oDesk XVII

[ikaela]

^'Wag ka na ma-guilty noh. Alam mo naman government natin, ikaw na nga nagbabayad nga tax, ikaw pa ang punished. You, middle class, who pays tax -- you get substandard roads (loong commutes), unreliable public transportation (you have to buy a car), inadequate health services (you have to purchase the ones meant for the rich), to name a few. Where does your tax go? 70% funding rich families, 25% to fake Napoles programs, 5% given away as "support" to squatters occupying prime lots and getting free electricity, water, and medicine for their reproductive organs while demanding free housing/land and jobs (percentages pulled from out of my butt).

You participate in SSS and Philhealth, and what do you get? Pension that'll only be big enough to cover an electricity bill if you're lucky, a measly 10% off your hospital bill IF your illness is covered, news that premiums are going to be raised because of so-called debt while the higher-ups give themselves bonuses in the millions and billions.

Meanwhile, your take-home pay is taxed even more through the things you buy, like the home you purchase 2 hours away from your workplace (because it's only what you can afford), and the car you buy so can bring your kids to school and make it to work on time without having to worry about getting robbed or plunging off the side of a skyway.

Okay, I'm ranting na and what I'm saying is common knowledge na among working Filipinos. Anyway, I know we all have our different stands on this. But if you want to be technical about it, we freelancers are earning dollars from outside of the Philippines but spending here, which is exactly what OFWs do. OFW income isn't taxed.

[freelancer_babe]

@heavensent,

di pa rin ako gumigive up finding jobs overseas. mas attractive sa banks ang OFWs. like, mas madaling mag-loan ng malaking amount pang business. napansin ko rin maraming perks like lower or zero maintaining balance sa bank account at mga investment products na open rin lang sa mga OFWs.

@packsmom,

may mga kilala ako gusto na lang ilipat ang homebased work nila sa singapore - yung mga high-paying ang nakukuha ang freelance gigs - para makaiwas sa tax dito legally. matunog na kasi ang online work at mga online businesses at karamihan di talaga nagbabayad ng income tax. yung BIR naghahanap na raw ng ways para malaman kung sinu-sino ang di nagbabayad. one way raw is through sa mga telco - kasi internet ang kinabubuhay ng mga online freelancers ngayon. mabagal nga lang ang BIR at tingin ko wala silang resources para mag-investigate. pero malay natin, baka biglang bigyan ng budget ng gobyerno dahil dumadami na ang pumapasok sa ganito... kaya ingat mabuti.

@ikaela,

hehe, kaya naiisipan ko rin minsan na gusto ko na lang magmigrate at magpalit na talaga ng citizenship. pangit palakad rito di tulad sa ibang bansa. sa tax pa lang, masakit sa ulo na. mas gusto ko ang palakad ng gobyerno sa ibang bansa. LOL.

pero legally sis, taxed pa rin tayo for the reason lang na residents tayo rito, dito man manggaling ang income or galing sa abroad. yun lang mahihirapan ang BIR na makuha kung magkano talaga ang exact earnings ng mga freelancer dito.

kung bakit walang tax ang OFW? actually meron - nagbabayad sila ng income tax doon host country na pinagtatrabahuan nila (pero swerte ng mga taga singapore at middle east, maliit lang o zero ang tax nila). basta registered ang OFW with POEA at may OEC (Overseas Employment Cert). Basta meet nila ang conditions na yan di na sila tatax-an pa dito kasi magiging double taxation na ang mangyayari.

yung mga self-employed, hindi registered sa POEA at walang OEC, kaya technically hindi OFW. ang arrangement lang natin ay halos walang pinagkaiba sa magtrabaho sa isa sa mga multinational companies dito na ang boss ay mga foreigner. yung pera na pinapasahod galing rin overseas!

sa akin, ok lang na magbayad ako ng tax, basta alam ko naman na nagagamit nang maayos ang pera. mas malaki pa nga ang tax ng australia at US and some European countries - aabot ng 40% to 60% kung talagang malaki ang income compared sa atin na 30% lang sa bigger individual incomes - pero sa mga countries na yan nakikita naman ng mga citizens doon kung saan napupunta ang pera hindi tulad sa atin na napupunta lang sa corruption.

as mentioned, legal way to avoid tax is to really move to a country with lower or zero tax rates. some big-earning freelancers are eyeing singapore because of this.

[ikaela]

^Thanks for clearing that up. In the end, paperwork lang ang difference. I know you are one of the "defenders" kumbaga of paying tax, freelancer_babe, and, no argument, it is what is obligated of us as citizens. But for me with loose morals (haha), sa akin lang, if you are presented with a way to pay lesser tax to this kind of government that we have, you'd be a fool not to take it.

I really think Filipino freelancers have reached that critical point where we need to protect ourselves legally. We need to form a union, like the Freelancers Union in the US.

[freelancer_babe]

^ i am just against where the taxes go (tsk, tsk). not against paying taxes. i pay just because of personal reasons - loans, visas, etc. even if you choose to pay taxes, you can "freely" choose to declare your income amount to some extent.

yun nga, kaya yung iba di nagbabayad ng tax. people see that BIR doesn't have the resources to hunt everyone who don't pay. nakikita ng mga tao ang butas and this is exploited. nakakalusot naman, at walang manghuhuli. 

but of course, mas maganda talaga kung walang tax tulad sa middle east. sana lang talaga.

Having a union is a good idea. I also came across Freelancers Union only days ago and wished we have something like that. Someone among us with the initiative and willpower will try to build such. Mataas ang tax (only if you are a huge earner), HMOs are expensive tapos buong SSS, Philhealth, and PAGIBIG shoulder pa natin,  ang hirap pang mag loan... well among others.

[howgreatthouart]

Hi mga sis, long time no read sa thread na to.

May tanong sana ako medyo off topic [textspeak!] sa topic nyo ngayon about tax.
Sa mga may savings account po dito, ano po mas prefer nyo BPI or BDO?
Mas ok ba if seperate [textspeak!] account like 1 bank account for withdrawal only then 1 again for savings only. As of now naka BPI easy saver ako, pang withdraw at savings na rin.. gusto ko sana malaman if mas ok 2 accounts like 2 bpi or 1 bpi then mag open ako ng bdo? I know medyo personal choice na to pero baka may masuggest po kayo na mas ok.

Worried lang kasi baka mamaya magsara yung mismong bank branch ng account ko tapos nandoon lahat ng savings ko. Hehe TIA!
Godbless po!

[freelancer_babe]

^ Better have both. More is better.

Kung ako nga may EON pa ako at Payoneer. May times rin kasi na nagloloko ang LFT in general kaya pinapadaan ko ng Paypal or Payoneer.

May mga rare times rin na mas mabilis/OK ang isang bank over the other.

Doon sa BDO, merong mga freelancers na nakapag-open ng kabayan account by just showing yung remittance history sa bank statements nila. The kabayan account allows you to have zero maintaining balance in the account, but you need to have regular "remittances" in the account (every six months ata, or one year).

The lowest maintaining balance savings account that you can get with BPI is their BPI Direct account. P500. Not sure if you can get BPinoy account (equivalent to BDO's kabayan account).

If you prefer to organize your bank accounts, I suggest opening a separate savings account either with BDO or BPI. Then do internet transfers to your savings. Doon sa BPI, they have those cash deposit machines available almost anytime so you do not need to do an over-the-counter deposit so I personally recommend this one.

[kyla_0429]

kaka complete ko [textspeak!] ng profile - what should be my next step sisses? thankss po

[heavensent]

@heavensent,

di pa rin ako gumigive up finding jobs overseas. mas attractive sa banks ang OFWs. like, mas madaling mag-loan ng malaking amount pang business. napansin ko rin maraming perks like lower or zero maintaining balance sa bank account at mga investment products na open rin lang sa mga OFWs.

so true sis, kaso parang ndi ko naman kaya iwan ang daughter ko so kailangan talaga pag isipan mabuti.

[gypske]

mga sis na veteran na sa odesk, help me naman oh...

when is the best time to ask for a raise? 3mos? 6 mos?

and if it's not too much, can you give me a sample of how I'm going to open the conversation/letter to my employer.

TIA!

[packsmom]

^^^^^@ikaela same sentiments here and  @freelancer_babe i really have no choice but to pay taxes para na rin sa future plans ko.

^sis @gypske siguro mga after 3 months, depende sa napagusapan nyo.. magask ka ng raise after mong galingan sa isang assignment na binigay nya. lalo na kapag pinuri nya work mo.. google it maraming how to ask for a raise letter templates then modify mo na lang accordingly


uyy I just want to share, oDesk emailed me that I'm part of the Bronze Club of All-Star Freelancer Club. may ganto pala. natuwa lang ako at naganahan magwork work work

[yelle]

^ same here sis congrats! I qualify for a silver club. Hindi ko pa na review kung ano ito, too busy pa.

I agree with everyone here na grabe na ang competition ngayon at sobrang baba na ng rates. Hindi pa naman ganito noong nag simula ako ng 2007. Grabe ang bilis nag depreciate ng rates. I suggest sa mga sissies natin dito na matagal tagal narin sa odesk na may solid portfolio to contact directly or email your target clients. Ako kasi nung napansin ko na sobrang saturated na ang oDesk I did a saturation drive, I made a longlist and I contacted my target clients through email at effective naman.

Sa ngayon may 2 fulltime active contracts ako under 1 company. Pero I'm planning to take my business and my clients outside of oDesk soon.

[DianeShishio]

Hi Ladies, Jumping in :3

I've been freelance writing for at least 2 years and the last time na active ako sa o-desk was early 2013. I recently applied for 4 jobs but haven't received an interview yet  Alam ko marami ng freelancers ngayon but it really upsets me, last year lang yun and lahat naman ng inaapplyan ko iniinterview naman ako 

Plus the new random question thingy is quite a pain in the tushie 

[freelancer_babe]

@yelle:

Yan din ang problem ko sis. Depreciating rates dahil sa dami ng competition.

Ako rin mga 2007 ako nagsimula. Iba ang value ng pera noon. Naabot ko rin ang P48 = $1. Ang saya kasi mababa rin ang presyo ng bilihin. Saglit ko lang kinikita ang P500 noon. Saka yung mga nag-aapply ng projects noon sa odesk, kakaunti lang kami, kaya kahit na one month na yung application ko, bigla pa akong kinokontak ng client.

Pero meron pa ring mga kumikita ng malaki - at pwedeng mag charge ng premium kasi talagang magagaling sila.

Ngayon lumaki na rin kasi ang local salaries (kahit government rin lumaki rin nang husto ang salaries nila) kaya part time ako siguro sa ngayon if possible. Learn ako ng bagong skill rin na hindi pa saturated, pero gagawin ko yan sabay sa full time job.

Magandang idea yan sis, ilabas mo na lang clients mo with the same rate para wala na yung 10% cut.

[freelancer_babe]

@DianeShishio:

Ako sis, SEO writing ako noon. Pero ang clients ko hindi ko nakuha sa odesk. Malaki pa ang bayad noon. Doble pa sa offer na usually na naririnig ko ngayon.

Yung mga kasama ko sa team ng isang client ko, malaki ang bayad ni client. $5/hr para magsulat ng blog post. Syempre kailangang high quality ang work.

Meron ding mga paisa-isang nagcha-charge ng $30+/hr... as in American rates... pero yun lang bihira ang mga ganung sa mga pinoy kasi karamihan nag-e-expect ang mga foreigners ng mababang rates. Paisa-isa lang ata. Saka talagang very high quality writing work na ang kailangan sa kanila.

Very competitive nga ang writing. Kahit sagarin mo application quota mo, pwedeng di ka pa ma-award ng project.

[freelancer_babe]

@packsmom:

Congrats sis!

Maganda talaga ang freelancing, pinaka gusto ko ang work-life balance. Nakakalungkot lang iiwan ko ito ngayon kasi nagiging competitive na sa current skill ko (at mataas na rin ang sahod sa offices).

[posh ianne]

Hi! napa-subscribe ako though matagal na kong fan ng female network
I'm newbie on odesk too. Thank God I'm on my 2nd proj with the same client kahit wala pa kaming 1month together.
Mahirap sa umpisa to land a legit job pero ika nga, never say die

[charmedwitch776]

Hello po...anyone here working in DataMinr (Data Research Sourcing) as Data Quality Analyst? Pano po training nila? Ano job? Just finished my interview and nacheck ko na din ang website nila. very excited pero kabado sa training. in fairness okay ang rate nila Medyo kinabahan lang ako sa sinabi nun nag interview sakin na I'm not officially hired because I still need to pass the training.

[ikaela]

Congratulations, packsmom, on making it to the Bronze Club of All-Star Freelancer Club! [textspeak!]-ano mga benefits?

After so long, I applied to two jobs before signing off for the weekend last Friday. Gulat ko na lang pagbalik ko on Monday, mga 1 doz. job invitations yung nasa e-mail ko! Either clients are in desperate need of writers, or meron parang indicator ang oDesk sa mga clients kung sinong mga freelancers ang currently naghahanap ng work. So for those looking for work, writing seems to be in demand now. Well, just based on my experience.

I've been tempted to apply to jobs that offer better benefits (if not better pay), but then I rethink, and realize that I value flexibility and freedom more. Hindi ko rin ata kaya ang routine ng regular 9-5 job. Iba talaga ang nabibigay sayo na work-life balance ng freelancing. I have not appreciated this setup more than now as a new mom with businesses to handle.

[packsmom]

thanks

parang wala lang ata to kasi sa "promotions" tab ng mail ko to nareceive.
It says on the mail we get:
priority support services (e.g. priority ticket handling and chat support),
exclusive All-Star Facebook group (I won't benefit on this since I'm not using FB naman) and
previews on new oDesk features.

Pero mas maraming benefits pg Silver and Gold members like they'll have their own personal account manager (mediation support and recruiting service!)

To qualify for the Bronze Club: you should have earned $5,000 in the past 3 mos OR worked an average of 30 hours/week ako yung latter syempre, sana lang $5000 ang kinita ko the past 3 mos.

Ay ako rin @ikaela I value flexibility and being able to spend my more time with my kid esp in his growing years.

Nacucurious ako how do you that work-life balance thing? Up to now, I haven't found that work-life balance in this setup (or maybe because of my poor time mgm't skills).

Even though I have a routine I still end up working till the wee hours of the morning, palagi akong puyat and I'm afraid, one day, it will take a (huge) toll in my body.

Medyo demanding kasi anak ko when I started out working but now he's getting older and mabilis na sya mapre-occupy with toys.

How does you day look like fellow oDeskers?

[freelancer_babe]

^ Cool sis!

Oo nga pala may mga freelancers rin sa odesk na kung magtrabaho eh 100 logged hours per week ang inaabot! Wala ngang work-life balance kung ganun.

Baka ganun ang setup mo sis?

Yung sa akin lang ha, kung talagang gusto ng work-life balance: Don't get jobs na may time commitment. For example, yung mga clients na nagrerequire ng availability sa specific time slot. Ganun ang ginawa ko para maka-attend ako ng activities ng kid ko sa school nya at pati yung ibang mga errands.

Typical day ko? Online ako from 6AM to 6PM; Pag walang work, busy ako sa personal projects ko, o kaya nagba-blog ako. Kung may work na alam kong konting time lang ang gugugulin, gagawin ko beyond 9PM. (parang wala ata akong work-life balance no? pero hindi rin kinakailangan na 6AM to 6PM nakadikit ako sa computer)