I pay my Workers $500 a Month, and it’s Changed Their Lives for the Better

 

Can you imagine making less than $500 a month for full-time work and being grateful for it? You would if you lived in the Philippines.

I’ve seen countless Filipino workers get on the road to financial stability and success at a wage many consider unethical.

Over the years, I’ve heard people criticize outsourcing. They say the practice is unfair, evil, and exploitative.

I’ve been told that I don’t pay my Filipino workers enough and I should pay them the same wage as workers in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia.

People who think this way don’t see the whole picture. They don’t see that we’re doing a lot of good on both sides.

Here’s why…

Philippines Cost of Living

No one in the U.S. could live on $500 a month without additional support. But $450 in the Philippines goes a long way.

Here’s a comparison of the cost for various goods and services between the US and the Philippines:

Items	United States	Philippines
Meal – Inexpensive Restaurant	$20.00	$3.88
Loaf of bread	$4.40	$1.28
Eggs 1 Dozen	$3.46	$1.87
Beef – 1 kg (2.2 lbs)	$15.58	$6.99
Chicken fillet – 1kg (2.2 lbs)	$11.66	$4.09
Monthly transit pass	$100	$13.14
Taxi ride (per km)	$1.68	$0.27
1-bedroom apartment/month (outside the city center)	$1,667.19	$333.81

*source, as of 01/10/2022: https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_countries_result.jsp?country1=United+States&country2=Philippines

According to the website referenced above, the average salary in the Philippines is $441.52 compared with $5,669.77 in the United States.

The Reality

Looking at the numbers, do you still think I’m selling Filipinos short by paying comparatively low salaries to those in the United States?

Not even close.

The wages of my lowest-paid remote workers in the Philippines make more than $50 per month than their average fellow countrymen.

When you figure the cost of living can be almost ten times less in the Philippines than in America, that $50 goes a long way.

These Filipinos earn a good salary; they make an excellent salary in some cases. The pay allows them to support their families and gives them financial stability and comfort. Combine this with the fact they get to work from home and work for U.S. business owners; it can be a life-changing experience.

When you can offer Filipinos full-time work at an above-average salary, they have a positive long-term outlook and peace of mind. As of December 2021, the U.S. unemployment rate was 3.9 percent; as of October 2021 it was 7.4 percent in the Philippines.

Outsourcing in Action

This notion that outsourcing to the Philippines improves lives isn’t all talk. I’ve seen it firsthand.

A Filipino named Joven has shared his experience of finding a position as a VA on Onlinejobs.ph and how it completely changed his life and his family’s life.
Joven had previously worked a few different jobs that required long commutes and long work hours. He had little time with his wife and young son. It was exhausting and unfulfilling.

But when Joven started working for an American business owner as a VA from home, everything changed. He was able to watch his son while his wife was at work. He had time to tend to his son’s needs and play with him, all while still completing his assignments as a VA. Joven made a good income without working grueling hours or sacrificing family time.

Joven’s story is not unlike the stories of countless other Filipinos. Thousands have found challenging, rewarding work that has enabled them to support their families and live the lifestyle they wanted.

Another worker named Arvel made a short YouTube video about how outsourcing to the Philippines benefits both workers and business owners. She talks about how her job allows her to help her family and community. Her job allowed her to rebuild after a natural disaster and even lend a hand to family and neighbors.

Another Filipino VA named Nino loves the flexibility working from home at a good wage allows him. “I love my job,” he said. “I work at home; I spend all the time with my love ones—24/7. We eat together—breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If someone needed your help, you’re there to support. In short and simple, you’re free.”

This video of Nate and his team is also great example.

But perhaps the most powerful example of how life-changing outsourcing comes from a young woman named Gabby. She and her boyfriend were having trouble paying their bills. As she put it, “Money was very tight, and we were barely keeping our heads above water.”

Gabby learned she was pregnant and felt she should quit, given her demanding job. Still, the couple needed money, but Gabby’s health wasn’t going to make working away from home very easy.

An American entrepreneur looking to hire Filipino virtual assistants found Gabby’s profile on Onlinejobs.ph. Gabby was hired as a content writer, where she could remain in the comforts of her own home, all while making enough money to support her baby. “The work was regular, and the salary was great,” she said. “I’d get paid every week. It was just what we needed!”

Gabby even got a big raise a year into her job. She believes the opportunity to work as an outsourced employee is a tremendous blessing. “I consider myself so lucky to have found the right opportunity at the right time,” she said. “Today, I work from home at my own pace and my own hours. I get to spend time with my young family, and I can finally breathe easy knowing I can take care of my child. I can even put away a little for the future. I don’t have to worry anymore about having enough to cover my expenses. There’s even enough for the occasional luxury. I don’t know where I would be without Onlinejobs.ph.”

You can watch Gabby’s video here.

This is what outsourcing to the Philippines has done for so many people and families.

What They Can Do

Filipinos can handle just about any task you assign them. Some of the more common jobs I hire for and look for include programmers, web designers, copywriters, social media specialists, SEO writers, graphic designers, web admins, and project managers.

Because they do such great work, I give raises as the workers perform well. I do it regularly and am happy to do it as a reward and expression of appreciation. I also honor the 13th month, a common practice in the Philippines where employers give their employees an extra month’s salary in December. I assign them challenging but manageable tasks and provide in-depth training and support.

Best of Both Worlds

Outsourcing to the Philippines is the ideal way for growing your business. It’s also a way to improve the lives of Filipinos. I’ve seen it happen for both parties: entrepreneurs achieving financial success and individuals and families in the Philippines finding happiness and stability in a fulfilling career.

Be a part of it. Hire a Filipino VA for your business today.

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About John Jonas
John helps business owners learn to outsource to the Philippines and replace themselves with virtual assistants.
He founded and owns OnlineJobs.ph.

He currently employs 14 amazing Filipino workers full-time and loves every one of them. He lives in Utah, has a wonderful wife, 4 amazing kids, and golfs 4-5 times/week.

Find John at JohnJonas.com and Facebook.

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