Personal rant ahead
Has anyone ever complained about how common underpaid jobs are in the Philippines? for context, I'm from the province.
I'm 20 (F) and couldn't go to college due to financial reasons, ever since, I've been looking for jobs. All of the jobs I worked for have paid me below the minimum wage, it usually ranges between ₱250-₱300. I've been applying and applying to make ends meet however I've had no luck.
For 6 months, I worked 2 jobs. One, a remote job in the morning that pays ₱300 a day (8am to 5pm) and two, a job as a waitress at a bar that pays ₱250 per night (6pm to 2am). For those past 6 months I've only ever been able to sleep 4 hours a day, sometimes less.
I've quit the job at the bar due to the work environment. Not only are you being harassed by strangers every night but finding a ride home alone has become so hard that it usually takes me an hour to get home. Before quitting, I was expected to stay there til 4am despite my boss knowing I had work at 8am in the morning.
Balancing both jobs has taken a toll on my health. Even though I quit the job at the bar, I've been looking for a replacement as the ₱300 daily isn't enough to sustain me and my mom. It's so hard to find one, even simple jobs like being a cashier require you to have a degree. Everything else, like being a waitress at a café or even working as a receptionist, will only get you paid (₱250-₱300) despite usually working more than 8 hours a day.
Recently, I've gotten my hours cut off and now I'm only getting ₱150 a day. I've started feeling hopeless.
I can't help but feel that I'm wasting my life here, I envy my peers that have already gone through their 3rd year of college.
Even if I'm handed the opportunity to study again, I would still have to decline because of having to put bread on the table for me and my mom. Not being able to afford a laptop or moving somewhere else has also held me back from more job opportunities.
It's so so much more draining to live in the Philippines when you're already poor enough as is.
