When the System Fails Us

JP de la Rama
May 5
3 min read

Finding Creative Survival in an Unfair Economy

“When survival becomes a creative act, every stroke of your pen becomes resistance—and every story you tell becomes a blueprint for a better future.”

Setting the Stage

I didn’t know where to begin.

This past week has been heavy. As we approach the upcoming political elections here in the Philippines, a new wave of anxiety emerges—not from the usual campaign noise, but from a law that quietly threatens the livelihood of freelancers like myself.

We are now expected to pay Value Added Tax (VAT) on every sale we make as online workers. Every. Single. One.

I’m not against taxes. But when you're a creative living in a third-world country where wages are barely enough to survive, this feels less like civic duty and more like punishment.

When Survival Feels Like a Crime

Let’s be honest: Filipino freelancers are already being hired internationally for one reason—cheap labor.

We’re known for doing high-quality work for far less than our Western counterparts. It’s no secret. It’s the economic reality we were born into.

But just when we start to build momentum—learning how to market ourselves, create stable income streams, and support our families—we’re hit with another hurdle.

A law designed without the context of our lived experience, our economic struggles, or the already immense gap between effort and reward.

To make matters worse, the market is already saturated. AI-generated content is everywhere. Creative jobs are devalued.

And now, the government wants a bigger slice of the pie—when there was barely a slice to begin with.

This is how systems crush not only livelihoods—but dreams.

THE SOLUTION – What We Can Do, Together

I refuse to sit still and accept this as my fate. If you’re like me—an artist, a freelancer, a creative—trying to survive in this AI-saturated, tax-heavy, unstable world, I want to share what’s been helping me:

Diversify your income. Don’t rely on a single source. I'm building a startup, selling assets, and exploring new revenue streams—anything to stay afloat.
Build a creative legacy. Your skills, stories, and human experiences have value that AI can never replicate. Invest in long-term projects that reflect your identity.
Educate yourself. Understanding how taxes work, how you can navigate or minimize legal obligations, and how other creatives are surviving can give you an edge.
Create with intention. Every piece of art I make now has more weight and more clarity. I’m not creating for trends—I’m creating because my future depends on it.