AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION OF Brianna O’Steen for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Public Policy presented on May 26, 2021. Title: A Mixed Methods Analysis of Philippine Labor Export Policies and Impacts on Overseas Filipino Workers. Abstract approved: Brent. S. Steel The Philippines’ labor export system is a complex web of policy instruments that have been amended, repealed, and refined over the last four decades. The laws along with the hortatory tools used to promote them have shaped the lives of millions of Filipinos, separating families across oceans. Temporary labor migration, heralded as a duty to county and family, often increases one’s vulnerability to problems of abuse, human trafficking, sexual assault, injury, and illness. This research analyzes bilateral labor agreements (BLA) and migration protection policies to evaluate the effectiveness of policy objectives. Article 1 uses an instrumental variable approach and an original dataset of land-based and sea-based Filipino BLAs and migrant flows into 213 unique areas from 1960 to 2018. I do not find any empirical evidence that these treaties drive migration and recommend further research to investigate other agreement goals. Article 2 uses novel machine learning methods to analyze content automatically from 2,503 media articles across a 25-year span, and finds migrant workers to be positively socially constructed, have low-to-moderate levels of power, endure a multitude of problems, and are offered (sometimes ineffective) solutions. I recommend establishing a public database populated by existing sources to promote accountability, transparency, and data-driven decision making. Article 3 conducts sentiment analysis on 12,351 sentences to explore the Philippines’ COVID-19 response, across four phases, as it relates to Overseas Filipino Workers. The media sentiment on government-led efforts is largely neutral, yet over a quarter of sentences pertaining to repatriation, testing and quarantine, and redeployment were negative while less than ten percent were positive. Migrant workers are positively socially constructed but are experiencing reduced levels of power under these conditions, causing me to recommend increased focus on reintegration efforts and development on the home front to expand employment opportunities characterized by dignity and security. ©Copyright by Brianna O’Steen May 26, 2021 All Rights Reserved A Mixed Methods Analysis of Philippine Labor Export Policies and Impacts on Overseas Filipino Workers by Brianna O’Steen A DISSERTATION submitted to Oregon State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Presented May 26, 2021 Commencement June 2021 Doctor of Philosophy dissertation of Brianna O’Steen presented on May 26, 2021 APPROVED: Major Professor, representing Public Policy Director of the School of Public Policy Dean of the Graduate School I understand that my dissertation will become part of the permanent collection of Oregon State University libraries. My signature below authorizes release of my dissertation to any reader upon request. Brianna O’Steen, Author ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I sincerely appreciate the support of my committee members from Oregon State University’s School of Public Policy, the Graduate School, and San Francisco State University’s Department of Sociology. My chair, Brent S. Steel, diligently reviewed every proposal and draft in this process. Elizabeth Schroeder patiently answered all my questions and supported me in mastering new methodologies. Chunhuei Chi and Stephanie Grutzmacher offered their public health expertise and encouraged me to sharpen my arguments. Valerie Francisco-Menchavez emboldened me to think critically about labor export policies, its impact on transnational families, and demonstrated that academic research can be a tool for advocacy and political change. I am very grateful for their time, attention, and investment in my professional development. This completion of this dissertation would not have been possible without the support of my family and friends. I earned this Ph.D. because my mother, Laura Goodson, laid the foundation by making education a priority in my childhood. Spencer Andrus, my incredible partner, has spent countless hours reading, critiquing, and celebrating my work. He and Kristy Hollingshead urged me to adopt automation into my work, giving me the chance to learn another new skill, and never lost enthusiasm during my arduous learning curve. Thank you to all those who have mentored me and contributed to my growth. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. General Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1 2. Article 1—Bilateral Labor Agreements and the Migration of Filipinos: An Instrumental Variable Approach .......................................................................................................................... 4 2.1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 5 2.2. Literature Review ............................................................................................................................................... 7 2.2.1. Labor Export Policies of the Philippines ..................................................................................................... 7 2.2.2. Theory .......................................................................................................................................................... 8 2.2.3. Empirical Findings on BLAs ..................................................................................................................... 11 2.3. Methods ............................................................................................................................................................ 13 2.3.1. OLS and Endogeneity ................................................................................................................................ 13 2.3.2. Identification Strategy ............................................................................................................................... 15 2.3.2.1. Instrument Relevance ......................................................................................................................... 15 2.3.2.2. Instrument Validity ............................................................................................................................. 15 2.3.2.2.1. Bilateral Investment Treaties ....................................................................................................... 16 2.3.2.2.2. Formal Alliance ........................................................................................................................... 18 2.3.3. Empirical Model .................................................................................................................................... 19 2.4. Data ................................................................................................................................................................... 22 2.5. Results .............................................................................................................................................................. 25 2.5.1. Robustness Checks .................................................................................................................................... 28 2.6. Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................................ 29 2.7. References ........................................................................................................................................................ 31 2.8. Appendix A: Bilateral Agreements ................................................................................................................... 34 2.9. Appendix B: Robustness Checks ...................................................................................................................... 37 3. Article 2—Social Constructions of Overseas Filipino Workers Facing Exploitation: An Automated Content Analysis ........................................................................................................ 39 3.1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................... 41 3.2. Social Construction and Policy Design............................................................................................................. 42 3.2.1. Context: Philippines ................................................................................................................................... 44 3.2.2. Target Groups: Overseas Filipino Workers ............................................................................................... 45 3.3. Automated Content Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 46 3.3.1. Training the Model .................................................................................................................................... 48 3.4. Data ................................................................................................................................................................... 49 3.5.