The effect of parental migration on the welfare outcomes of children in the Philippines
Date
2016
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Abstract
This paper aims to determine the impact of parental migration on child welfare
through their education, labor and health outcomes. This is estimated using six
econometric strategies—Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), Probit, Multinomial Logit,
Instrumental Variable Regression (IV), Bivariate Probit, and Propensity Score Matching
(PSM). Our results reveal that the children of migrants do better, or at least as well, as
children of non-migrants in the outcomes measured by our study. Across all models,
children with migrant parents have a higher educational attainment than those with non-
migrant parents. OLS, Probit and Bivariate Probit regressions indicate children of
migrants are more likely to study regularly, while OLS, Probit and PSM regressions
indicate they are less likely to have poor grades. They are also less likely to participate in
the labor force. However, our results find little statistical or practical significance in the
effect of migration on children’s health, with the exception of a slight decrease in the
probability of temperament problems in some models. Results also show that
heterogeneity in the impact of parental migration on children’s welfare exists for some
outcomes. In male-headed migrant households in particular, male children are more
likely to have poor grades and to have worked in the past year compared to female
children, indicating a possible gender bias. Children are also more likely to have worked
in the past year if they are male.
Description
Keywords
Migration, Children’s Welfare, Instrumental Variable, Bivariate Probit, Propensity Score Matching