#CulturePH - Father’s Day: How Ka-panDads juggle part time jobs to support family
As the country continues to recover from the devastating impacts of the pandemic, more and more Filipino employees are turning to freelancing as a substitute but dependable source of income. This trend is still anticipated to continue as the nation continues to recuperate. There are around 1.5 million freelance employees in the Philippines, including delivery partners for online delivery platforms, according to Payoneer's 2022 research on the Philippines freelancing market.
Many of these independent delivery contractors are fathers, who frequently provide for their families financially. Many of them now use foodpanda, a prominent online food and grocery platform, as a means of supplying for their family's needs.
Being a delivery freelancer enables them to take on multiple assignments concurrently or work in accordance with their availability. Foodpanda helps these exceptional dads make additional money, have more flexible schedules, and yet manage their own time.
Foodpanda commemorates the tenacity and grit of their Ka-panDads by shining a spotlight on their tales in celebration of the sacrifices and labor they put in for their family on Father's Day.
The ultimate hustlers
In the busy streets of Quezon City, where time is of the essence, one man stands out as a beacon of reliability and dedication. Meet Aaron James Cas, a Ka-panda since 2018 and a devoted father of five.
To support his children, as well as his wife’s education who is a 3rd-year education student, he is one of the many delivery freelancers these days who is rendering his service in multiple delivery app platforms. According to him, since their line of work does not require delivery partners to be exclusive with just one platform, this type of setup helps them earn more while working efficiently.
Aaron shares being active on other app platforms allows him to adjust his schedule with that of each app’s features. “Dahil hindi pwede mamili ng booking sa ibang platform, ‘yun ang ginagamit ko sa umaga para kahit bumiyahe ako sa malalayo, okay lang. Kapag sa gabi naman at medyo delikado na sa daan, pwede sa foodpanda dahil around the area lang ang pick up at drop off.”
When asked about his earnings, Aaron emphasizes the advantages as a delivery partner at foodpanda. "Maganda at maluwag ang oras sa pagiging delivery freelancer. ‘Di tulad kapag regular na empleyado na fixed ang sahod, dito pwede mo mahawakan agad ang kita mo lalo para sa akin na araw-araw nagbibigay ng baon sa anak at asawa ko.”
“At least, pwede ako magbyahe kahit ilang oras para mas mataas pa ang kitaan. Sipag at diskarte lang talaga ang puhunan para makuha mo yung desired income mo," he explains.
Above all, Aaron's motivation stems from his deep love for his children and his dream to secure a bright future for them. “Ginagawa ko ito para sa aking mga anak at asawa na nag-aaral pa. Para ito sa kinabukasan nila.”
Bearing a similar story, Nelson Padilla is a 47-year-old father of three from Bulacan. He works as a Ka-panda rider to support his family, particularly his child who has special needs.
Despite having been in the food service industry for 23 years, he found the flexibility of being a delivery rider to be more suitable for his family's needs.
Nelson also works as a part-time sales consultant for a product distribution and marketing company. To pursue his passion, he usually takes some time off from delivering to attend seminars or conferences to boost his skills as a Sales Marketing Agent. “Unlike sa 8-5 na trabaho, may schedule at responsibility ka. Dito, ikaw mamimili ng oras na papasukan na swak sa schedule mo. Kung may training ako o kailangan asikasuhin, di muna ako kukuha ng session.”
Despite this, he still appreciates the steady income he earns as a delivery partner, saying, "Dahil di stable ang income sa pagiging sales consultant, sa pagiging delivery partner ay sure na may kita araw-araw. Marunong lang dapat mag-adjust kaya may other options para kumita at masuportahan ko ang mga anak ko."
“Dahil di naman ako tapos ng pag-aaral, kahit papano sa pagiging delivery partner, may disenteng hanapbuhay at kita. Ang puhunan ko lang ay skill sa pag-drive ng motor at sarili ko pa ang boss ko.”
What do delivery partners love about being a Ka-panda?
foodpanda’s freelancer delivery fleet has also grown over the years, and now consists of riders, bikers, e-scooters, and walkers. When asked to rank the reasons why they chose to become delivery freelancers, majority of the Ka-panda respondents rated saving and earning more money as the top reason why they opt to work as delivery partners. Moreover, they also answered the flexibility of the work schedule as the second most important factor why they prefer being a foodpanda delivery partner. According to them, it allows them to manage their time and schedule efficiently.
Even though some are only part-time delivery freelancers, foodpanda still provides its delivery partners insurance coverage for their well-being and protection. The insurance package includes accident insurance, accidental dismemberment, medical reimbursement for essential health and wellness maintenance, hospital cash assistance and burial assistance.
“We salute our Ka-panDads, our modern-day Filipino workers who are working hard to provide for their families. The stories of Aaron James and Nelson, along with those of thousands of our delivery partners, continue to be an inspiration to many, and it is only fitting that we also recognize them during the celebration of Father’s Day,” says Snehasis Despande, Operations Director of foodpanda Philippines.
“They are real-life examples that being a delivery partner can be a simple and flexible option to earn a living,” he affirms. “With this, foodpanda is always here to extend a hand to any Filipino who would like to be part of our delivery partner fleet.”
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