Statistics
and estimates of 'working abroad'
Because of the difficulty in finding a job in their own country, every
year many Filipinos find a way to work abroad, with or without an
official labor-contract. Many Filipinos will try to
lengthen their stay in a foreign country after their official
labor-contract has ended. That's one of the main reasons that thousands of
Filipinos are not officially registered and stay illegal abroad. The
total of 1.2 million
officially registered workers are exclusive these illegal workers.
Problems for Illegal workers abroad
In
August 2002 more than 1500 Filipinos had to return to the Philippines
after they were deported from Malaysia. Not only
adults, but also children had to return, after the Malaysian government
had decided not to tolerate their illegal stay any longer. In the period
February - September 2002 more than 64.000 Filipinos were deported from
Malaysia. In the last period of 2002 more deportations were
organized by the Malaysian government.
More
than 300.000 illegal workers returned in 2002 from Indonesia. The fear
for punishment and a stay in jail in Indonesia, after the Indonesian
government had announced new laws, was the main reason for their
return to the Philippines.
Source
among others: Malaysiakini
, August
2002
)