The Structure of Origin-Based Social Network and Its Influence on Migration Diffusion: The Case of a Migrant-Sending Village in the Philippines

This study seeks to examine the structure of migration networks in a migrant-sending in the Philippines and to relate this to the diffusion of migration behavior in the village over time. Such socio-historical lens is an unconventional approach in the analysis of international migration perpetuation. This study shows that the density of the kinship and friendship ties and the network position of pioneer migrants in the village have a role to play in the current distribution of migration behavior in the area. The current diffused characteristic of international migration in the village is likely to have been a function of the initial social configuration of pioneer migrants in the area. This study likewise shows the importance of tie strength in the network-migration relationship. Lastly, network influence on migration is likely to have been influenced by external factors such as policy, migration infrastructure, and macroeconomic forces.