The Department of Labor and Employment reported that half a million Filipinos have been deployed to different parts of the world during the first six months of the year.

POEA (Philippine Overseas Employment Administration) reports show that 502,772 Filipinos have gone on to work overseas, as of June 26,2005— 19,276 more than that of the same period last year. Please refer to the data tables on the next pages.

“We are confident that our goal to deploy a million OFWs globally continues on a firm and stable rack,” Acting Labor and Employment Secretary Danilo P. Cruz said as this is the first time half a million OFW have been deployed in only one semester.

And with more Filipinos working abroad, Cruz said the country could reach the US$10 billion level in OFW remittances this year. From January to April 2005, OFW remittances rose to US$ 3.072 billion(17.22 percent increase), according to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas or BSP.

Cruz added that the Filipinos are continuously in-demand in traditional and emerging labor markets all over the world.