Through songs by Panda Sining and interviews Migrante explores imperialism, racism and human rights abuses suffered by migrant Filipino workers in some 168 countries across the world.
The video explores the overall political relations which underlie the export of labour by the Philippines government and the impact on the Philippines of international trade developments such as Philippines 2000 and APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation). It traces an international cycle of exploitation.
Remittances by migrant workers, half of whom are domestic workers, is the major source of debt repayment of the Philippine government. In 1996, migrant workers returned 6.3 billion dollars in remittances to the Philippines. While heralded as the new heroes of the Philippines economy, migrant Filipino workers however have been subjected to racism and human rights abuses. 1,295 overseas workers were killed or committed suicide in 1995 alone.