My 15-Year Salary Journey: From ₱14k to ₱825k (PHP per month) — Lessons Learned lol
Clarificatory Edits sa baba, lalo na how I jumped from 80k to 165k...
I (M,37) would like to share this "salary journey" story to those who would bother to read. Haha. All figures are in PHP per month unless otherwise stated (kasi naging USD din ako eventually).
2009: Graduated from a Big 4 university, started as a communications staff for a non-profit specializing in energy issues. Salary: 14k (LOL! after all the tuition fees my parents had to pay.) Had to juggle side gigs (consulting and writing) to make ends meet. Nakitira with 4 other friends sa isang bahay malapit sa Shopwise Pasong Tamo lol.
2011: Landed a BizDev manager role at an international firm. Salary: 40k.
2011-2013: Moved to a big family business with 1000s of employees as BizDev manager. Started with 60k, which increased to 80k within 6 months. Enjoyed a 14-month pay structure and worked in a glamorous environment since the family was well-connected.
2014: My big break — became Country Rep for a California energy company developing hydropower plants. Salary: 165k.
Awit tho kasi ZERO salary increase for 6 loooong years, mainly because we never built a single power plant (permits still give me PTSD lol).
2019: Applied for and got accepted into an MBA program in Berlin. Split tuition 50-50 between parents and me kasi super gastos ko kasi super ako matravel at maparty. Feeling tambayer in Valkyrie and Palace ako at this time lol. But I did study in person for a semester sa Berlin before COVID-19 shifted everything online.
2020: Got hired by a major US consulting firm (thanks to German MBA credits + work experience). Starting salary: 273k, fully WFH. Masaya buhay during pandemic kasi I got to be paid while sa bahay lang.
2022: Completed MBA and joined a consulting firm on the US East Coast. Iba kapangyarihan ng MBA sa consulting world. Salary bumped to 330k.
2023: Transitioned to being a senior sa company. Rate increased to USD 720/day, which is equivalent to ~825k/month or 180k USD/year (depends on forex).
2024: Same salary pa din na 825k pesos a month,but negotiating for USD 864/day in 2025, or 20% increase. Kasi malalaki na accounts ko and I handle super big clients. That will bring me to Php 1.1 million per month based on these days' Forex.
3 Sobering and Humble Insights dito:
Life is unpredictable, and 50% of everything is luck talaga.
My career took unexpected turns — from writing side gigs just to survive to negotiating six-figure contracts in USD. Each step felt like a mix of preparation, persistence, and sheer timing. Hindi pure skills and talents lang. Timing and chance din.Your first job doesn’t define you. I started with a 14k and felt like I'd never make it. But each experience (even the unpaid overtime and endless struggles) added value naman and opened doors later in life. Success doesn't happen overnight, pero salamat din I have parents who helped pay for my MBA.
It's not what you make, but what you keep pa rin LOL. Many factors in life are beyond our control, so I remind myself daily to stay humble and save save save a lot. Ironic na kung kelan pa ako tumaas ang sweldo dun pa ako naging mas masinop.
To anyone reading this: keep going. Your journey is yours alone, and it’s never too late to pivot or dream bigger. If you want any (hopefully helpful) tips about careers or breaking into consulting, feel free to ask. Good luck, everyone!
1) How did I get from 80k to 165k, ano kwento?
Ahhh ang mahiwagang tanong talaga --- how did I jump from 80k to 165k within 2 years? I got scooped by a California company to be their "Country Rep".
This was in 2014. Kasagsagan ng Republic, Opus, and Pool Club lol. Time ni Avicii and Zedd lol. [If you know these names matanda na tayo!! And in denial na malapit na tayo sa 40 LOL]
I met the California guys through my old work (the glamorous work for a big family conglomerate) and I brought them to BGC to dine and party. They liked me enough to ask if I was interested to join them.
TIMING IS EVERYTHING. And good governance sa government is everything din.
2014 was when Renewable Energy and yung hydropower became a buzz word... kasi parang 3-5 years old na ang Renewable Energy law mg Pilipinas at naging hot sa global investors at this time ang bansa due to magandang reputation ng PNoy admin. Kaya naengganyo yung California company to come to Pinas to invest --- scope out things etc at ako kinuha!
Yun yung big break ko. Ang daming factors, pero salamat din talaga PNoy sa "Investment Grade" status ng Pilipinas at that time. I remember ang daming investors pumunta dito for solar, wind electric vehicles etc. due to that law.
Nawala din lahat nung 2020 kasi hindi nasustain ang industry and a few oligarchs like yung anak ni Loren Legarda lang kumita ng pera etc.
2) 37 ka ba or 38 --- turned 38 actually pero I stopped counting na after 37 lol
3) Magkano tax --- may ways para final tax ko is 10%
4) Saan ka based --- I'm based in Manila, although I was invited to transfer to East Coast. Eh super mediocre ng sahod ko if I factor in East Coast COL. Dito na ako. I can save as much as 80% of my post tax income.