): Filipino bookkeepers, receptionists, and stenographers deployed overseas
• 216,031 (2003) to 229,002 (2004):seafarers deployed (6% increase)
• 651,938 (2003) to 704,586 (2004): landbased workers deployed (8.1% increase)
• 112,856 (2004): newly hired service workers such as domestic helpers, household workers, caretakers, waiters, and bartenders
• 90% of newly hired service workers were females 
• 352,314 workers deployed in the Middle East in 2004 
• 266,609 workers deployed in Asia
• 55,116 deployed in Europe
• 37,981 deployed in the Americas.

Sto. Tomas added that the number of OFWs deployed is expected to further grow as the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and the Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLOs) in various sites abroad have been engaged in marketing missions looking for employment prospects abroad especially higher-end occupations for the OFWs.

The Labor chief said the management of labor migration is grounded on three major tracks such as enhancing the competitiveness of labor, empowering of labor, and ensuring the OFWs welfare and protection.

"Specifically, more and better markets for overseas employment are being explored and developed," she said.

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