For many Filipinos navigating rising living costs and an increasingly digital economy, freelancing has become more than a side hustle — it is now a viable long-term career path.
That reality brought together aspiring and established freelancers in Pampanga for the first regional edition of “GCash Freelancer Connect,” a community event aimed at helping independent workers strengthen their businesses, improve their earning potential, and better manage their finances.
The gathering highlighted a growing trend across the country as more professionals leave traditional employment or pursue additional income streams through freelance work, serving clients both locally and abroad.
Among the speakers were content creator and entrepreneur Kyla Dizon, known online as KD Creatives, and freelancer Dani Jacobe, who shared personal experiences and practical strategies for succeeding in a highly competitive market.
Building relationships beyond transactions
Panelists during the “GCash Freelancer Connect” in Pampanga (Host Steffi, Freelancers Kyla and Dani, and Sophia from GCash)
For Jacobe, freelancing success is often less about finding a single client and more about creating systems that generate consistent opportunities.
“Your goal is not just to find one client. Your goal is to build a system that helps you keep finding and serving clients,” she told attendees.
She encouraged freelancers to move beyond simply advertising their services and instead focus on understanding client challenges and offering solutions tailored to specific business needs.
According to Jacobe, meaningful conversations and strong professional relationships often lead to longer-term engagements and referrals.
“Your skill becomes more valuable when you connect it to a specific business need,” she said.
Learning to recognize personal value
Dani shares how the right systems helped her turn outreach into meaningful client conversations
Dizon’s journey resonated with many attendees who have struggled with self-doubt and uncertainty when pricing their services.
Before building an online following through content creation and digital products, she said she often underestimated her own worth as a freelancer.
“The truth is, a lot of freelancers are incredibly talented, but still undercharge because they haven’t fully recognized the value of what they bring to the table,” Dizon said.
She recalled a turning point in her career when she shifted away from pricing her services based on fear of losing clients and instead focused on the value she could deliver.
Today, she encourages freelancers to develop confidence in their expertise and establish pricing structures that reflect both their skills and experience.
“Now, I approach pricing differently—not based on fear, but on the value and experience I know I can deliver,” she said.
Navigating the realities of global work
Kyla shares recognizing her worth helped her move from fear-based pricing to value-based pricing
Beyond finding clients and setting rates, participants also discussed one of the most common challenges facing Filipino freelancers: getting paid.
As remote work continues to connect Filipino professionals with overseas clients, managing cross-border payments has become an increasingly important part of freelance life.
During the event, representatives from GCash introduced attendees to the platform’s Virtual US Account feature, which allows users to receive payments from US-based clients through a dedicated account and routing number.
According to Sophia Sison, product manager under GCash’s International Business Group, the feature was designed to simplify how freelancers receive and manage foreign earnings.
Freelancers interested in using the feature can create a Virtual US Account through the GCash app by selecting “US Accounts” under the Explore section, verifying their information, and completing the account setup process as follows:
- Open the GCash app – Tap US Accounts in the Explore the App section
- Tap Continue and verify your information
- Complete your account creation
“We want to ensure that freelancers in the Philippines can receive and manage their money in the most convenient way possible and in a manner that ensures they don’t lose so much of their hard-earned cash,” Sison said.
She added that users can manage their funds directly within the app, including converting US dollars to pesos when exchange rates are favorable.
More than income
As freelancing continues to grow across the country, GCash hopes initiatives like the Freelancer Connect can help create more spaces where freelancers feel supported — not just financially, but as a community navigating a rapidly changing world of work together.
Freelancers learn how to create their GCash Virtual US Account
While discussions centered on pricing, client acquisition, and financial tools, the event also highlighted something less tangible but equally important: community.
Freelancing can often be an isolating experience, with many professionals working independently from home or remote locations. Events such as Freelancer Connect provide opportunities for workers to exchange ideas, learn from shared experiences, and build support networks with others navigating similar challenges.
As freelancing continues to gain traction across the Philippines, participants said access to mentorship, practical knowledge, and financial tools may prove just as valuable as technical skills in helping independent workers build sustainable careers.
For many attendees in Pampanga, the event offered a reminder that success in freelancing is not solely about landing the next client — it is also about building confidence, creating meaningful connections, and adapting to an evolving world of work.
