2 - Interconnected Futures: Migration among the Constellation of Aspirations of Young Adults in the Philippines

This paper takes as a point of departure the high levels of migration aspirations among young Filipinos Having experienced state-sanctioned sustained outmigration for over 50 years, this finding is not surprising. How do the migration aspirations of young adults intersect alongside other life aspirations of young Filipinos?  The paper drawing on longitudinal data from the CHAMPSEA project from the Philippines investigates these interconnections of migration aspirations alongside their aspirations in education, occupation, and family formation, as well as their self-assessed possibility to achieve their dreams. To examine the topic, we consider how varied experiences of gendered parental migration, specifically, which parent migrates and who provides care at home over the formative childhood years offer insight into the younger generations’ personal aspirations of migration. Furthermore the study considers the interplay among other commonly associated markers of the ‘transition to adulthood’ with experiences of parental migration and the young adults’ migration aspirations. The longitudinal aspects of the data allow for capturing temporal elements including variation in parental migration destination and changing view of the young adults on their own migration aspirations. The analysis generates insights into how migration figures in young Filipinos' visions of their future, including reflection on the more recent disruptions experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Co-Author 1
Han Zhang, University of Hong Kong, Department of Social Work and Social Administration

Co-Author 2
Eunice Tejada, Scalabrini Migration Center