This policy brief analyzes the economic well-being of migrant versus non-migrant households using data from the third wave of the Child Health and Migrant Parents in Southeast Asia (CHAMPSEA) survey, which covered 822 households across the Philippines. Using bivariate analysis, the study finds that migrant households generally fare better across several economic indicators: migrant households have better housing conditions, own more durable goods, receive higher incomes, have more savings and less debt, and report lower experiences of hunger. Migrant households are also less likely to have their income negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and are more likely to have social insurance memberships. While these associations do not prove causality, these offer strong evidence that international migration contributes to better household economic outcomes. However, these benefits may be temporary and only as long as they continue to receive remittances, highlighting the need for financial literacy for both the migrant and their household. 

CHAMPSEA Wave 3 and the CHAMPSEA-Philippines Policy Briefs were supported by the Hong Kong Research Grants Council Research Impact Fund (R7028-21).