Press Release

Financial literacy advocate urges OFWs

to find ways to earn online

With the number of displaced Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) reaching 600,000 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the BPI Pinoy Abroad program of the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) tapped former OFW and now financial literacy advocate Burn Gutierrez to encourage overseas Filipinos to explore new ways to earn money.

The BPI Pinoy Abroad program turned into an opportunity for Gutierrez to teach OFWs to earn online and discover other ways to create active and passive income. His mission complemented the aims of the program, which focuses on financial advice and solutions for every stage of an OFW’s life.

Gutierrez, who founded the blog Rock to Riches and was named the top financial blogger in 2019 by Moneymax, said that with little or no capital at all, OFWs may find various opportunities to earn online in this pandemic.

“This is part of re-thinking and re-planning,” said Gutierrez during a webinar organized by BPI Overseas Filipino (OF) segment, in collaboration with BPI-Philam Life Assurance.

“Explore and learn new digital skills. There’s more to online than recreation.Learn and earn from it.”

Gutierrez said there are three ways for OFWs to earn online these days:

1. Provide services. “These include coding, writing, designing, technical support or virtual assistance, project management, andmicro-work, or the pay-per-job or task. There are online platforms you may explore to provide your services.”

2. Get paid for what you know. “This is sharing your core skill. You can do online coaching, consultancy, and advisory, or provide courses, programs, webinars, e-books, white papers, and membership sites.”

3. Resell or develop products.“This means creating your own online store or you may also do affiliate marketing or offer digital products and software, or even games, plug-ins, and apps.”

Gutierrez’s advice comes after the Department of Labor and Employment said on January 17 that it is expecting 60,000 to 80,000 more OFWs to be repatriated in 2021.Labor Assistant Secretary Dominique Rubia-Tutay said as many as 700,000 OFWs could lose their jobs with many countries figuring in recession as a result of the months-long lockdowns.

“To survive and thrive abundantly in these trying times, you may also connect with online support groups and Philippine authorities in your host country and network with mentors, coaches, and encouragers,” said Gutierrez.

“You can also build wealth overseas amid the pandemic by knowing the value of insuring yourself and investing to achieve your dreams. Aim to be profitable. This is finding opportunity in the crisis,” he added.

​​​​​​​Published on February 10, 2021