Measuring the Contribution of International Remittances to Household Expenditures and Economic Output: A Micro–Macro Analysis for the Philippines

Abstract

This study assesses the simultaneous contribution of international remittance income reported by recipient households to the overall economy of the Philippines by integrating micro data and macro simulation based on an input–output framework. It finds that remittance-driven household expenditures and investments contributed 3.5% of the country’s total output, 3.4% of the gross domestic product, and 3.7% of the total employment in 2018. Industries that received the bulk of remittances in the form of final consumption are manufacturing, agriculture, and wholesale and retail trade.