Problems Only Filipino Freelancers Will Understand

Freelancing is awesome. Goodbye 9-to-5, goodbye traffic, goodbye office attire. Hello pajamas, hello work-life balance, hello freedom. But all this freelancing power comes with its own set of problems. Illustrator Manix Abrera set droves of local freelancers LOL-ing at their desks when his webcomic News Hardcore! appeared on GMA News Online. Check it out below and tell us which ones you could relate to the most:

News Hardcore! by Manix Abrera“>

As a long-time freelancer myself, it’s pretty hard to decide which one was my favorite, so here are my top three:

Walang bene-benefits.

I am always saddest during the holidays because I don’t get 13th month pay. But even though I’m sad, it’s my credit card that suffers the most.

Di ma-gets ng mga tao ba’t super busy mo.

Freelancers are the kings and queens of hustle. We can’t just clock in and wait for the paycheck to automatically appear in our bank accounts. Keeping up our super flexible lifestyle takes a lot of work.

Grabe mga deadline nila sa’yo; pero deadline nila sa pagbayad sa’yo wala lang.

The eternal problem of the freelancer. Many clients are notoriously slow to pay. Funny enough, they’re usually the ones with the tightest deadlines. Freelancing isn’t for everyone. You have to be self-motivated, resilient, and independent. You have to take your vitamins, because you have no sick leaves and no medical benefits. All your vacation time will be unpaid. And you will have to chase down a few clients here and there. But when you get your freelancing groove, you’ll be able to build the career you want, work with clients you want, and maybe even find time to see family and friends. Check out the rest of Manix Abrera’s work on his website.