Filipinos are hard workers. Statistically, Filipinos working overseas comprises of almost 2.3 Million all over the world. Bulacan has an employment rate of 98.1 percent, and from * Bulacan quick status report of 2018 with data gathered from 2010-2015, there are 99,879 overseas workers and although it is not indicated what percentage of Bulakeños are working in Manila, we can assume that there is a large number that temporarily migrated to the city.
According to the Department of Labor and Employment, a branch of the Philippine government and JobStreet.com’s research, while most Filipinos want to earn more and have a better opportunity, 1 out 3 people express they want to work in their regions than stay in Manila or go abroad and work overseas. The report further says that while a high number of employees are finding the salary in the urban region of Manila satisfactory, job seekers look for jobs in their locality. The article then says:
*“Nationally, three out of four of locally employed respondents, who have a preference to still work in the country, claim that given the chance, they would rather stay in their locality to work than relocate elsewhere. All 16 regions of the Philippines registered as pro-local jobs, as even the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the area with the highest percentage of individuals amenable to working outside their hometowns, has at least one in three residents opting to stay and work locally.’
While Manila offers a higher salary and better incentives, regional talents find that working somewhere closer to home and avoiding the hustle and bustle of the big city, is a big factor in searching for a job that will also utilize their skills and profession. Bulacan with its proximity to Manila, Bulakeños often migrate to the city. Still from the same article:
“While working locally has proven to be a popular objective for the Filipino workforce, there is the prevalent perception that the options for local jobs are limited, or worse, non-existent. As much as jobseekers would like to stay in their hometowns and be gainfully employed there, there are no jobs available for everyone, which then prompts the majority to seek work in regional urban centres, Metro Manila, or overseas.”
*With Bulacan producing high rates of Board passers in various disciplines, 6 universities are among high ranking in the region, with Centro Escolar University–Malolos garnering 71%, Colegio de San Gabriel Arcangel with 62.7%, Baliuag University amassing 59.5%, Bulacan State University having 58.5%, La Consolacion University Philippines cumulating 44 % and Dr. Yanga’s College Inc. with 34.8%. Among these, 3 Universities are from Malolos, the capital city of Bulacan. These numbers are from the current 1st-time takers in consonance with finduniversity.ph’s report from their latest data.
Aside from those facts, these talents are among the majority finding more opportunities in Manila, although most would prefer working closer to home. Even with superior incentives and higher salary rate, the chance of a work/life balance, easier commute and more time for career growth are what most jobseekers consider. However, most end up moving in Manila and sacrificing time with family and choosing to go home during weekends, which limits their bonding time. With these in mind, Filipinos in the regional areas, particularly in Bulacan wishes that they can find the same opportunity near or around their hometown. That is seen to be a possibility in the near future as Dole hails Bulacan as the next growth area with various urbanization projects in the way.
Bulacan’s main industry may have been agriculture and fisheries but the province also has numerous industries. BPO companies are also establishing their roots in the province, mainly in the more industrialized city of Malolos. Offshoring and outsourcing companies are one of the major economic boosters in the Philippines, where the majority are based in Manila. With the upcoming projects lined up for Bulacan that pushes for a more aggressive approach toward progress, the BPO industry is slowly making their way to the province, just like Virtual Colony.
Virtual Colony is an offshoring outsourcing company that believes in employing and harnessing the potentials of Bulakeños as a way of pushing boundaries to economic growth and serving clients to top quality services as Bulakeños are adaptable. They can be a powerful tool as your company’s extended arm or a sharp blade that can help you cleave a path to more successful endeavours. Virtual Colony offers a variety of services that can further advance your company with the help of regional talents that are for lack of a better word- underemployed and wasted potential.
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