oDesk XVII

[ikaela]

For those torn between corporate and freelancing, here's a good article comparing being an employee and being a professional in terms of taxes: http://fitzvillafuerte.com/employees-vs-professionals-which-one-pays-more-taxes.html

Interesting points in favor of going freelancing:

- You have control over paying or not paying for SSS, Pag-Ibig, and Philhealth. If you have a house already or other options to get a housing loan, you don't need Pag-Ibig. If you know how to save and invest your own money for your own retirement, you don't need SSS that gives a paltry annual interest on your contribution. The only thing that makes sense to contribute to is Philhealth.

- There are ways to compute that'll lessen the taxes you pay each month through personal exemptions.

- You have different sources of income from different clients, so even if one goes belly up, you're not completely crippled.

Points for going corporate:

- Since your employer pays a percentage of the premium, you get the full benefits of SSS, Pag-Ibig, and Philhealth while paying lower rates than self-employed people.

- You have paid sick leaves, vacation leaves, and training periods.

- You have tax-free 13 month pay or even more depending on your company.

Each has its pros and cons so it all depends on which one suits you more.

[ikaela]

Latest news on taxing online freelancers like us: http://www.interaksyon.com/infotech/online-freelancers-need-to-pay-tax-says-ex-bir-exec-newsbytes-ph

Hard at work at collecting money for lining politicians' pockets.

[dreamweaver83]

Checking in. Back to freelancing after I got pregnant and quit my job. The problem is, I've been out of the game for so long, I kind of have to start from scratch. I updated my profile and I've also emailed my past employers but so far no takers. I don't want to do small projects and I'm looking for employers I can have a long working relationship with. 

I've rejected a few interview invitations with super low offers. Grabe na talaga ngayon. Meron pang nag-offer ng 10 pesos per snippet tapos gusto niya 15-30 snippets per hour. Masstress lang ako for almost nothing.

Praying that I land a job soon! I really wanna be able to spend time with my baby once I give birth so finding a freelancing job right now would be perfect.

[chocolate]

^ ganun talaga. you have to start all over again. Don't worry, makakakita ka rin ng tamang client for you. Apply lang ng apply.

[dreamweaver83]

Yup ganun na nga. Anyone here get invited by gteam?

[chubzkittinz]

Lahat ba ng work here needed pa interviews? or you'll take some tests nalang?

[ikaela]

dreamweaver83, alam ko ata yang snippets project na yan. Pinanood mo ba yung video ng Philippine team nila? Ang saya lang nila. Pero I agree, ano ba naman yung pay nila. Lalabas na parang $3 per hour, and that's when you're super duper fast.

I've been invited to Gdev or Gteam several times, but I cannot find the time to take the one-week test. Hindi pa sure kung hired ka. Sino ba naman kaya mag-stop mag-work ng one full week? Maybe I'll do it if I didn't have existing clients, or if their job offer is really fit for my skills. Yung iba kasi parang suntok sa buwan lang and sana ma-hire ka sa dami-dami ng nag-a-apply sa kanila.

[dreamweaver83]

^I agree about gteam/gdev. Suntok talaga sa buwan matanggap but I wanna give it a shot because of the $15/hr rate. Also, kasi wala rin akong work ngayon and isang active candidacy lang yung promising. I'm done with the test and the contract, just waiting for the actual task.

Mas inaasahan ko yung isang application ko talaga. It's a full time position and I think bagay talaga sa background ko. I had a skype call na mga 1 1/2 hours yesterday with the owner and I'm hoping he liked me. He said he'll get back to me by Monday daw.

Yung snippets project, di ko napanood. I've done a lot of freelance writing for websites before pero I felt like I was compensated well for it naman. Pinakamababa na siguro na gusto kong tanggapin $3.50/hr and walang quota. I write fast naman but I don't wanna be super stressed out na makocompromise yung quality ng work ko.

[stargazer016]

guys my alam ba keo agency na pwede ko pasukan kasi mahirap mag apply mag isa ewan ko kung bakit pero 3 dollars ang pinaka bid d ko cya mabababan 2lad dati kahit .30 [ pede na naun ayaw auto 3 dollars pa taaas na bid bakit ganun anyone help me

[chocolate]

re: gTeam/gDev. I worked there for almost 3 months then they decided to scrap my position. Super laki ng demands ng work, kaya naman habulin. Kaso lang kahit na performer ka sa trabaho mo, hindi nila ikaw i-cconsider for other positions once nagdecide sila na scrap yung specific post.

^ naka-implement na yung minimum $3/hr na bid eh. kaya no lower than $3 na ang pinapatupad.

[dreamweaver83]

^I finally got the invite for the trial phase pero kung kailan naman ako nakakuha ng full time position. Kapag kinompare mo yung rate sobrang layo kaya ang hirap bitawan pero syempre ang laking risk pa rin nun since di ka pa talaga formally hinahire. How come you decided not to go through the same process for another position? Diba I know marami sila parating vacancies?

^^Wala akong alam na agencies sa oDesk. I think good nga na may $3 minimum na para hindi sobrang barat ng mga employers.

[purdybunch]

hello!

ask ko lang how do you file your taxes? odesk lang talaga ang pinagmumulan ng income ko at wala pakong experience mag work sa corporate setting.

[chocolate]

^^ I didn't decide na hindi mag-apply. I asked the TL handling us kung meron opportunity for us. Unfortunately, sabi niya wala. Eh di sabi ko okay... Hanap na lang ako ibang work.

I think I went through with the risk kasi during that time wala naman ako masyado ginagawa. So I had a lot of time in my hands, sayang naman kung matutulog lang ako buong araw or manuod ng tv, so I opted to try it out. So far naging okay naman siya pero ayun nga, after 3 months, wala na.


^ Meron kasi tax ceiling kung kelan maging taxable yung income mo, you should know first if kasama ka dun before filing a return and paying your taxes.

[lanshop2010]

Please read this article mga sis. I think it's time to email our politicians to give tax free benefits for online workers just like what Bangladesh did recently. Online work has huge potential for unemployed Filipinos. I'll try to send a message or post in Senator Bam Aquino's facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/BenignoBamAquino), his projects are related to employment. He sponsered the bill Go Negosyo (Business) Act of 2013 (http://www.rappler.com/nation/51439-senate-passes-bill-helping-smes). He might be able to understand our plight and the opportunities in online work, the benefits to unemployed Filipinos and the revenue contribution to the Philippine economy.

To be safe, of course, I won't be using my real name.   It would be better if there will be hundreds of us who will inform the senator, so his team can take a serious look about online work.

The Global Arbitrage of Online Work
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/10/the-global-arbitrage-of-online-work/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

"...
The online work is already changing how some governments think about labor. Last May the government of Bangladesh decided to classify online work as export-related commercial income, free of taxes, instead of as a taxed offshore remittance.

The idea, Mr. Swart said, is to foster the growth of online workers. In other words, if you’re reading this from one of the better parts of the global economy, it’s a good time to think about how to be indispensable.

Another interesting wrinkle from the oDesk survey: Education alone probably won’t help you get hired. Only 6 percent of the survey respondents rated schooling as a “very important” reason to hire someone. It was the lowest-rated reason to hire someone. Work experience was first, followed by how other people rated the contractor, pay, portfolio of work, references, and scores on skills tests that oDesk offers online.

In the future, having a degree may be helpful, but having a reputation will be even better.
..."

[lanshop2010]

I just sent Senator Bam Aquino a message in his facebook page. Padalhan nyo na rin sya ng message. Wala naman mawawala kung susubukan natin. Sana tularan nila Bangladesh.

[lanshop2010]

Eto yung message ko kay Sen. Bam Aquino.

Good day po Senator. I read about the bill you sponsored, entitled Go Negosyo (Business) Act of 2013 (http://www.rappler.com/nation/51439-senate-passes-bill-helping-smes). This seems to be much better than the BMBE (Barangay Micro Business Enterprise) law.

I hope your team can also take a serious look on how to give tax free and other incentives to online workers (freelance workers who work via internet for foreign clients like programmers, graphics designers, writers, secretaries, accountants, encoders, etc.) in oDesk (www.odesk.com), Elance (www.elance.com) and others.

Online work gives opportunities to unemployed Filipinos who have or can develop the skills that are in demand in online work. Many clients in oDesk already prefer Filipino workers because of their technical skills, hard work and English speaking and comprehension capabilities. In the world of online work, it is easier to get hired as long as you have the skills as compared to applying for work in local companies where the school one graduated from and one's English communications skills matter a lot.

Online work is accessible to all Filipinos, even to those with only basic English skills, and even if one is just a high school or college undergraduate.

Recently, the government of Bangladesh realized the importance of online work by their citizens as a major contributor to job creation and to their economy. In the article in the New York Times by Quentin Hardy last Oct. 10, 2012,

Global Arbitrage of Online Work
(http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/10/the-global-arbitrage-of-online-work/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0)
...
"The online work is already changing how some governments think about labor. Last May the government of Bangladesh decided to classify online work as export-related commercial income, free of taxes, instead of as a taxed offshore remittance."
....

The Philippines was able to tap and develop the BPO industry when it was just starting and it became a major source of decent income for thousands of Filipinos. Online work could be the next big thing that can be a major contributor in the alleviation of unemployment in our country. Bangladesh was late to the BPO industry but seems to be moving fast in realizing the importance of online work. I hope the Philippine government will do the same.

Based on internet forums I read regarding online work, the number one desire by online workers is for tax free exemption just like OFWs. The present online freelance workers generate dollar incomes from abroad and contribute to the Philippine economy just like OFWs. When your team studies the current plight of online freelance workers, I believe you can still determine other areas where online work can be pushed by the government and other incentives that can be given to online freelance workers.

[lanshop2010]

Mga sis, mukhang active ang team ni Senator Bam Aquino sa facebook page nya. Nagreply sila agad. May update din sa GoNegosyo bill nya na makakatulong sa mga micro entrepreneur. Magpdala rin po kayo ng message sa facebook nya para makita nila na marami ang online freelance workers sa Pilipinas. Magbigay rin po kayo ng mga sugggestion para magbigyan ng pansin ang online work tulad ng ginawa ng Bangladesh. Eto po sagot nila sa akin sa facebook.

===========
Dear Romeo,

Sa ngayon po ay approved na po sa 3rd and final reading ng senado ang #GoNegosyo Bill, kailangan na lang po ng counterpart sa Kongreso ang bill na ito, Pagkatapos po ay magkakaroon pa ng bicam hearing. Kung sakali po na maipapasa ang #GoNegosyo Bill at mapirmahan na ni Presidente, saka lamang po magkakaroon ng implementing rules and regulations para po ma-implement na ang batas. Nakapaloob po sa Go Negosyo bill na sa mga local municipalities po nakapwesto ang mga Go Negosyo Centers. Salamat po sa inyong interes.

Regarding on how to give tax free and other incentives to online workers we will try to look into this matter and see what we can do to help.

Truly yours,

Team Bam
============

[ikaela]

^That's a great thing you did, lanshop2010! Hats off to you! Bam Aquino's reply reads like he's still mostly focused and hard at work on the GoNegosyo bill, but it's good that he's aware of the plight of Filipino freelancers. It's a great first step.

[lanshop2010]

Thanks ikaela. Suntok lang ako sa buwan na baka sakali may pulitiko na makinig. Sa Bangladesh umaksyon na sila agad, dapat Pilipinas rin.

Mukhang sikat na online freelancing, na feature na pala ito sa News5. Kakalungkot nga lang ay taxation agad ang gusto nila ipagawa imbes na tax exempt free, mga benefits at mga programa at training ang isulong para mas marami pang Pilipino ang makakuha ng trabaho sa online.

Eto po yung link ng feature report sa News5. Nag comment na rin ako diyan. Comment na rin kayo, gawa na lang kayo ng dummy account para di matrace tunay nyong mga pangalan, 


REAKSYON | FREELANCE ONLINE WORK, NASUBUKAN MO NA BA?
http://n5e.interaksyon.com/videos/7BE61016E288451/reaksyon-freelance-online-work-nasubukan-mo-na-ba

[alphabet]

Good day mga sis, baka po merong programmer dito who has knowledge of 1. Php and api work
2. Microsoft.net and microsoft dynamics crm 3. Infusionsoft and 4. Ontraport need po ng Aussie boss ko ng assistance. If you have all the skills mentioned or kahit isa lang dun paki-pm na lang po ako. Thanks.