On Wages in the Gig Economy

As a long-time member of the gig economy, I wonder now how many Pinoy freelancers are faring pretty well considering we are not protected by any laws regarding freelancing. I hope that Congress and the Senate will be sure to support that movement so that we gig workers will have better working conditions.

See, members of the gig economy may benefit if their employers pay good wages, that is true. However, we gig workers are still vulnerable to risks, such as delays in payment or even nonpayment of our wages, abusive employers, jealousy from other gig workers who maliciously try to harm legitimate gig workers who are luckier, in that sense. We also don't get side benefits like 13th month pay or a Christmas bonus. If you really look at the Math of it, you will see that there isn't much difference between a salaried contractual employee and a gig worker.

However, our legislators seem more concerned about other industries, not the gig economy. So we freelancers have to be cautious about our welfare, even when we're hired already. I hope though there will be concerned legislators who will try to pass laws to protect the welfare of the gig economy workers. That's because there are more of us now and more will be added, in the final analysis.

Surviving Success

One factor that I have to deal with is the reaction of other people to my success. There are so many people who are looking forward to my failure whereas I'm aiming for success. And there are a handful of key people who are rooting for my success and showing me the traps that lie ahead if I get overconfident.

I don't know why this is but it is what it is. I'm just grateful that there are people who give good advice so I can step ahead in life. I believe that this is the right time for me so I'm going for the win. God willing, I will succeed and thrive in this new arena.

Hits and Misses During Jobhunting

Because I've been ill for two months due to covid, I've had to take a deep dive into jobhunting again. And one job that was offered to me was Customer Service Representative of the Insurance account of Accenture. I was taken by surprise by this because I didn't apply at Accenture this year. I thought they had forgotten about me by now. But apparently, not so. Last time I checked Accenture is now preparing me for the job interview stage.

I also got hired by Livingston Research, an academic writing company, because I passed their complicated entrance exam. But they said I have to wait for awhile since they're still trying to get enough job orders for the entire team, not just me. So I will wait for that one.

Now I have to check that guide given by my friend so that I can be ready for the Accenture interview. I guess I have to figure out what are the legitimate answers to the job interview questions. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for this one since the compensation is very much welcome. I just hope they don't put me in the night shift or graveyard shift. It seems they want to put me in the Cubao branch, but I'll ask anyway if they're open to putting me in the Alabang branch. That would be ideal.

Now for the misses part.

I have creditors and they're getting impatient enough to demand that I pay my debts already. That's why it was so important to get the hard copies of my covid tests, so that the creditors' rep who will drop by will see that I was legitimately ill with covid. I was hoping for Ink Cinematic to give me another project but they bypassed me to give projects to the other members of the team. So I just handed in my resignation letter and left. I even deleted their Skype account. Volt and I agree that Ink Cinematic must have been lying to me about the "author" and that it was just a convoluted scam so they could get my excellent screenplay for a pittance. But the silver lining there is that I contacted Katelyn Silva who said my screenplay has potential to become a great novel. I just need to spend time daily in novel writing and pretty soon I'll be showing the novel manuscript to her again. I just need Katelyn to guide me in the publishing of my novel.

Forever 28

I don't know why this is but I noticed that I am still thinking the same way I used to think in my 20s. That explains the title of this post "Forever 28". Why 28? Because of this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avMbu6cc4Eo

Liam was young, attractive, smart, popular, and a complete liar. He had that famous trait that conmen have had all through the centuries: charm! And because of that he was able to systematically wreck Barings Bank of England.

Some people seem to never grow up. And I'm like that. I wake up in the morning thinking the same way and I am inclined to think that I will die thinking that way. Well, not planning to run a scam, no. But thinking as if I have decades of life yet and that I can afford to plan my life as if I were starting out at 28. When in reality I'm pushing 50 and soon I'm sure that the Good Lord will be asking me to come home already. So now, having realized that, I make it a point to consult God so that I don't wind up becoming another Liam.

Watch the video. You will be awestruck by the audacity of Liam and that he even managed to grin arrogantly at the press after serving his prison sentence. I hope that I never wind up scamming people just because I think "Forever 28" at age 49 onwards.

The China Risk

If you have been reading the newspaper headlines lately, here in Metro Manila, you may have noticed that practically every week there is something about China harassing Filipinos. The most concerning was on March 5 when 44 Chinese warships were lined up at the perimeter of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). And now we hear that China has deployed buoys in waters well within the PAR.

I would like to warn everyone that the China risk is very real. This is no joke, though the Chinese disrespect us all the time when our government protests. So I suggest we all pray that God will send us our allies at this point in time to provide military support when China does attack. Yes we need our military might but perhaps God will show mercy on us Filipinos if we turn from our sins and pray. At this point in time, this may save us.

Thanks to the Generosity of Strangers

I was very happily surprised today by the act of kindness over at the food vendor stall nearby. My gas stove needs to be checked so I decided to just buy cooked food at the food vendor stall because of the risk of explosion if I used my stove.

When I got there, there were very few customers so I bought tinola and the server put in two large pieces of chicken and quite a lot of soup. Considering he just asked me to pay 60 pesos, that was a lot! It seems they want me to come by and buy from them again then. I may do just that.

Hopefully, the world will be a kinder place if strangers opted to be more generous to one another instead of trying to hoodwink each other. Peace depends on the generosity of strangers.

Negative Covid Test Results

To my surprise, the hard copy of my RT PCR test results showed that I am NEGATIVE for covid. This is the definitive test results since their online results yesterday showed I am positive for covid. But my mom said for me to keep quarantine for 30 more days so that I won't relapse and for the virus to die out as we keep disinfecting our compound.

This means also that I have to keep following covid protocol which is double masking and using alcohol, especially when handling money. I will keep trying to feed myself nutritious food. Waiting also for Lea to harvest her honey so I can buy for myself and for my siblings.

Sometimes, God has some surprises in store that are unique and remarkable at the same time.