Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/298704 
Year of Publication: 
2021
Citation: 
[Journal:] IZA Journal of Development and Migration [ISSN:] 2520-1786 [Volume:] 12 [Issue:] 1 [Article No.:] 11 [Year:] 2021 [Pages:] 1-29
Publisher: 
Sciendo, Warsaw
Abstract: 
Bilateral labor agreements (BLAs) are preferred policy models for regulating migration by many governments around the world. The Philippines has been a leader in both agreement conclusion and exporting labor. A recent Congressional evocation is pushing bureaucrats and academics alike to investigate this policy strategy for outcomes and effectiveness. The following analysis answers the question "Do BLAs affect the migration outflows of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs)?" using a plausibly exogenous variation to isolate a causal effect. I test for effects of BLAs using two instrumental variables (IVs), such as Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) and Formal Alliances, and an original dataset of land-based and sea-based Filipino BLAs and migrant stock in 213 unique areas from 1960 to 2018. I do not find any empirical evidence that these treaties drive migration. However, BLAs have statistically significant effects on gross domestic product (GDP) per capita and exports, suggesting other important channels through which these agreements affect economic outcomes. These null results are critically important for policymakers and diplomats because the resources spent on negotiation are wasted if the primary goal is to increase migration.
Subjects: 
bilateral labor agreement
migration
Overseas Filipino Workers
labor export
labor policy
Philippines
JEL: 
F220
J610
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Creative Commons License: 
cc-by Logo
Document Type: 
Article

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