Is Freelancing Sustainable In The Philippines?

Filipinos are cautious, and we are always looking for new methods to make money. With technological improvements, more and more people are looking for methods to make money online, perhaps one of the most prominent is Online Freelancing. But the question still lies. Is Freelancing sustainable in the Philippines? Learn more about the status of freelancing in the Philippines by reading on.

Isn’t “online freelancing” a term you’ve heard before? You may have heard about it from an acquaintance, seen adverts on your social media accounts, or seen news and television programs about it. But, first and foremost, what is Online Freelancing? To put it simply, a freelancer is “an expert who gives her or his service to one or more clients at the same time without being bound to any of them,” according to Freelancer.com. Freelancers provide a wide range of services, and their job can take many forms.” In other terms, a freelancer is someone who is self-employed, works on a contract basis rather than a long-term basis like a firm employee, and can work on a variety of projects for several customers at the same time.

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With the employment market always evolving, freelancing work may be highly broad and diversified. Writing, graphic design, photography, software engineering, and even social entrepreneurship are just a few of these occupations. Despite the varied nature of their work, Nala Chincuanco, a photographer, Harvey Jay Sison, a software engineer, and Butch Balsomo, a full-time freelance designer, say that starting out and establishing oneself as a freelancer involves confidence, perseverance, and discipline.

As a result, online freelancing entails having the freedom to pick your own field of work, the hours you work each day and week, the amount of money you earn, and the convenience of working from home. You don’t have to worry about being tardy, getting dressed up, or going through the torture of everyday commuting if you come here. You won’t have to worry about snack-stealing coworkers because your bosses will change frequently. The only thing you have to be concerned about when freelancing online is maintaining a reliable internet connection and, of course, completing deadlines.

Over time, an increasing number of Filipinos have experimented with digital freelancing. Upwork has around 1.4 million Filipino users enrolled as of 2015. Furthermore, according to Freelancer, there are over 800,000 Filipino freelancers registered on their platform as of 2016. When you include the hundreds of Filipinos who work for other freelancing sites, it’s clear that freelancing is a thriving sector in the Philippines.

How much does an average freelancer earn?

According to research, Filipino freelancers make on average Php39,000 ($780) each month, which is already a substantial sum for most. Sixty-six percent of freelancers make less than Php30,000 ($600), while twenty-four percent earn between Php50,000 ($1000) and Php100,000 ($2000+) each month. The typical Filipino freelancer works 32 hours per week, which comes to $6.10 per hour when multiplied by the average monthly income.

Perks of being a freelancer in the Philippines

Bigger opportunities

The Philippines is overflowing with world-class talent, but the issue is that there aren’t enough outstanding chances in the country to fully employ or compensate them. Job searchers must be aggressive in order to secure decent jobs, while the rest of the workforce is overworked and underpaid.

The freelance market, on the other hand, provides a different image; it offers chances in a variety of professions, as well as worldwide clients that may pay well and, most significantly, suitable work hours.

Bigger earnings

More possibilities simply suggest a higher income. If a talented freelance writer works full-time, he or she may be able to produce 3 to 4 pieces in a single day. Even if he/she is paid at the lowest rate of $3-$5 for each piece, he/she might earn up to Php18,000 in a month. That’s more than 50 percent higher than the typical Filipino worker’s monthly minimum salary.

Freelancers in other fields might earn much more money; a freelance web designer, for example, can earn an average of $22/hour. This is the primary explanation for the greatest degree of income satisfaction in the field of information technology and programming.

Better balance in life

Freelancers may strike a nice balance between their professional, family, social, and personal life because of the benefit of being able to set their own work hours. Parents who work as freelancers will profit the most from this perk because they will be able to satisfy their responsibilities to their children while still earning money. This might also imply that more time will be set up for family bonding activities.

On the other side, young adult freelancers like socializing, hanging out with friends, and being constantly on the go. Having control over their schedules helps individuals to strike a nice work/life balance and social activities without worrying about going broke.

Platforms that link freelancers with clients, such as Upwork, Freelancer.com, Fiverr, and others, are also on the rise. With these developments, the fear of a lack of opportunities for freelancers may be put to rest.

With the globe becoming more networked every day, the freelancing business in the country will continue to grow and give a plethora of options for the country’s freelancers. Filipino freelancers will undoubtedly continue in this profession for a long time, thanks to increased possibilities, more available platforms, a hardworking culture, and a favorable attitude toward work.

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