MANILA PHILIPPINES – Lazy. Entitled. Selfish.
The Worst Generation, Ever.
With their penchant for selfies and stream-of-consciousness tweets, they have become an easy target for the previous generations who are constantly trying to deconstruct everything Millennial: from the way these young ones are trading security for fleeting experiences, to how their spending habits are all messed up, and even their so-called inability to stay in one job.
But is the widely-held belief that Millennials are irresponsible true?
Most Filipino Entrepreneurs are (Surprise!) Millennials
Well, that may not be the case.
According to the 2013 report by the International Development Research Centre, “Entrepreneurship in the Philippines”, the average Filipino entrepreneur is at (surprise!) 18–34 years old.
The study highlights:
“Filipinos see their country as having an environment conducive to entrepreneurship. Close to 48% of Filipinos see good opportunities to start a business in their environment. Eighty-five percent (85%) consider starting a new business a desirable career choice while 79.27% place high regard on successful entrepreneurs.
Filipinos are confident that they can start a business. More than half of the population (68.4%) believe that they have the capabilities to start a new business. They also have a very low perception of failure in starting a business.”
Brimming with optimism and an entrepreneurial spirit, Filipino millennials are taking control of their own careers and building their businesses.
“I would always think of millennials to be more driven and moving away from the industrial age –doing their own thing, dreaming bigger,” says Phoebe Rutaquio, 27, CEO and Founder of Hello & Co. Cinema.
Karen Sison, a 24-year old business compliance specialist, agrees. “I think it’s misguided, what is seen as ‘lazy and unmotivated’ is often a symptom of something such as wanting a job that is meaningful to them and doesn’t just pay the bills, or being overwhelmed by the pressures of a highly competitive workforce and the lack of economic security.”
Steven Suñe, 27, changed his career plan from being an architect and shifted to graphic design and video editing. “When I started working in the real world I was unmotivated as well. I think it’s because I did not really like what I was doing. One of the factors that helped me push myself to change careers was because I discovered my passion. It’s nice to be in a career where you don’t feel a need to escape from. That’s why it’s important for you to pursue what you really want to do.”
They also clearly understand the responsibility that comes with running one’s own business.
For Phoebe, paying taxes is a must: “One, it is the law. Two, it’s mandatory to pay your taxes so your business can scale up and get clients–especially the big ones. Three, it’s just messy if you don’t care about it at the start and find out you need it later on. Just do it.”
Miguel Montes, a 23-year old freelance graphic designer, acknowledges his role in nation-building: “I’d like to think that my taxes are going somewhere useful.”
These young, passionate, and driven professionals and entrepreneurs defiantly counter the labels that are attached to their generation.
However, the difficulty of setting up and running a business might just dampen the enthusiasm of young people like them.
“I’d like to think that my taxes are going somewhere useful.” – Miguel Montes, 23, freelance graphic designer
Death by Taxes
The World Bank ranks the Philippines at 113 in terms of ease of doing business – way behind Vietnam (at 68) and Indonesia (at 72).
On average, it takes 182 hours every year for businesses in the Philippines to prepare, file and pay their taxes.
Faced with confusing computations, convoluted forms, and long lines at the BIR and the bank, starting a business and doing taxes can make any aspiring young business owner think twice about pursuing their passion.
Luckily, there’s a solution that could make the process easier for Millennial entrepreneurs.
A One-Stop Online Tax Filing & Payment Platform for Passionate Millennials
More millennial solo entrepreneurs, freelancers, self-employed professionals are discovering the easiest way to compute, file, and pay for their taxes: the Philippines’ #1 online, DIY tax filing and payment web app, Taxumo.
Through Taxumo, taxpayers no longer need to memorize complicated computations, fill up confusing tax forms, or wait in line at the BIR or at the bank.
A recent analysis of Taxumo’s users revealed that the average age of Taxumo’s millennial userbase is 30 years old, with most of them coming from the National Capital Region, followed by Region 4A (CALABARZON), and Region 3 (Central Luzon).
Steven remembers how life was before he started using Taxumo: “When I registered as self-employed in BIR, I realized I had no idea how to fill up the forms and pay my taxes. I didn’t have time to learn and do all of the paper works. Taxumo gives me a convenient way to file and pay my taxes.”
Miguel also felt the pain of doing taxes, until he finally stumbled upon Taxumo: “I first heard about Taxumo from the company that I’m freelancing for. Some of my friends are also using Taxumo.”
Karen likes how Taxumo makes it convenient for people like her to comply with her tax duties without breaking a sweat: “Aside from it being mandated by law, young professionals and entrepreneurs should care about taxes because non-compliance could become a future liability and real risk to your business. It sucks that mere compliance is such a hassle, but non-compliance is still worse and will most likely cost you more in the long run, whether it’s in penalties or in reputation.”
Wise Advice for their Fellow Millennials
Learning from their everyday battle to break the stereotypes while pursue their passions, these millennial Taxumo users offer sage advice to anyone who’s aspiring to take the same path.
Phoebe advises: “Work smart. Rest is important. Sharpen the saw. Make room in your schedule to do these.”
For Steven Suñe, you need passion, perseverance, and personality to succeed.
“Passion–you have to find something you really love. Something that makes you feel like you are not working.
“Perseverance–there will always be good days and bad days. You should always be prepared for the bad days and keep on moving forward despite facing difficulties in your career.
“Personality–your chosen career should fit your personality. It’s not easy to be in a career wherein you have to pretend to be someone you are not.”
“It’s okay not to have everything completely figured out right away and more often than not, it’s much better to get started rather than obsessively try to plan every aspect of it and end up overthinking,” Karen shares.
Meanwhile, Miguel believes in always asking yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing, and highlights the importance of kindness: “Be kind to your clients/customers. Freelancing/running a business isn’t just about producing money, but also about relationships.”
With passion, purpose, and a little help from Taxumo, millennials are all set to succeed in their chosen fields, and ultimately prove the naysayers wrong.
ABOUT TAXUMO
Taxumo is the easiest way for small business owners, self-employed professionals, and freelancers in the Philippines to prepare, file, and pay their taxes. With Taxumo, all you need to do is put in your income and expenses, and Taxumo does the rest (from computing your tax dues, to filling up BIR tax forms, and paying taxes online).
