Gender pay gap among Filipino freelancers 9th smallest globally

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino women freelancers charge less than their male counterparts on average, although the gap is among the smallest globally, according to a new study by Washington-based remittance company Remitly for Freelancers.

While the disparity was relatively narrow, the rates charged by Philippine-based freelancers also ranked among the lowest in the study.

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Women freelancers in the Philippines posted the third-lowest average hourly rate among the 54 countries covered, highlighting the country’s position as a lower-cost market for freelance services.

Women freelancers in the Philippines charge an average of $15.49 per hour, or 12.7 percent less than the $17.75 charged by men, according to the study.

The Philippine gap was well below the global average of 19 percent, where women freelancers charge an average of $31.33 per hour compared with $38.66 for men.

The pay disparity in the Philippines was far smaller than in several Southeast Asian peers. Thailand posted the widest freelancer pay gap globally at 51.7 percent, with women charging an average of $30.68 per hour compared with $63.57 for men.

Two other Asian countries also ranked among those with the largest gaps: Bangladesh at 42 percent and Malaysia at 40.2 percent.

Remitly said freelance earnings patterns do not necessarily mirror those seen in traditional employment.

“That reflects the freelance economy being shaped by different dynamics than traditional employment, and that closing these earnings gaps may require different solutions too,” said Danielle Treharne, general manager for Europe, the Middle East and Africa and Asia-Pacific at Remitly.

A closer look at specific roles showed much wider disparities in some occupations.

Among data scientists working in artificial intelligence services, Filipino women freelancers were charged 68.5 percent less than men, the largest gap recorded among Philippine roles in the study.

Women specializing in Microsoft Excel services also faced one of the widest disparities, charging 30.8 percent less than men on average.

This was followed by marketing consultants, who charged 29.4 percent less, app developers at 28.2 percent less, front-end developers at 27.9 percent less, and business analysts at 25.7 percent less.

In contrast, women freelancers charged higher rates than men in several occupations, including project management, Zendesk support, technical support, human resources management and lead generation.

Remitly conducted the study using listed hourly rates of more than 58,000 freelancers on Upwork, a global online freelance marketplace. INQ