ABSTRACT
This chapter suggests the need for a different framework and set of questions to be used as guideposts for further research and policy information. The primary motivation for seeking employment in the Middle East is the opportunity for significantly greater earnings. The chapter provides an overview of the Philippine labor commitment to the Middle East and follows with a brief account of the survey sample and its limitations. Studies on the impact of overseas employment on the labor-sending countries draw attention to the potential developmental benefit derived from the use of skills acquired by returning workers. An underlying assumption is that worker experience with new technologies and modes of production overseas will assist in the absorption of such innovations in the local economy. Ability refers to an internal attribute that is difficult to measure, but there are a number of external indicators suggesting that Filipino workers are well equipped to learn new skills.
