From the Life Stories of Filipino Women: Personal and Family Agendas in Migration

Drawing from the life stories of 10 women migrants who had returned from working abroad, this article examines the individual-family nexus in terms of migration decision-making processes, how women and their families cope as transnational families, and how women migrants themselves view and assess their migration experience. The life stories indicate the significance of women's agency in initiating and carrying out their decisions, with support from their families. It should be noted though that although most of them decided to work abroad for the sake of their families, women also sought and attained personal benefits from migration. Among other purposes, the use of life stories provides a window to appreciate the internal changes that women attribute to their migration experiences.