Implications of AFTA on Philippine labor export

Area of Science:

• Labor Economics
• International Relations
• Migration Studies

Background:

• Overview of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) labor market dynamics.
• Analysis of historical and current labor migration patterns within Asia.
• Introduction to the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and its objectives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the origins and current status of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA).
• To explain the Common Effective Preferential Tariff (CEPT) Scheme as AFTA's main mechanism.
• To discuss potential future trends in the migration of skilled and professional workers from the Philippines within the Asia-Pacific region.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of ASEAN labor market features and migration patterns.
• Analysis of AFTA's foundational documents and current operational status.
• Trend analysis of skilled labor migration data in the Asia-Pacific context.

Main Results:

• Summary of key characteristics of the ASEAN labor market.
• Description of established labor migration flows in Asia.
• Details on the establishment and functioning of AFTA and the CEPT Scheme.
• Identification of potential future migration trends for skilled Philippine professionals.

Conclusions:

• AFTA and its CEPT Scheme significantly influence regional labor mobility.
• Skilled Filipino labor is a key component of Asia-Pacific migration dynamics.
• Understanding these trends is crucial for economic and social policy development in the region.