An Emperial Model of Individual and Household Migration Choice : Philippines 1965-1973

Most migration studies have used aggregate data to test hypotheses concerning individual migration behavior. This paper attempts to understand migration behavior more directly by analyzing data on individuals and households. The decision to migrate or stay is viewed as influenced by individual or household attributes and certain external factors that impinge on the individuals or household. Additionally, income-earning capacity and employment or occupation are assumed to be sequentially determined with migration. The migration decision model is specified in logic form and estimated, using the maximum likelihood method, with data from the 1973 National Demographic Survey (NDS). In general, personal and household characteristics are found to be more significant in the decision to migrate than external factor, which have been stressed by previous studies. Kinship ties at destination seem to be the decisive factor in the choice to migrate. Occupation at destination appears to interact more strongly with migration than income. With respect to policy, such factors as education, employment, and kinship stand out as potential vehicles for migration policy.