Why I Prefer Hiring Filipino Workers From The Provinces

Manila may be the business capital of the Philippines but it's not really my cup of tea. My experience with outsourcing to the Philippines have shown me that hiring Filipino workers from Manila doesn't always make the best business sense. I have nothing against people from Manila but hiring Filipino virtual assistants from the provinces have certain business advantages:

1. Employees in the provinces are cheaper than their Manila counterparts. Before you guys cry out that I'm exploiting Filipinos, let me explain something first. Different places in the Philippines have different standards of living and salary requirements. The $300 I pay for a full-time virtual assistant in Bohol is going to go a lot further than the $300 I pay for the same virtual assistant in Manila. I can find a more experienced VA in Bohol for $300 compared to Manila. By hiring in the provinces, my employees enjoy a comfortable lifestyle without me having to shell out a lot more.

2. The provinces have fewer disasters. Every time a disaster happens, my outsourced employees electricity or internet connection become problematic. The cities outside of Manila encounter fewer natural disaster. They still have typhoons but they have less flooding. I think it's because those places are not as congested as Manila.

3. Workers in the provinces are more likely to work exclusively for me. The lower cost of living in the provinces means they're more comfortable with the salary that they get from me. And when they're comfortable, they're not as tempted to get a second job to earn more. It's really expensive to live in Manila and I know a lot of people there holding 2 jobs despite earning $500 a month.

4. They are just as good, sometimes better, than their Manila counterparts. The best schools in the Philippines may be in Manila but not all the best schools are there. And the employees in Manila are not necessarily smarter either. I found great writers who writes English like an American in Cebu. I've found talented programmers in Cagayan. It's not school that makes great employees. A Filipino becomes a great outsourced employee because he has the skills, talent, and willingness to learn more and work hard.

What do you think? Am I right or maybe I just haven't found great Filipino employees in Manila?