Sa isang napapanahon na issue,
3 things lang po:
1. advise your friends about considering the 30-day notice in Manila sa ngayon for stricter VISA apps here
2. take note S$3k-4k and published asking price ng Pinoy IT professional = E-pass or P2-pass equivalent
3. ..."You cant replace that kind of knowledge/expertise/flexibility"... this is a good boost of morale for IT Pinoys; we still give remittances, contributing to the Phil economy.
Salamat at naka-alis na tayo sa ganyan sitwasyon. Not bad at all deciding going abroad kahit Asia lang, di ba Heinj and Bantot?
14k na IT population pala tayo lahat dito as of 2007.
alam nyo ba na 23 na tau lahat bdomates dito sa SG! lahat yun ay key persons sa IT at Tbg natin dba?
(attached the news clip from TODAY 23aug2007 edition)
paminsan minsan paramdam lang po...
| Singapore News // Thursday, August 23, 2007 TodayOnline |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
 |
| Filipino IT engineers flocking to Singapore |
Demand for them here leaves companies in the Philippines in the lurch Lin Yanqin
yanqinl@mediacorp.com.sg THEY flock to Singapore, drawing three times what they are paid in the Philippines. They gain valuable experience here working for multi-national firms, contributing to their country's economy with their remittances to families back home.The downside: Some quit their jobs in a hurry, leaving behind unfinished projects, resulting in unhappy customers and beleaguered employers scrambling to fill the vacuum.Such is the predicament facing the Philippines' software industry as engineers leave their jobs in haste. The aggressive tactics employed by some Singaporean recruitment agencies have worsened the situation, say members of the industry. "Everyone is trying to figure out how to solve this problem," said Mr Richard McGonegal, president and managing director of RCG-IT Philippines, an American IT services and solutions company.Recruitment drives and job fairs are held in hotel ballrooms of key Filipino cities on weekends, with agencies hiring IT professionals for banks and various software companies in Singapore. There are an estimated 14,000 Filipinos working in Singapore's IT sector. Under Filipino laws, employees have to give a 30-day resignation notice to minimise work disruption. But at least one recruitment agency is known to insist that applicants must leave for Singapore within days of being hired, or forego the posting. The reason for this, according to Mr McGonegal, is recruitment agencies are paid a commission for every worker they bring in. "Also, a company which is hiring will usually have two or more recruitment agents, so they want to be the first to bring in staff," he added. Faced with the prospect of losing a mid-to-senior level position that could pay between $3,000 and $4,000 every month — thrice their wages back home — the engineers usually choose to flout the laws and leave.One company known to recruit in the Philippines for Singapore is AIT Software Services. But its spokesperson said that his company ensured that its Filipino engineers served ample quit notice."I have not heard of such cases," he said, "but I suspect that when IT companies here do that, it is because they are already committed to contracts (and need the people urgently)."He said Filipino IT engineers are sought after here because of their experience, adding that "there is also a shortage in Singapore".Although Singapore is not the only destination — Malaysia, Australia and America are also favoured — it's the most popular choice among these engineers. About a third to half of the staff leaving RCG-IT last year came to Singapore. Three engineers who quit Pointwest Technologies Corporation this year, also left for Singapore, said its president Maria Cristina Coronel. "In the past years, there were even more," she said.The departing engineers often leave their previous employers with a host of issues.The problem is not just finding others to fill the vacancies, said Ms Coronel. "It's the expertise … these people have spent months on a project or with a client and they're familiar with it. You can't replace that kind of knowledge. So we can't meet deadlines, end up being penalised, or we lose the customer and damage our track record."The Philippines Software Industry Association (PSIA) released a statement last month highlighting the problem, and called for stricter visa restrictions from the Singapore Government to address the issue. Said PSIA president Fermin Taruc: "We are not against our talent seeking better opportunities, but the transition could be better, so that our companies are not left in the lurch.""We can get damages, but it's a lengthy process," said Mr McGonegal.
yanqinl@mediacorp.com.sg
Demand for them here leaves companies in the Philippines in the lurch Lin Yanqin
yanqinl@mediacorp.com.sg THEY flock to Singapore, drawing three times what they are paid in the Philippines. They gain valuable experience here working for multi-national firms, contributing to their country's economy with their remittances to families back home.The downside: Some quit their jobs in a hurry, leaving behind unfinished projects, resulting in unhappy customers and beleaguered employers scrambling to fill the vacuum.Such is the predicament facing the Philippines' software industry as engineers leave their jobs in haste. The aggressive tactics employed by some Singaporean recruitment agencies have worsened the situation, say members of the industry. "Everyone is trying to figure out how to solve this problem," said Mr Richard McGonegal, president and managing director of RCG-IT Philippines, an American IT services and solutions company.Recruitment drives and job fairs are held in hotel ballrooms of key Filipino cities on weekends, with agencies hiring IT professionals for banks and various software companies in Singapore. There are an estimated 14,000 Filipinos working in Singapore's IT sector. Under Filipino laws, employees have to give a 30-day resignation notice to minimise work disruption. But at least one recruitment agency is known to insist that applicants must leave for Singapore within days of being hired, or forego the posting. The reason for this, according to Mr McGonegal, is recruitment agencies are paid a commission for every worker they bring in. "Also, a company which is hiring will usually have two or more recruitment agents, so they want to be the first to bring in staff," he added. Faced with the prospect of losing a mid-to-senior level position that could pay between $3,000 and $4,000 every month — thrice their wages back home — the engineers usually choose to flout the laws and leave.One company known to recruit in the Philippines for Singapore is AIT Software Services. But its spokesperson said that his company ensured that its Filipino engineers served ample quit notice."I have not heard of such cases," he said, "but I suspect that when IT companies here do that, it is because they are already committed to contracts (and need the people urgently)."He said Filipino IT engineers are sought after here because of their experience, adding that "there is also a shortage in Singapore".Although Singapore is not the only destination — Malaysia, Australia and America are also favoured — it's the most popular choice among these engineers. About a third to half of the staff leaving RCG-IT last year came to Singapore. Three engineers who quit Pointwest Technologies Corporation this year, also left for Singapore, said its president Maria Cristina Coronel. "In the past years, there were even more," she said.The departing engineers often leave their previous employers with a host of issues.The problem is not just finding others to fill the vacancies, said Ms Coronel. "It's the expertise … these people have spent months on a project or with a client and they're familiar with it. You can't replace that kind of knowledge. So we can't meet deadlines, end up being penalised, or we lose the customer and damage our track record."The Philippines Software Industry Association (PSIA) released a statement last month highlighting the problem, and called for stricter visa restrictions from the Singapore Government to address the issue. Said PSIA president Fermin Taruc: "We are not against our talent seeking better opportunities, but the transition could be better, so that our companies are not left in the lurch.""We can get damages, but it's a lengthy process," said Mr McGonegal.
yanqinl@mediacorp.com.sg
Demand for them here leaves companies in the Philippines in the lurch Lin Yanqin
yanqinl@mediacorp.com.sg THEY flock to Singapore, drawing three times what they are paid in the Philippines. They gain valuable experience here working for multi-national firms, contributing to their country's economy with their remittances to families back home.The downside: Some quit their jobs in a hurry, leaving behind unfinished projects, resulting in unhappy customers and beleaguered employers scrambling to fill the vacuum.Such is the predicament facing the Philippines' software industry as engineers leave their jobs in haste. The aggressive tactics employed by some Singaporean recruitment agencies have worsened the situation, say members of the industry. "Everyone is trying to figure out how to solve this problem," said Mr Richard McGonegal, president and managing director of RCG-IT Philippines, an American IT services and solutions company.Recruitment drives and job fairs are held in hotel ballrooms of key Filipino cities on weekends, with agencies hiring IT professionals for banks and various software companies in Singapore. There are an estimated 14,000 Filipinos working in Singapore's IT sector. Under Filipino laws, employees have to give a 30-day resignation notice to minimise work disruption. But at least one recruitment agency is known to insist that applicants must leave for Singapore within days of being hired, or forego the posting. The reason for this, according to Mr McGonegal, is recruitment agencies are paid a commission for every worker they bring in. "Also, a company which is hiring will usually have two or more recruitment agents, so they want to be the first to bring in staff," he added. Faced with the prospect of losing a mid-to-senior level position that could pay between $3,000 and $4,000 every month — thrice their wages back home — the engineers usually choose to flout the laws and leave.One company known to recruit in the Philippines for Singapore is AIT Software Services. But its spokesperson said that his company ensured that its Filipino engineers served ample quit notice."I have not heard of such cases," he said, "but I suspect that when IT companies here do that, it is because they are already committed to contracts (and need the people urgently)."He said Filipino IT engineers are sought after here because of their experience, adding that "there is also a shortage in Singapore".Although Singapore is not the only destination — Malaysia, Australia and America are also favoured — it's the most popular choice among these engineers. About a third to half of the staff leaving RCG-IT last year came to Singapore. Three engineers who quit Pointwest Technologies Corporation this year, also left for Singapore, said its president Maria Cristina Coronel. "In the past years, there were even more," she said.The departing engineers often leave their previous employers with a host of issues.The problem is not just finding others to fill the vacancies, said Ms Coronel. "It's the expertise … these people have spent months on a project or with a client and they're familiar with it. You can't replace that kind of knowledge. So we can't meet deadlines, end up being penalised, or we lose the customer and damage our track record."The Philippines Software Industry Association (PSIA) released a statement last month highlighting the problem, and called for stricter visa restrictions from the Singapore Government to address the issue. Said PSIA president Fermin Taruc: "We are not against our talent seeking better opportunities, but the transition could be better, so that our companies are not left in the lurch.""We can get damages, but it's a lengthy process," said Mr McGonegal.
yanqinl@mediacorp.com.sg
Demand for them here leaves companies in the Philippines in the lurch Lin Yanqin
yanqinl@mediacorp.com.sg THEY flock to Singapore, drawing three times what they are paid in the Philippines. They gain valuable experience here working for multi-national firms, contributing to their country's economy with their remittances to families back home.The downside: Some quit their jobs in a hurry, leaving behind unfinished projects, resulting in unhappy customers and beleaguered employers scrambling to fill the vacuum.Such is the predicament facing the Philippines' software industry as engineers leave their jobs in haste. The aggressive tactics employed by some Singaporean recruitment agencies have worsened the situation, say members of the industry. "Everyone is trying to figure out how to solve this problem," said Mr Richard McGonegal, president and managing director of RCG-IT Philippines, an American IT services and solutions company.Recruitment drives and job fairs are held in hotel ballrooms of key Filipino cities on weekends, with agencies hiring IT professionals for banks and various software companies in Singapore. There are an estimated 14,000 Filipinos working in Singapore's IT sector. Under Filipino laws, employees have to give a 30-day resignation notice to minimise work disruption. But at least one recruitment agency is known to insist that applicants must leave for Singapore within days of being hired, or forego the posting. The reason for this, according to Mr McGonegal, is recruitment agencies are paid a commission for every worker they bring in. "Also, a company which is hiring will usually have two or more recruitment agents, so they want to be the first to bring in staff," he added. Faced with the prospect of losing a mid-to-senior level position that could pay between $3,000 and $4,000 every month — thrice their wages back home — the engineers usually choose to flout the laws and leave.One company known to recruit in the Philippines for Singapore is AIT Software Services. But its spokesperson said that his company ensured that its Filipino engineers served ample quit notice."I have not heard of such cases," he said, "but I suspect that when IT companies here do that, it is because they are already committed to contracts (and need the people urgently)."He said Filipino IT engineers are sought after here because of their experience, adding that "there is also a shortage in Singapore".Although Singapore is not the only destination — Malaysia, Australia and America are also favoured — it's the most popular choice among these engineers. About a third to half of the staff leaving RCG-IT last year came to Singapore. Three engineers who quit Pointwest Technologies Corporation this year, also left for Singapore, said its president Maria Cristina Coronel. "In the past years, there were even more," she said.The departing engineers often leave their previous employers with a host of issues.The problem is not just finding others to fill the vacancies, said Ms Coronel. "It's the expertise … these people have spent months on a project or with a client and they're familiar with it. You can't replace that kind of knowledge. So we can't meet deadlines, end up being penalised, or we lose the customer and damage our track record."The Philippines Software Industry Association (PSIA) released a statement last month highlighting the problem, and called for stricter visa restrictions from the Singapore Government to address the issue. Said PSIA president Fermin Taruc: "We are not against our talent seeking better opportunities, but the transition could be better, so that our companies are not left in the lurch.""We can get damages, but it's a lengthy process," said Mr McGonegal.
yanqinl@mediacorp.com.sg
