A growing number of Filipino workers are turning to freelancing for an alternative yet reliable source of income, and its number is still expected to rise further as the country continues to recover from the harsh effects of the pandemic. As revealed by Payoneer's 2022 report on the Philippines freelance market, there are about 1.5 million freelance workers in the Philippines, including delivery partners of online delivery platforms.
Many of these delivery freelancers are fathers, who are often the breadwinner of the family. As a leading online food and grocery platform, foodpanda has become an avenue for many of them to support the needs of their family.
Being a delivery freelancer allows them to simultaneously take on numerous jobs on the side or work depending on their availability. These super dads are aided by foodpanda to earn extra income, have more flexible schedules, and still manage their own time.
As we celebrate Father's Day, foodpanda honors the perseverance and grit of their Ka-panDads by putting their stories in the spotlight for their sacrifices and hard work for their families.
In the busy streets of Quezon City, where time is of the essence, one man stands out as a beacon of reliability and dedication. Meet Aaron James Cas, a Ka-panda since 2018 and a devoted father of five.
To support his children, as well as his wife’s education who is a 3rd-year education student, he is one of the many delivery freelancers these days who is rendering his service in multiple delivery app platforms. According to him, since their line of work does not require delivery partners to be exclusive with just one platform, this type of setup helps them earn more while working efficiently.
Aaron shares being active on other app platforms allows him to adjust his schedule with that of each app’s features. “Dahil hindi pwede mamili ng booking sa ibang platform, ‘yun ang ginagamit ko sa umaga para kahit bumiyahe akosa malalayo, okay lang. Kapag sa gabi naman at medyodelikado na sa daan, pwede sa foodpanda dahil around the area lang ang pick up at drop off.”
When asked about his earnings, Aaron emphasizes the advantages as a delivery partner at foodpanda. "Maganda at maluwag ang oras sa pagiging delivery freelancer. ‘Di tulad kapag regular na empleyado na fixed ang sahod, dito pwede mo mahawakan agad ang kita molalo para sa akin na araw-araw nagbibigay ng baon saanak at asawa ko.”
“At least, pwede ako magbyahe kahit ilang oras para mas mataas pa ang kitaan. Sipag at diskarte lang talaga ang puhunan para makuha mo yung desired income mo," he explains.
Above all, Aaron's motivation stems from his deep love for his children and his dream to secure a bright future for them. “Ginagawa ko ito para sa aking mga anak at asawana nag-aaral pa. Para ito sa kinabukasan nila.”
Bearing a similar story, Nelson Padilla is a 47-year-old father of three from Bulacan. He works as a Ka-panda rider to support his family, particularly his child who has special needs.
Despite having been in the food service industry for 23 years, he found the flexibility of being a delivery rider to be more suitable for his family's needs.
Nelson also works as a part-time sales consultant for a product distribution and marketing company. To pursue his passion, he usually takes some time off from delivering to attend seminars or conferences to boost his skills as a Sales Marketing Agent. “Unlike sa 8-5 na trabaho, may schedule at responsibility ka. Dito, ikaw mamimili ng orasna papasukan na swak sa schedule mo. Kung may trainingako o kailangan asikasuhin, di muna ako kukuha ng session.”
Despite this, he still appreciates the steady income he earns as a delivery partner, saying, "Dahil di stable ang income sa pagiging sales consultant, sa pagiging delivery partner ay sure na may kita araw-araw. Marunong lang dapat mag-adjust kaya may other options para kumita at masuportahan ko ang mga anak ko."
“Dahil di naman ako tapos ng pag-aaral, kahit papano sapagiging delivery partner, may disenteng hanapbuhay at kita. Ang puhunan ko lang ay skill sa pag-drive ng motor at sarili ko pa ang boss ko.”
What do delivery partners love about being a Ka-panda?
foodpanda’s freelancer delivery fleet has also grown over the years, and now consists of riders, bikers, e-scooters, and walkers. When asked to rank the reasons why they chose to become delivery freelancers, majority of the Ka-panda respondents rated saving and earning more money as the top reason why they opt to work as delivery partners. Moreover, they also answered the flexibility of the work schedule as the second most important factor why they prefer being a foodpanda delivery partner. According to them, it allows them to manage their time and schedule efficiently.
Even though some are only part-time delivery freelancers, foodpanda still provides its delivery partners insurance coverage for their well-being and protection. The insurance package includes accident insurance, accidental dismemberment, medical reimbursement for essential health and wellness maintenance, hospital cash assistance and burial assistance.
“We salute our Ka-panDads, our modern-day Filipino workers who are working hard to provide for their families. The stories of Aaron James and Nelson, along with those of thousands of our delivery partners, continue to be an inspiration to many, and it is only fitting that we also recognize them during the celebration of Father’s Day,” says Snehasis Despande, Operations Director of foodpanda Philippines.
“They are real-life examples that being a delivery partner can be a simple and flexible option to earn a living,” he affirms. “With this, foodpanda is always here to extend a hand to any Filipino who would like to be part of our delivery partner fleet.”
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