At any given moment, more than 2 million Filipinos are working abroad, not to chase opportunity alone, but to manage risk for households that cannot build a sufficient financial buffer locally. They staff the world's hospitals, ships, and construction sites, sending home USD 35.6 billion in 2025 – making up roughly 7% of Philippine GDP.
But the overseas Filipino worker is more than a remittance sender. They are a remote household member: funding tuition, approving medical bills by mobile wallet, and weighing in on property decisions from thousands of miles away.
BCG's The Filipino Abroad–based on a survey of 1,337 OFWs across the US, Middle East, Asia, and the UK–examines who they are, why they left, whether they are coming home, and what it means for businesses and institutions to serve them well.