By 2016, it is approximately 500,000 Filipinos in the countryside will work freelance via different online job platforms, as projected by the Department of Science and Technology-Information and Communications Technology (DOST-ICT) Office.
As part of the recent National Science and Technology Week (NSTW), Emmy Lou V. Delfin, program manager of ICT Office’s e-Innovation Group, shared this during the forum on Rural Impact Sourcing at SMX Convention Center in Pasay City last July 28, 2015. Delfin said that there are more than one million Filipino freelance online-based workers who work with different clients around the globe.
“Through its Rural Impact Sourcing Program, ICT Office is looking to generate more career opportunities for those in socio-economically disadvantaged areas in the country through meaningful ICT-enabled jobs,” she said, adding that ICT Office supervises regular workshops in various provinces to help the residents to acquire more knowledge in becoming successful workers in the digital eon.
The major benefit of working online is highlighted during the talk of Evan Tan, regional director of Freelancer.com in Southeast Asia. He said that working online wipes out the need of moving to the big cities to find a job.
“Since most ICT-based opportunities are not heavily dependent on location to provide career growth to every individual, we would like to take advantage of it by promoting in-demand online jobs to the areas where there is high population but low employment due to lack of industry investors,” the Director added.
Another thing that Tan pointed out is that working online could provide an equal opportunity to everyone to chase what he really desire to do as social, social, and educational backgrounds do not matter.
There are several online jobs which do not require a college degree such as creative and IT-related jobs. This will be a great opportunity for students to start practicing their profession even before they graduate.
“Traditional employment will no longer be the norm and it will be replaced by contingent workers such as freelancers and part-time workers. The long-term trend of hiring contingent workers will continue to accelerate with more than 80 percent of large corporations planning to substantially increase their use of a flexible workforce,” Tan added. “Definitely, online freelancing is the future of work.”
Karina is not your ordinary supermom. She juggles her time bonding with her three amazing kids while being in the loop on the latest happenings in the tech and lifestyle scene. Follow me on Instagram (@digitalfilipina) regularly visit www.digitalfilipina.com for daily dose of updates not just for moms but for everyone!
