10 Facts About Freelancing in the Philippines

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Carla Tensuan

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As the digital economy expands and more people connect, there is an increasing demand for freelance work. Let us take you through 10 exciting facts about freelancing in the Philippines. You don’t have to be an expert in statistics or economics to understand the ins and outs of this growing field of work. Read on for more information.

According to Paypal’s 2018 Global Freelancer Insights Report, as many as 2 percent of the Philippine population are freelancers.

Before 2019, the Philippines was the world’s fifth-largest supplier of digital gig workers, the Oxford Internet Institute reports.

According to Payoneer’s Global Gig Economy Index, the Filipino gig economy saw 35% growth in 2019.

A 2019 online survey of Filipino freelancers by PayPal found that 92% of those surveyed saw job stability as a critical career concern.

In 2020, the Philippines experienced the fastest-growing freelance economy globally, with 208% year-on-year growth.

Freelancers now account for around 2.5 million jobs in the Philippines.

8 out of 10 Filipino freelancers use a freelancer platform.

There are three times more female freelancers in the Philippines than male freelancers.

Filipino online workers are mostly in their prime working age, with an average age of 31.

47% of Filipino online workers are engaged in creative and multimedia tasks.

Understanding freelancing in the Philippines

The opportunities for freelance workers are endless, and they are constantly scaling up. If you want to start a freelancing career in the Philippines, then you have a great opportunity. There are so many industries where you can collaborate with other freelancers and build your own business by providing freelancing services.

Sources

“92% Of PH Freelancers Say Job Stability Is Key Concern — Survey.” Newsbytes.PH, 19 May 2019, https://newsbytes.ph/2019/05/19/92-of-ph-freelancers-say-job-stability-is-key-concern-survey-3/.

Bleu, Nicola. “50 Top Freelancing Statistics, Facts, And Trends For 2022.” Blogging Wizard, 8 June 2022, https://bloggingwizard.com/freelancing-statistics/.

Campos, Othel V. “PayPal Attracts 1.5-m Filipino Freelancers.” Manila Bulletin, 27 Mar. 2018, https://manilastandard.net/business/banking-report/262005/paypal-attracts-1-5-million-filipino-freelancers.html. Accessed 23 Aug. 2022.

Ciasico, Francine. “Growing a ‘Gig Economy’ in the Philippines.” Manila Bulletin, 25 Aug. 2019, https://mb.com.ph/2019/08/25/growing-a-gig-economy-in-the-philippines/. Accessed 23 Aug. 2022.

De Vera, Ben O., and Jeannette I. Andrade. “Amid Reopened Economy, 2.9M Jobless as of May.” Inquirer.net, 8 July 2022, https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1624069/amid-reopened-economy-2-9m-jobless-as-of-may. Accessed 23 Aug. 2022.

Gilchrist, Karen. “The 10 Countries with the Fastest-Growing Earnings for Freelancers.” CNBC Make It, CNBC, 6 Aug. 2019, https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/07/the-10-countries-with-the-fastest-growing-earnings-for-freelancers.html.

King-Dejardin, Amelita M. International Labour Organization, 2021, Homeworking in the Philippines: Bad Job? Good Job?, https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—ed_protect/—protrav/—travail/documents/publication/wcms_775013.pdf. Accessed 23 Aug. 2022.

Lugtu, Jr., Reynaldo C. “Gig Economy Poised to Take Off.” BusinessWorld, https://www.bworldonline.com/banking-finance/2022/08/05/466162/gig-economy-poised-to-take-off/. Accessed 23 Aug. 2022.

Serafica, Ramonette B., and Queen Cel A. Oren. Exploring Policies and Initiatives for Online Workers in the Philippines, https://pidswebs.pids.gov.ph/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps2201.pdf. Accessed 23 Aug. 2022.

Todorov, Georgi. “104 Essential Freelance Stats, Trends, and Facts 2022.” ThriveMyWay, 13 Apr. 2022, https://thrivemyway.com/freelance-stats/.

About the author

Carla Tensuan is a freelance writer, editor, and communications specialist. She specializes in crafting creative copy, blog content, and press releases. She enjoys listening to podcasts, reading books, and practicing yoga in her free time. She lives with her husband in Manila, Philippines.

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