Manila, Feb. 13 -- Businessman and philanthropist Manuel V. Pangilinan, who once worked as an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Hong Kong, recently shared that "OFWs work hard because that's the only way to cope with homesickness". This leads me to ponder on the role our migrant workers play not just in economic progress but in national development.

Filipino migrant workers have emerged over the years as an economic pillar and lifeline of the country-highlighting the significant value of their perseverance and sacrifices abroad. A testament to this is the cash remittances from OFWs that were highly instrumental in keeping the country afloat during the pandemic and continue to be a key driver of the Philippines' economic recovery and grow...