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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Visayas devider DICT backs online freelance sector

DICT backs online freelance sector

Published Oct 16, 2025 12:56 pm  |  Updated Oct 16, 2025 01:06 pm
THE recent Philippine Online Freelancers Conference (POFCON) in Iloilo City. (Tara Yap)
THE recent Philippine Online Freelancers Conference (POFCON) in Iloilo City. (Tara Yap)
ILOILO CITY — The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is pushing for the growth and formalization of the online freelance sector.
“We believe there’s talent all over the country and there’s jobs outside the major cities,” said Emmy Lou Versoza-Delfin, director of the ICT Industry Development Bureau.
During the recent 8th leg of the Philippine Online Freelancers Conference (POFCON) in Iloilo City, Delfin said the country’s online freelancers is a big boost to the economy.
“Instead of going abroad, they can still work close to home and still earn in dollars,” she said.
Jhino Ilano, assistant director for ICT Industry Development Bureau, pointed out that the online freelance sector indicates the pool of talents of a particular area in the IT and BPO sectors.
Ilano dispelled notions that online freelancers compete with actual BPO companies.
He noted that if BPO companies see there are many talented and skilled freelancers, these companies might be interested to locate and invest in Iloilo City.
DICT Western Visayas Regional Director Reynaldo Sy said that the conference was an avenue to address the challenges faced by freelancers, including the recognition of freelancers as actual part of the workforce and not as informal workers.
DICT has urged the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) to release a breakdown of a survey on online freelance workers conducted last year.
Sy said there is national data, but the breakdown of the actual workers per region, province, or city has not yet been released.
He said this is crucial to know the bigger picture of the industry.

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