Climate change pushes Filipinos to migrate overseas - study

MANILA, Philippines - Climate change not only propagates erratic weather condition all over the globe but also increases the number of Filipinos migrating overseas to work and escape the hardship posed by the environment in their homes, a study by a professor of migration studies revealed. Filipino families who experience tragedies from natural disasters are pushed to find jobs elsewhere to rebuild their homes and seek opportunities outside their community. “It is in times of hopelessness and despair after natural disasters that families consider outmigration as an option to survive," Aurora Javate de Dios, a professor at Miriam College’s Migration Studies department, said in a forum on Tuesday. De Dios, who presented her study at the Third Global Congress of Women in Politics and Governance in Makati City, predicted that climate change would undoubtedly contribute as one of the factors increasing temporary displacement as well as long term migration. “One estimate puts the figure at 200 million climate migrants by 2050. Predictions on rising sea levels may cause the mass movements of coastal population after 2080," she added. Although De Dios admits that various push and pull factors affect the migration decision of an individual, the frequency and severity of natural disasters in developing countries like the Philippines makes climate change a notable factor. The Philippines is considered as one of the world’s most disaster-prone areas being in the Pacific belt “Ring of Fire." The country is also frequented by an average of 20 typhoons every year with Eastern Visayas, Northern Luzon and Southern Luzon as the most affected areas. While the impacts of climate change affect everyone, the poorest and the most marginalized sectors – in the country’s rural areas – disproportionately receive the harsh effects of such disasters. According to De Dios, the temporary migration of Filipino workers is also an ‘adaptation response’ or an option to the lack of job opportunities in their community. The type of migration also depends on the kind of climate change that occurred. For instance, a family who experienced a chronic disaster such as drought would most likely go into seasonal or contract labor migration to anticipate the hardship during dry days. Meanwhile, families who lost their homes and livelihood due to the sudden rise in sea level or extreme temperatures would be pushed to permanently settle elsewhere. “I have always assumed that one of the drivers of forced migration of people have been wars, conflict and natural disasters," De Dios said. “However there seems to be a growing debate whether or not the growing numbers of people displaced by natural disasters or climate change constitute a ‘new group’ that needs protection aside from refugees and migrants," she added. De Dios cited the International Organization of Migration’s (IOM) definition of this new group as ‘environmental migrants’ or people who are obliged to leave their homes temporarily or permanently due to changes in the climate. From January to August this year, a total of 884,907 Filipinos went overseas for employment, which is a 26.4 percent increase from 699,937 in the same period last year. The Philippine government is targeting an annual deployment of one million Filipinos overseas. - GMANews.TV