Some foreigners come to the Philippines, hoping to get a job in the Philippines. That’s not always a good idea. You will be competing with locals that graduated from University, speak fluent English and are willing to work for 200 bucks a month.
Finding work in the Philippines
So you’ve decided to leave your home country in search of better opportunities abroad, you’ve been looking at all the possibilities of different Southeast Asian countries where you can live on less money and really stretch your savings until you can find a stable source of income. You’ve considered moving to Thailand to work due to an enormous amount of Foreigners living in Thailand and a large amount of content showing ex-pats living there, however, with the recent changes and policies in place making living and working in Thailand more difficult now than ever, you need to find something else.
The Philippines is an amazing country to live in. From the friendly English-speaking locals to the amazing value of life considering the amount of money you need to survive here, to the simplicity and ease of securing a visa that allows you to stay as a tourist for up to three years on the same tourist visa!!!
However, there is a catch. Due to the Philippines locals all-knowing and speaking English as their second language, you won’t be finding any ESL or TEFL jobs in the country any time soon, and even if that was an option, you will most likely be outdone by a local willing to do the same job for half the price. Even some of the more recent jobs within the digital space such as programming, social media management, and outsourcing companies for SEO and other online jobs paying a salary gross over fifteen thousand U.S in western countries, here in the Philippines the locals who know the language and are great at what they do behind the computer are willing to do the same work for twenty-five thousand pesos a month, which is right around four hundred U.S.
Overseas Filipinos
So if it is so difficult to find work in the Philippines what other options do you have? Well, many locals and Philippine nationals choose to work abroad and then send money home to their loved ones where the money can go much further than the country where they made it.
In 2013, the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) estimated that approximately 10.2 million people of Filipino descent lived or worked abroad. This number constitutes about 11 percent of the total population of the Philippines. It is one of the largest diaspora populations, spanning over 100 countries.
The overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) tend to be young and gender-balanced. Based on a survey conducted in 2011, the demographics indicate how the 24-29 age group constitutes 24 percent of the total and is followed by the 30-34 age group (23 percent) working abroad. Male OFWs account for 52 percent of the total OFW population. The slightly smaller percentage of female overseas workers tend to be younger than their male counterparts. Production workers and service workers account for more than 80 percent of the labor outflows by 2010 and this number is steadily increasing, along with the trend for professional workers, who are mainly nurses and engineers. Filipino Sailors, overseas Filipino workers in the maritime industry, make an oversized impact on the global economy, making up a fifth to a quarter of the merchant marine crews, who are responsible for the movement of the majority of goods in the global economy.
The OFW population is consistently increasing through the years and this is partly attributed to the government’s encouragement of the outflow of contractual workers as evidenced in policy pronouncements, media campaigns, and other initiatives. For instance, it describes the OFWs as the heroes of the nation, encouraging citizens to take pride in these workers.
Employment conditions
Employment conditions abroad are relevant to the individual worker and their families as well as for the sending country and its economic growth and well-being. Poor working conditions for Filipinos hired abroad include long hours, low wages, and few chances to visit family. Women often face disadvantages in their employment conditions as they tend to work in the elder/childcare and domestic. These occupations are considered low-skilled and require little education and training, thereby regularly facing poor working conditions. Women facing just working conditions are more likely to provide their children with adequate nutrition, better education, and sufficient health. There is a strong correlation between women’s rights and the overall well-being of children. It is, therefore, a central question to promote women’s rights in order to promote children’s capabilities.
According to a statement made in 2009 by John Leonard Monterona, the Middle East coordinator of Migrante, a Manila-based OFW organization, every year, an unknown number of Filipinos in Saudi Arabia were then “victims of sexual abuses, maltreatment, unpaid salaries, and other labor malpractices”
Find work in the Philippines
So, with all the information above, if you haven’t figured out for yourself by now why even the local Philippine population would be willing to work overseas in horrible conditions, no guarantee of pay, and possible health issues associated with the work; its because even the slight chance of finding work is better than the already known option of not having any work staying in the country. So if you are still set on moving to the Philippines and there is no other place you would rather be, What options do you really have to find work in the Philippines?
Work from Home Jobs
one of the best options you have as a Foreigner finding work when moving to the Philippines is to work directly from your laptop or phone and not have to worry about the Philippines Work Visa or other paperwork associated with finding a job in the Philippines. As I had mentioned above it will be much more difficult to compete with the locals for some online jobs here in the Philippines, as most of them are staying in a room with over five others all sharing the cost of living expenses. However, if you are able to secure a remote online job with a western company, and can complete your work all from your computer then this is one of your best options.
Even better, if you have your own business already, and can manage your staff or team all online, now your really set for smooth sailing while working in the Philippines. One reason why so many western companies choose to outsource smaller jobs to Philippine locals is that their English level is amazing when compared to other popular outsourcing countries. The Philippines is a great country to run your business, start a small business, or grow your portfolio if you have the right mindset and a solid plan right from the start. If you would like more information on finding work in the Philippines, come see us at BADLADZ Adventure Resorts and we would love to help you.
Cheers!
Sean
