Brain Drain - What's Lost in Us?

This year, the labor force of the Philippines numbered 34.3 million people. Workers in the agriculture sector accounted for 34.6 percent of the total employed, with those engaged in the agriculture, hunting and forestry sub-sector making up the largest sub-sector (30.5% of the total employed). Only 14.2 percent of the total employed were in the industry sector, with the manufacturing sub-sector making up the largest percentage (8.3% of the total employed). The unemployment rate was 7.7 percent this year.

Employment opportunities associated with the modern economy, mostly services and manufacturing, are concentrated only in a few urban centers, especially the Manila metropolitan area. Whereas, in the rural areas, these opportunities are scarce.

The country’s high rate of population adds up to the labor force each year which results to a high rate of unemployment and even higher underemployment. The shortage of employment opportunities has resulted in large-scale migrations of sophisticated Filipino professionals, skilled and unskilled workers alike to countries such as the United States and United Arab Emirates. Approximately 6 million Filipinos work abroad.

Many of them send a portion of their earnings to relatives in the Philippines, infusing the economy with a significant source of foreign exchange. The migration of the vitally-needed professionals has created a serious “brain drain” in the Philippines. A number of nurses and teachers have sought employment abroad. Needless to say, these people working abroad, are among the best in the country.

Most of the Filipinos going abroad seek a greener pasture. A great number of Filipino professionals think that migration to other countries is the solution to their economic ordeal. They are not aware that this could lead to “brain drain” in which, most of the professionals and skilled workers in the Philippines work abroad leaving the country drained of the best human resources.

This “brain drain” can lead to an unprogressive Philippines. What will happen if most of these professionals which we consider our “country’s gold” will work abroad and use their potentials and skills to develop other countries instead of the Philippines?

Today, the country is fishing for skilled workers enough to give the right services needed by the people.
Now is the time for immediate action. Not later. Not tomorrow. Let us work hand-in-hand, as one and give solutions to the problems that beset us.

Think again.

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