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Juan Karlos Labajo Wants To Help Filipino Freelancers. Here’s How

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May raket ba diyan?

Raket PH is an online community for Filipino freelancers to get work and get paid in their own rules and terms.

Related: Young Filipino Freelancers Get Real About What It’s Like Being A Freelancer

You probably know who Juan Karlos Labajo is. The musician is a pro at releasing heart tugging and heart breaking anthems that get us in our feels. But did you also know that the young artist is also a businessman? But his business isn’t just another retail space on online shop. Instead, he, along with Peng and Carlet Enriquez, came together to build raket PH, an online platform meant to cater to Filipino freelancers to a global audience.

WHAT IS RAKET PH

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Ever since the pandemic changed the way people see and approach work, there has been a new push to focus on less typical careers. And this new way of doing work has seen the growth of freelancers looking to move away from the rigidity of corporate life into a more personal and flexible career. Being a freelancer though or a creative in general isn’t easy with many places and platforms not being freelancer friendly. Raket PH is hoping to change that by giving local freelancers the space and opportunity to do their work in their own terms.

The platform comes from The Rocket Inc, a startup company headed by Juan Karlos Labajo, Peng Enriquez, and Carlet Enriquez, the latter two also being the co-founders of Fullstack HQ. It was established in 2021 with the goal of expanding even further this 2022. “To empower the future of work by connecting Filipino digital experts to businesses around the world,” reads their mission statement. All forms of freelancers and work are welcome on raket PH, from digital marketing, creative services, video production, and much more.

FOR THE FILIPINO FREELANCERS

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What helps raket PH standout from other online job platforms is that it has a very freelancer first approach. For starters, they allow you to set your own rates, payments, hours, and rules. They want potential clients to work in your terms, not the other way around. Freelancers part of raket PH, who are called Raketeers, are also not here to compete with each other. It’s a community meant to support one another in an environment that’s built for them.

With raket PH, Filipino freelancers have the opportunity to work with global clients in as convenient of a way as possible. The best part? 100% of the payment goes directly to you. Unlike other freelancer marketplaces, raket PH takes a 0% cut from your payment nor do they charge a commission.  “Raket.PH will serve as a gateway for Filipinos to showcase their distinct skills and passion to the world! Definitely a platform to watch out for!”, reads a statement from Juan Karlos on the website.

HOW TO JOIN

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If all this sounds appealing to you, this is how you can apply to join the website. First, you need to create your profile, the services you offer, and include your resume and portfolio. They have a tool called RaketShip to help freelancers build the best profile they can to attract prospective clients. Once that is done, your application will then be assessed by raket PH staff and will inform you whether you got accepted or rejected. If accepted, you’re now part of the service.

Once part of raket PH, clients can then get in touch with you to offer work, whether it be short term or long term projects. The platform recommends that all your deals be conducted within the website to make for a smooth and hassle free experience. After your work is done, you then get paid via bank deposit or e-Wallet. All too often, we come across stories on social media of young creatives and freelancers getting the short end of the stick when it comes to working with clients. So, it’s admirable to see Juan Karlos Labajo and his business partners build a platform that watches out for Filipino freelancers. Creatives supporting creatives, we love to see it.

Continue Reading: How I, A Fresh Graduate, Got A Job During The Pandemic (Hint: It Wasn’t Easy)