Remittances and Their Effects on Kinship Ties in Urban Philippines
Keywords:
economic anthropology, kinship, OFW, remittances, agencyAbstract
In 2015, Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) remitted more than USD 28 billion (PSA 2016), impacting millions of families. As important as remittances are to making ends meet, recipients also place semiotic value on the money received from family members abroad. This article attempts to shed light on how remittances affect kinship ties in urban Philippine communities from the point of view of the recipient. This ethnography revealed four observations: they can be interpreted as acts of remembrance; they are mutually beneficial to maintaining kin ties; they are a catalyst for creating agency; and, they strengthen communication between recipient and migrant. Â Â
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