Tacloban city (October 30) -- Eastern Visayas contributes only 2.2 percent of the total number of Overseas Filipino Workers, slightly lower than the 2.3 contribution in 2004. This is based on the 2005 Survey conducted by the National Statistics Office.

Eastern Visayas ranks fourth among the regions with reported smallest number of OFWs. MIMAROPA reported the smallest number of OFWs (1.4%), CARAGA comes in second with 1.5 % and third is Cordillera Administrative Region with 2.1 %.

Almost half of the total OFWs came from the National Capital Region (18.4%), CALABARZON (17.1%) and Central Luzon (12.8%).

The number of Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who worked abroad during the period April to September 2005 was estimated at 1.33 million, 12.5 percent more than the 1.18 million OFWs estimated for the period April to September 2004.

Meanwhile, NSO reports that out of the 1.33 million OFWs, 76.6 percent or an estimate of 1.02 million worked in Asia. OFWs who worked in Europe comprised 9.7 percent while those who worked in North and South America, 9.3 percent.

Saudi Arabia absorbed the biggest number of OFWs, both males and females, estimated at 282 thousand or 21.2 percent of all OFWs. This was followed by Japan with 113 thousand (8.5%); Hongkong with 107 thousand (8.0%) and United Arab Emirates with 104 thousands (7.8%).

Among the 1.33 million OFWs, 50.3 percent or about 667 thousand were males while 49.7 percent or about 660 thousand were females. Female OFWs were generally younger compared to male OFWs.

The same NSO report stated that about two in every 10 (23.5%) OFWs in April to September 2005 belonged to the age group 25 to 29 years while 11.5 percent were in the younger age group 15 to 24 years. OFWs belonging to the older age group 45 years and over accounted for 17.0 percent of the total OFWs.