RP software group slams poaching by Singapore recruiters

[theveed]

RP software group slams poaching by Singapore recruiters

By Lawrence Casiraya
INQUIRER.net
Last updated 05:43pm (Mla time) 07/27/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippine Software Industry Association (PSIA) has expressed alarm over the rampant recruitment of Filipino software professionals by Singaporean companies.

According to the PSIA, over the past two years, some of its member-companies have observed a growing number of agencies from Singapore that send representatives to Manila to recruit software engineers.

"Their representatives usually fly in and stay for the weekend, during which period they aggressively sign up dozens of senior software engineers, most of whom are employed," said Fermin Taruc, president of PSIA and managing director Gurango Software Corp.

Once hired, these engineers are immediately offered flight bookings, according to the PSIA in its position paper.

"They are usually given less than a week's notice, which leaves them with no opportunity for proper resignation and transition. Much as they would like to ensure a smooth transition, these engineers are often compelled to breach their existing contracts for these 'take-it-or-leave-it' opportunities," Taruc said.

PSIA noted that this hiring practice has been detrimental to the local software industry.

With senior software engineers suddenly gone, local software companies reportedly end up struggling with limited time, resources and project information to deliver their clients' requirements.

This often results in unsatisfied clients, even lawsuits against local software companies that fail to deliver mission-critical projects according to the service level agreement.

"It is clearly hurting the business of local software companies. On a bigger scale, it is putting the Philippines in a bad light from the clients' perspective," Taruc said.

To address the situation, the PSIA has requested the Singapore government to impose additional requirements on Filipinos securing work visas, including a copy of the applicant's resignation letter and clearance from his or her latest employer.

"The world looks to Singapore as a role model in terms of law and order, discipline, and progressive government policies. This is why the PSIA believes that, in the spirit of fair trade, the Singapore government can make improvements in regulating the hiring and recruitment process in the Philippines," Taruc said.

[_Qwerty_]

kasalanan din nang mga companies yan dito..

if they are paying their software engineers properly.. hindi aalis yan..

[flakez]

may point ung PSIA... pero baka lalo akong mahirapan niyan pag nagbalak ako magtrabaho sa singapore. hehehe

[roninblade]

ganyan talaga sa business. kung ayaw nila umalis ang mga programmers/engineers dapat gumawa sila ng paraan hindi ganyan na nagrereklamo.

To address the situation, the PSIA has requested the Singapore government to impose additional requirements on Filipinos securing work visas, including a copy of the applicant's resignation letter and clearance from his or her latest employer.

gusto pa nila gawin responsible yung Singapore government for employment problems here. parang mali eh.

[wildthing]

PERA-PERA lang yan di ba?!?

Kulang talaga at underpaid ang mga magagaling natin software engineer. Contracts for programs goes as high as hundreds and millions of pesos...pero magkano lang ang mapupunta sa software developers and engineers?

If this Fermin Taruc uses his brains, he should know that underpaid lang ang mga ito kaya this employees are more than willing to leave immediately.

Sa Singapore side naman, they (employers) also know very well that these Pinoy engineers are cheaper and probably a better value-for-money deal than getting a local (singaporean programmer).

[yebo]

panay sila ngakngak e milliones ang kita nila sa contracts nila, tapos ambon lang ang napapala ng mga employees. sobrang takaw sa pera at ayaw nila i-share sa employees nila. una pa alam na nila na ang success ng company nila ay dahil sa galing ng kanilang employees, so dapat una din sa priorities nila ang ma-retain ang mga employees nila by giving competetive salaries and benefits like profit sharing, etc. kaso nga sobrang gahaman sa pera kaya iniiwanan ng employees. sisihin pa nila singaporean employers, ang kapal naman! magpa-sweldo sila ng katiting tapos magagalit sa companies na mataas magpasweldo, kupal talaga. all i can say is, BUTI NGA SA INYO MGA BUWAYA!

[A121]

yes, option ng mga trabahador na umalis kapag hindi maganda ang benefits.

pero sana temporary lang yun at bumalik sana sila dito sa pinas, kapag marami na silang pera. ito ay kagaya ng mga ginagawa ng mga indian it professionals. after making it big in the states, balik sila sa india para mapalago ang it industry dun.

[flakez]

yes, option ng mga trabahador na umalis kapag hindi maganda ang benefits.

pero sana temporary lang yun at bumalik sana sila dito sa pinas, kapag marami na silang pera. ito ay kagaya ng mga ginagawa ng mga indian it professionals. after making it big in the states, balik sila sa india para mapalago ang it industry dun.

ah ganon ba mga indians? sana ung mga indians dito sa office namin yumaman na rin.

[_Qwerty_]

Ang baba naman talaga nang pasweldo dito sa atin..

based sa jobstreet salary info:

PROGRAMMER

Position Level >>>> Min (Peso) >>>> Average (Peso) >>>> Max (Peso)
Assistant Manager / Manager >>> 20,000.00 >>> 26,000.00 >>> 35,000.00
Supervisor / 5 Years & Up Experienced Employee >>> 15,000.00 >>> 20,000.00 >>> 25,000.00
1-4 Years Experienced Employee >>> 11,000.00 >>> 15,000.00 >>> 17,500.00
Fresh Grad / < 1 Year Experienced Employee >>> 8,000.00 >>> 10,000.00 >>> 13,000.00

ehh mataas pa sweldo nang call center agent eh..

samantalang sa SINGAPORE


Position Level Min (S$)* Average (S$)* Max (S$)*
Senior Executive 3,000.00 3,500.00 4,000.00
Junior Executive 2,500.00 2,800.00 3,250.00
Fresh / Entry Level 1,850.00 2,500.00 2,800.00

[VtEC]

"They are usually given less than a week's notice, which leaves them with no opportunity for proper resignation and transition. Much as they would like to ensure a smooth transition, these engineers are often compelled to breach their existing contracts for these 'take-it-or-leave-it' opportunities," Taruc said.

PSIA noted that this hiring practice has been detrimental to the local software industry.

ugok din tong taruc na ito.baka pag sya inoperan sa US ng 1M per month lipad agad din sya e.maximum utilization pero di maganda sahod, tama lang yan na magsi alisan mga empleyado nila.

[yebo]

Position Level Min (S$)* Average (S$)* Max (S$)*
Senior Executive 3,000.00 3,500.00 4,000.00
Junior Executive 2,500.00 2,800.00 3,250.00
Fresh / Entry Level 1,850.00 2,500.00 2,800.00

mababa pa yan tsong. yung friend ko na unix systems analys sa compaq singapore was offered S$7500 per month when he was hired 6 years ago (pirated from SSS main office where he was earning P20k/month). ngayon ayaw na sabihin sweldo sa akin, nakakahiya na daw (as in obscene!)

[niky]

It's not actually right to hold a person back from career advancement.

The most they can ask is that Singaporean companies respect the right of local companies to hold on to their people for a month or so until they find a replacement.

The best way is to actively encourage people to go abroad but implore them to come back once they've made some money, to share their experiences and expertise with new grads here.

[wildthing]

A bit OT...

actually it is not the right of local companies to hold on to their resigning employees before they can field a replacement -- this is more of an internal agreement between the two parties.

kasi if fired out ang employee (either with due cause or not) pede itong immediate implementation...sa sa side ng employee he could always do the same....file irrevocable resignation letter and leave-without-pay the remaining days (say 2 weeks)...then turn-over everything accountable on the last day that he work (this is usually my style )

[wildthing]

with a salary range of S$1800 to an obscene figure... it is not really a wonder why our programmers will choose to leave the country immediately and take all the possible risk.

[theveed]

kasalanan din nang mga companies yan dito..

if they are paying their software engineers properly.. hindi aalis yan..

This, I don't agree, our company pays our writers really well (the employees agree themselves) but that didn't stop us from leaving... The discrepancy of post-tax and post-expenses disposable income is just too high in comparison.

Just like any other countries, the cost of living (specifically, rent) is way higher in other countries. While most people here either lives with their own family or themselves, they're almost always forced to share a room with someone else in SIN.

It's stupid to simply compare the $ to Php salary and expenses alone. The ratio between the two that's causing people to leave.

IT folks gets paid A LOT more in HK than in SIN, but the cost of living in HK (and tax) is less favorable than SIN. Couple that with the low airfares available flying in and out of SIN, the mostly-English language medium and skilled labor force, it results to a more favorable place for Filipinos to move to compared to other SEA countries.

If someone is offered a 30K USD job in Manhattan, it'll be much much different if he gets paid $30K working in Vermont.

[goldencoil]

A bit OT...

actually it is not the right of local companies to hold on to their resigning employees before they can field a replacement -- this is more of an internal agreement between the two parties.

kasi if fired out ang employee (either with due cause or not) pede itong immediate implementation...sa sa side ng employee he could always do the same....file irrevocable resignation letter and leave-without-pay the remaining days (say 2 weeks)...then turn-over everything accountable on the last day that he work (this is usually my style )

Hehehe. Pwede pala yun.

Isa pang OT, bakit dun sa mga napapanood ko na show sa US, pag sinabi ng employee na "I quit", eh alis na kaagad sya sa ofc at pack-up kaagad? Normal ba talaga yung ganun?

Back to the topic:
I am working here in Singapore as an Engineer. Just like in other countries, malaki ang sweldo dito pag na compare mo sa philippine petot. Yun nga lang, mataas din ang standard of living. Pero in fairness, maliit lang ang tax dito compared sa jan sa tin. OK din dito kasi malapit sa pinas kaya mura lng ang pamasahe pauwi.

Sabi nga ni wildthing, PERA PERA lang yan.

[Rediesel]

PSIA, kung ayaw nyong umalis mga empleyado ninyo magbayad kayo ng tama, pano mabubuhay ng maayos kung ang sweldo e 35K lang, isweldo niyo ng at least 75% ng going rate sa Singapore, malamang kokonti na lang ang aalis.

Etong mga PSIA nato e prime example ng crab mentality dahil aasenso ang mga empleyado nila gustong pahirapan sa pag apply papuntang Singapore.

Eto ang sa inyo

[Lucius]

Madami bang chics sa Singapore, dun na lang ako magtayo ng ad agency hahahaha

[oldblue]

ang bad trip lang dyan, our software engineers are being offered lucrative positions which in turn, uplifts the reputation of Singapore as a world-class IT country.

pero yun pala mga pinoy din ang behind sa success na yun. and to think, we have 5 times more potential power to beat them kasi we have more land and manpower resources.

parang economic sabotage na din ang ginagawa nyan mga poachers. yun naman mga pinoy na bumibigay sa temptation, well yun na nga they're part of the reason why this country is sinking, kasi iniisip muna sarili

although we can't really blame them ... each of has only 40 years to work and to earn and to make good in life. sayang din opportunity

[VtEC]

although we can't really blame them ... each of has only 40 years to work and to earn and to make good in life. sayang din opportunity

+ 1 on this.