What Readers Should Know
Preliminary PSA findings show fewer OFWs and lower total remittances during April–September 2025 compared with the same period in 2024. The results cover a six-month reference period, not separate quarterly declines or full-year remittance totals.
Key Takeaways
- The PSA estimated 2.05 million OFWs during April–September 2025.
- The worker count decreased by approximately 138,000 from the comparable 2024 period.
- Total survey remittances reached ₱240.73 billion.
- Women represented 57.7% of OFWs.
- Central Luzon accounted for 12% of workers by region of origin.
Overseas employment connects Filipino workers with families and communities at home. New preliminary figures show that both the number of workers abroad and their total remittances declined during April to September 2025, compared with the same period in 2024.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) estimated 2.05 million overseas Filipino workers, down from 2.19 million—a decrease of approximately 138,000 workers.
The Inquirer reported a 6.3% decline in the worker count and an 8.2% reduction in total remittances. These are year-on-year comparisons for one six-month period, rather than evidence of separate declines in two consecutive quarters.
Understanding the Remittance Total
The PSA recorded ₱240.73 billion in remittances during the reference period. This includes money sent home, cash brought home, and transfers in kind.
The figures describe the survey’s covered population and period. They should not be presented as the total for all overseas Filipino remittances throughout 2025.
The report also does not establish why the worker count decreased. A lower estimate alone cannot show whether workers returned home, changed employment, or experienced other circumstances.
Women and Central Luzon’s Place in the Picture
Women accounted for 57.7% of OFWs, continuing to form the majority of workers in the survey.
By region of origin, Central Luzon contributed 12%, placing it second behind Calabarzon. This regional share gives the findings particular relevance to communities across Central Luzon, although it does not provide a separate estimate for Pampanga.
For readers, the essential distinction is the period being measured: these preliminary results offer a snapshot of overseas work and remittances during April–September 2025. Understanding that scope helps keep the numbers—and the conclusions drawn from them—in perspective.
Sources
- Philippine Statistics Authority — Results of the 2025 Survey on Overseas Filipinos (Preliminary Results), released October 9, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What period do the findings cover?
April to September 2025, compared with the same period in 2024.
Are the results final?
No. The PSA released them as preliminary findings.
What does the remittance total include?
Cash sent, cash brought home, and transfers in kind.
Do the data show two consecutive quarterly declines?
No. The cited comparison covers a combined six-month period year on year.
Why did the OFW count decrease?
The cited release does not establish the reasons for the decrease.
Gabriel
Introvert, wanderer, blogger, foodie, a hip-hop music writer, and one of the co-founders of a tech start-up company called GigsManila.
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