Health Promotion of Local Migrant Workers in a Highly Urbanized City

This descriptive study explores the health promotion of local migrant workers in a highly urbanized city in Southern Philippines. The respondents were the 164 workers in five of the biggest retail stores in the city. Modified questionnaires, supplemented with focus group discussions, were the main tools employed. Permission to conduct the study was requested from the Department of Labor and Employment and the store management. Written informed consent from the study participants was also sought. Data gathered were then processed using descriptive statistics. Results show that the male and female migrant workers are barely legal, just off their teenage life, attended college, mostly single, belonged to medium-sized families, with fathers either farmers or private employees and mothers who were housewives with no gainful employment. The workers had various physical and mental health problems, as well as poor health-seeking behaviors. The findings have various implications on program planning and policy making in related private and government agencies to promote the health of local migrant workers.