Migrant Workers in the Philippines

This summer SIPS funded Trixia Apiado to intern at Unlad Kabayan, which is a small migrant services non-government organization based in Manila, Philippines. Currently in the Philippines, there are around 2.2 million Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) that work outside the Philippines in order to support their families back home. Unlad Kabayan’s mission is to “promote social entrepreneurship and social enterprises by mobilizing migrant workers, the marginalized in the community and their resources to build a sustainable local economy.” Unlad Kabayan hopes to arm migrants with the business knowledge, skills, and support they need to successfully reintegrate when they return to the Philippines. Unlad Kabayan also builds sustainable communities and thriving economies for migrants to invest their money in locally. To mobilize these resources, Unlad Kabayan started a savings campaign. Trixia researched and developed a savings campaign for Unlad Kabayan, looking at other countries who have done similar programs. She additionally looked at Unlad Kabayan’s supply and administrative chain from the local individual migrant entrepreneurs to the organization’s headquarters.