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Filipino skilled migration to ASEAN:
Searching for what neighbors have to offer

DR. JEAN ENCINAS-FRANCO1 and JEREMAIAH M. OPINIANO2

1 – Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, University of the
Philippines-Diliman; CIFAL Fellow
2
– Executive Director, Institute for Migration and Development Issues (IMDI);
Assistant Professor, Journalism, University of Santo Tomas; CIFAL Fellow

Introduction

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)

has evolved into one economic community in 2015, even as
the area is touted as experiencing impressive growth in the

past decade. Along with this, the region has been embarking
on mutually recognizing the qualifications of key professionals,
for the purpose of facilitating the movement of people. These

developments have been met with both excitement and
trepidation by 10-member states. It also compels them to

adjust their educational systems for compliance and increased
competitiveness. From a liberal perspective, increased mobility
allows states with surplus labor to benefit from remittances

of people whose professions are recognized in the region.
However, it can also spell doom for states who may have to

experience brain drain as a result of not being able to absorb

Policy Forum 93

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