Perception Gap in Migration Governance: A Comparative Analysis of Institutional and Migrant Assessments of R.A. 10022
##plugins.themes.EpsilonTheme.article.main##
Emil Arca*
Despite the enactment of Republic Act No. 10022 to strengthen the protection of overseas Filipino workers, limited empirical evidence has compared institutional assessments with migrant workers experiences of policy implementation. This study evaluates the implementation of Republic Act No. 10022 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by comparing the assessments of migrant workers and diplomatic personnel involved in migration governance. Using survey data from 200 respondents, consisting of 156 migrant workers and 44 diplomatic staff, the study examined four implementation domains: employment, recruitment, deployment, and services. Findings indicate that while both groups generally viewed the law’s implementation positively, diplomatic personnel consistently reported higher ratings than migrant workers. Independent-samples t-tests were performed using the aggregated weighted mean scores of the five indicators within each implementation domain to compare the assessments of diplomatic personnel and migrant workers. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences (p < .05) across all domains. The largest disparity was observed in deployment (t=18.76), indicating a substantial divergence between institutional assessments and migrant experiences. Lower ratings in employment and services further indicate a concentration of concerns in administrative efficiency, accessibility, and service responsiveness. The results demonstrate that governance effectiveness requires more than institutional performance indicators, as positive administrative evaluations may not reflect beneficiary experiences. By providing empirical evidence on the gap between official assessments and migrant perceptions, the study contributes to migration governance literature and emphasizes the necessity of integrating user-centered evaluation into the implementation of migrant protection policies.
Abad, M. (2022). Migrant Workers Department Opens One-Stop Center for OFW Repatriation. Rappler.
Ang, A., & Tiongson, E. R. (2023). Philippine Migration Journey: Processes and Programs in the Migration Life Cycle. World Development Report 2023: Migrants, Refugees, and Societies.
Cleton, L., & Meier, P. (2023). Contesting Policy Categories Using Intersectionality: Reflections for Studying Migration Governance. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 46(14), 3014–3036. https://doi.org/10.1080/01419870.2023.2171737
Dix-Carneiro, R., Pessoa, J. P., Reyes-Heroles, R., & Traiberman, S. (2023). Globalization, Trade Imbalances, and Labor Market Adjustment. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 138(2), 1109–1171. https://doi.org/10.1093/qje/qjac043
Encinas‐Franco, J. (2016). Filipino Women Migrant Workers and Overseas Employment Policy: An Analysis From Women’s Rights Perspective. Asian Politics & Policy, 8(3), 494–501. https://doi.org/10.1111/aspp.12269
Falkheimer, J., & Zhao, H. (2020). 26. Intercultural and multicultural approaches to crisis communication. In Crisis Communication (pp. 523–540). De Gruyter. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110554236-026
Fonte, A. (2021). 50 Years A Slave: A Review on Philippine Labour Migration. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 8(11), 70–100. https://doi.org/10.14738/assrj.811.10992
Gasapo, Z. L. A. (2019). Critical Analysis of Laws Affecting Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipino Workers. Central Philippine University.
Gilodi, A., Albert, I., & Nienaber, B. (2022). Vulnerability in the Context of Migration: a Critical Overview and a New Conceptual Model. Human Arenas, 7(3), 620–640. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42087-022-00288-5
Hashmi, S. (2020). Coronavirus Leaves Gulf Migrant Workers Stranded. BBC.
Herd, P., Hoynes, H., Michener, J., & Moynihan, D. (2023). Introduction: Administrative Burden as a Mechanism of Inequality in Policy Implementation. RSF: The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences, 9(5), 1–30. https://doi.org/10.7758/rsf.2023.9.5.01
Kikkawa, A., Sugiyarto, G., Villafuerte, J., Narayanan, B., Gaspar, R., & Kim, K. (2021). Labor Mobility and Remittances in Asia and the Pacific During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic. In ADB Briefs. Asian Development Bank. https://doi.org/10.22617/brf210493-2
Leonardo, D. (2024). Comparison of Regulations Concerning Protection of Migrant Workers Between Indonesia and the Philippines. Journal of Law, Politic and Humanities, 5(1), 209–217. https://doi.org/10.38035/jlph.v5i1.904
Liao, K. A. S. (2023). Infrastructuring Repatriation: The Philippine Sending State and the Return of Migrant Workers Caught in Disruptions. International Migration, 63(1), e13155. https://doi.org/10.1111/imig.13155
Malaeb, H. N. (2015). The “Kafala” System and Human Rights: Time for a Decision. Arab Law Quarterly, 29(4), 307–342. https://doi.org/10.1163/15730255-12341307
Montanez, C. (2025). The Gold Standard: Government Protections for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). Locus: The Seton Hall Journal of Undergraduate Research, 8(1), 5. https://doi.org/10.70531/2573-2749.1080
Nguyen, R. Le. (2023). Protecting the Rights of Filipina Migrant Workers: An Analysis of Bilateral Labour Agreements Between the Philippines and Canada. Public and International Affairs.
Orbeta Jr, A. C. (2014). Migrant Workers and Social Protection: The Philippine Experience. In Towards a More Resilient Society: Lessons from Economic Crises (pp. 19–44). Japan National Committee for Pacific Economic Cooperation.
Parashtheo, B., Sakti, S. W. K., Suntoro, A., & Wulan, T. R. (2025). Indonesian Migrant Workers in Malaysia and Their Social Environment: Analysis from a Socio-Legal Perspective. Policy, Law, Notary and Regulatory Issues, 4(2), 244–255. https://doi.org/10.55047/polri.v4i2.1700
PSA. (2024). Results of the 2024 Overseas Filipino Workers: Number of Overseas Filipino Workers Grew. Philippine Statistic Authority.
Saguin, K., & Shivakoti, R. (2022). Keeping Up with the Migrant Workers: The Role of Embassies in Transnational Administration of Labor Migration Policy. Administrative Theory & Praxis, 45(2), 63–80. https://doi.org/10.1080/10841806.2022.2086754
Sahin-Mencutek, Z., Barthoma, S., Gökalp-Aras, N. E., & Triandafyllidou, A. (2022). A Crisis Mode in Migration Governance: Comparative and Analytical Insights. Comparative Migration Studies, 10(1), 12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40878-022-00284-2
Tabuga, A. (2018). A Probe into the Filipino Migration Culture: What Is There to Learn for Policy Intervention? Philippine Institute for Development Studies. https://doi.org/10.62986/dp2018.02
Triandafyllidou, A. (2020). Decentering the Study of Migration Governance: A Radical View. Geopolitics, 27(3), 811–825. https://doi.org/10.1080/14650045.2020.1839052
Wijayanti, A. (2023). Social Security Provision for International Migrant Workers: Comparing Indonesia and the Philippines. Jurnal Jamsostek, 1(2), 105–126. https://doi.org/10.61626/jamsostek.v1i2.66
Yap, C. A. D., & Opiniano, J. M. (2024). A Generation of Crisis-Responsive Reintegration in Migration Management: Reflections from the Philippines. In Mobility & Politics (pp. 15–43). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-53562-8_2
Zarsuelo, M.-A. M. (2018). A Review of the Philippine Policies on Mental Health of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). Acta Medica Philippina, 52(5), 480–485. https://doi.org/10.47895/amp.v52i5.337
