Palawan, Boracay in most visited island destination list

Palawan and Boracay have made it to Times Travel's "8 Most Visited Island Destinations in Asia," the Department of Tourism (DoT) said.

In the August 9 issue of the Indian publication, Bali, Indonesia, was ranked first, and Phuket, Thailand, was second. Palawan, known as the "last frontier" of the Philippines because of its beautiful natural surroundings, took third place.

The article highlighted Palawan's beautiful limestone cliffs and blue waters, specifically in El Nido and Coron, as well as the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, a Unesco World Heritage Site.Boracay, noted for its pristine white-sand beaches and crystal-clear waters, ranked fourth on the list.

The report centers on the island's White Beach, known for its appealing surroundings and spectacular sunsets, as well as its variety of water sports, lively nightlife, and plenty of dining options.

Other island destinations on the list include the Maldives; Langkawi, Malaysia; Havelock Island, India; and Jeju Island, South Korea.

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Times Travel, the travel publication of The Times of India, offers curated insights into prime worldwide destinations, with an emphasis on places that appeal to Indian tourists' cultural and travel preferences.

Source: Manila Times

Where Do Remote Talents in the Philippines Want To Work?

The Philippines has improved its ranking by 11 spots since 2020 in terms of being a career destination for foreign jobseekers. It has climbed to 56th place in 2023, from 67th in 2020 and 66th in 2019.

However, talent in the Philippines still displays a strong interest in relocating abroad for work. This is according to Decoding Global Talent 2024 by Jobstreet by SEEK, Boston Consulting Group, and The Network.

How the Philippines Was Ranked as a Career Destination

Decoding Global Talent 2024 is based on a survey of 150,735 respondents in the workforce from 188 countries, with up to 91 percent of them living in their country of origin. Up to 38 percent of the global respondents also have a bachelor's degree.

According to the study, "The global perception of the Philippines as a place of employment for those seeking opportunities abroad has seen a notable uptick, with its ranking improving by 11 spots since 2020, reaching number 56 in 2023. However, it is still far compared to top global countries and ranks low within Southeast Asia (SEA)."

Global respondents gave the following reasons why they chose the Philippines for work:

• welcoming culture and inclusiveness (52%)

• perceived good quality of life (45%)

• cost of living (43%)

• quality of job opportunities (43%)

• friendly environment (43%)

• work permit processes (23%)

• stability and security (23%)

The following factors, however, ranked low: opportunities for citizenship (16%), digitalization (16%), and healthcare (15%).

Among the job seekers expressing interest in working in the Philippines are those from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and even the U.S. and Canada.

Filipinos Still Want to Work Abroad

Despite these survey results among foreigners, up to 80 percent of Filipino talents have expressed readiness to relocate abroad for work. This number is higher than the rest of Southeast Asia, which has a 68 percent readiness, and globally, which has 63 percent readiness.

Reasons for Filipinos to work abroad:

• Financial and economic reasons (80%)

• general career considerations (65%)

• better overall quality of life (64%)

• concrete job offer (60%)

• personal growth and cultural experience (53%)

• better social system and healthcare (53%)

• better educational and training opportunities (45%)

• more interesting and challenging work (42%)

These numbers are all significantly higher than the SEA and Global average.

There is also a difference when it comes to the age of candidates. Globally, younger jobseekers tend to work abroad; but in the Philippines, this willingness to go to another country for a job cuts across all ages.

About 35 percent of Filipinos also said that they prefer to work abroad long-term, without plans of returning to the Philippines. This is another significant difference as overseas workers from neighboring countries keep three-year assignments and then return home.

The expertise of Filipino employees who are looking to relocate is very diverse. Up to 94 percent are in the craft professions, manual, and physical work; 90 percent are in research and laboratory; 87 percent are in engineering and technical industries; and 86 percent are in services and hospitality. Other significant fields include digitalization, education, business management, IT, design and art, and more.

Those in marketing and media are at the lowest percentage, with only 73 percent of them willing to work abroad.

Out of 80 percent of Filipino workers showing interest in international employment, 42 percent of them are hoping to move to Canada. Other countries they want to relocate to are Australia (39%), the U.S. (27%), Japan (23%), and New Zealand (21%).

Top cities to work in globally

It should be noted that the pandemic affected these interests. Back in 2018 and 2020, readiness to work abroad was at 96 percent and 91 percent, showing a huge decline in 2024. Filipino professionals are now also more eager to work remotely for a foreign employer with an 84 percent interest, above Southeast Asia and global trends.

These statistics are based on a survey of 6,498 workforce participants in the Philippines, 76 percent of whom had a bachelor's degree.

PH Decoding Global Talent 2024.pdf

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Source: Philstar

Filipino Gen Zs prioritize self-reward when shopping, study finds

Filipino Gen Z spend primarily to reward themselves, according to a joint study by the Filipino-focused sociocultural research firm The Fourth Wall and communications firm Uniquecorn Strategies.

About three out of four Filipino Gen Z consumers living in urban areas said they shop online because they believe that they deserve it. This shopping philosophy is driven by their desire for happiness, fear of missing out on trends, and the need to reward themselves for overcoming work or study-related stress.

The survey revealed that 50% of a typical Filipino Gen Z’s finances come from parental allowances, while the other 50% come from full-time work, businesses, or side gigs. On average, they make six online purchases per month, ranging from a minimum of one to a maximum of 10.

“The young generation is rapidly becoming a significant portion of the consumer market, and is already shaping market trends, especially the e-commerce space,” said John Brylle L. Bae, research director at The Fourth Wall.

“This self-rewarding behavior among Filipino Gen Zs stem from their growing self-awareness, driving them to seek rewards that affirm that sense of self-worth,” he added.

Mr. Bae also attributed this behavior to the Filipino “sayang” mindset, where daily struggles and deprivations lead them to seize rewarding opportunities out of fear of missing out.

The study adds that urban Filipino Gen Zs are intelligent buyers as they splurge based on quality (81%) and price competitiveness (10%). They are most likely to repurchase from the same brand that consistently delivers high-quality and affordable products, but are also willing to try other brands even if they are emotionally attached to their current ones.

The study also found that Filipino Gen Zs buy based on trust and personal affinity. Upon hearing about a product, 81% of them do not purchase immediately but search customer reviews first on shopping platforms and Google.

They still primarily rely on word of mouth to discover products (60%), while others rank social commerce ads (59%) as important to their shopping experience. They take cues from the people they deeply trust, friends, and family. They are also more influenced by honest, objective or out-of-pocket reviews from influencers or content creators with appropriate expertise.

Gen Z is known as the first generation to grow up with the internet and digital devices practically glued to their hands, which means they prefer the convenience of online shopping. Almost all the respondents (92%) use their own mobile phones for purchases and prefer cashless payment methods (53%).

Given this, Uniquecorn Strategies Founder and CEO Dean Bernales said that it is important to understand the consumer behavior of the younger generation.

“Online retailers should pay close attention to the shopping desires and needs of Filipino Gen Zs. Brands need to reassess their supply chain strategies and enhance their social commerce platforms to build trust, create personal connections, and develop a relatable image to capture the young market,” Mr. Bernales said.

As a result, the study identifies several key opportunities for brands to connect with Filipino Gen Z consumers more effectively. There is a significant potential for advertising on more personal yet credible emerging media platforms such as podcasts. Brands can leverage self-expression and identity in their branding to establish a personal affinity with target customer personas.

Additionally, adapting different messaging strategies and formats to align with influencers’ content can appeal to their niche audiences. Creating personalized subscription models for fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs) can offer an immersive experience while promoting convenience and catering to personal preferences.

Tapping into Gen Z’s hobbies, interests, and desired personal images when developing brands, products, and services can further enhance their engagement and loyalty.

Citing prior research, the study noted that there are about 41 million Gen Zs in the Philippines, making up for about 38% of the total population, according to Philippine Statistics Authority’s latest official 2020 census.

Source: Business World