NEWs Update | Future Proof Tech Summit and PBWx Manila
Unique Strengths of Filipino Talents: Skills, Opportunities, and Global Success
At the Future Proof Tech Summit 2024 held October 10-11 at Podium Mall, thought leaders and professionals highlighted the unique strengths of Filipino talent, emphasizing key qualities such as adaptability, resilience, and a strong work ethic. The event was organized by Web3PH and Philippine Blockchain Week (PBWx) Manila, with in partnership with Blockchain Council of the Philippines and Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT).
A featured a key topic underlined the role of technology skills in the talent pool. Titled Empowering Global Talent: Key Skills Filipinos Bring to the World, conversation brought forward perspectives from panellists Ron Tucker, Chair-Emeritus, Digital Economy Council of Australia; Eric Alexandre, Founder of Jetcoin; and Sheree Gotuaco, Founder and CEO of http://Scarletbox.io ; and panel moderator Gail Macapagal, Chief People Officer of DTaka, each person underscoring the creativity, dedication, and digital proficiency of Filipino professionals, particularly in sectors like technology, customer service, and the NFT market.
Filipino Talent
Tucker shared his personal experiences with Filipino friends, noting the kindness, hard work, and strong ethical values embedded in Filipino culture, lauding the spirit and resilience of Filipinos, their willingness to help others without complaint. Tucker also emphasized the impressive number of new tech graduates in the Philippines and the extensive talent pool in business process outsourcing (BPO), praising the widespread use of English in the country, which serves as a major advantage in global markets.
Explains Tucker, “We’re seeing half a million new tech graduates every year to add to the already 2 million BPO and tech talent (in the Philippines). But it’s truly that spirit that people have here, of kindness, of caring, of hard work, you know, the ethic that’s there.”
Experience with Filipino Talent
Alexandre highlighted the pride and high-quality work that Filipinos develop after proper training. The Singapore-based Web3 investor specifically mentioned their responsiveness and engagement on social media platforms such as Discord, Telegram, and Twitter, where they excel in customer service and communication.
As a GameFI entrepreneur, Alexandre also spoke about the gaming market in the Philippines, noting the population’s education in cryptocurrency and the cost-effective user acquisition compared to European and American markets. He emphasized the Philippines’ leadership in the NFT space and suggested launching local NFT collections and meme coins to tap into the nation’s strong community support.
Malasakit (Empathy) and Filipino Work Ethic
As a Filipino, Gotuaco shared her thoughts on the concept of malasakit, loosely translated as empathy in English. A uniquely Filipino quality, Gotuaco describes the deep care and respect Filipinos have for their work as malasakit and how this attribute drives Filipino workers to go above and beyond to ensure tasks are completed to the highest standards.
The http://Scarletbox.io CEO also highlighted the outstanding creative talent of Filipinos in the tech and art sectors, particularly in areas like animation and augmented reality, as demonstrated by their work with companies such as Scarletbox and Artivide.
Challenges and Opportunities for Filipino Professionals
Despite their numerous strengths, the discussion also addressed some of the cultural challenges faced by Filipino professionals. Gotuaco pointed out that Filipinos often hesitate to promote their own achievements, a tendency that could limit their opportunities for career advancement.
Said Tucker, “There is something to be said for a level of humility, but also something to be said for accepting your achievements and accomplishments and sharing them in an appropriate way at the right time.”
Macapagal echoed this sentiment by sharing her personal experience of staying quiet about her accomplishments but learning to use social media to inspire others. Adding to Alexandre’s endorsement of Linkedin, she added, “I am part of the 100 most influential Filipino women on LinkedIn for three years. It’s legit, and it’s not to brag, but to inspire.”
Alexandre shared, “We have teamwork analysts doing (credentials check) for us, because we don’t waste our time and our money. So, I think to be transparent and honest is super important, and if you have little achievement, it’s good to say so, but don’t overstretch it. If you want to be a professional, come to the International community of Web2 or Web3 and LinkedIn is a fantastic tool for that.”
Filipino professionals should focus on understanding the needs of international companies and tailor their job applications and proposals to stand out in the competitive job market.
Emerging Industries and Growth Opportunities
Looking toward the future, Gotuaco highlighted three key areas where Filipino professionals excel: healthcare, nursing, and coding as fields less likely to be overtaken by artificial intelligence, making them valuable areas for growth, where creativity, problem-solving, and leadership are crucial skills for success in these industries.”
Said Gotuaco, “Service and health area are difficult to be replaced by AI. If we can position ourselves in areas where it’s hard to replace us, so it could be a combination of problem solving, combination of creativity, leadership, and, of course, the soft skills and the human factor. If you’re creative, that’s something that’s special, that’s something that maybe you’ll be able to bring to the table, that you know machine won’t be able to churn out.”
Alexandre reiterated the potential of launching local NFT collections and meme coins, leveraging the Philippines’ strong community networks to boost the nation’s position in the digital economy, saying, “I will bring it back to Web3, Okay, knowing that Philippines is a number one market for NFT. My advice would be to launch your own NFT collection from the Philippines with local artists, and launch your meme coin, because then it’s a network effect.”
Core Skills and Strengths of Filipinos
Summarizing the core skills and strengths that define Filipino talent, Gotuaco pointed to communication, creativity, kindness, and friendliness as key attributes. Alexandre’s list added customer service, social media proficiency, and the ability to recover relationships in tough situations.
Tucker had adaptability, toughness, and resilience as essential traits for global success. Lastly, Macapagal emphasized flexibility, and heart, highlighting the importance of continuous upskilling and reskilling to remain competitive in the global market.
Words by Aye Ubaldo
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