Upon learning that a lot of Pinoy freelancers have tried and tested Odesk's Local Fund Transfer, I decided to try it. I withdrew my Odesk earnings a minute ago. We'll see how it goes!

Getting a credit is usually the dilemma of freelancers in the Philippines. Credit card companies do not honor freelance jobs as stable source of income which is one if not the most important prerequisite when applying for a credit card. Banks will not give a damn whether you earn dollar rate. All that matters is that you must be employed by a legitimate employer from the Philippines.

I once had this problem. I don't know how to get a credit card. It's not because I wanted to splurge on online shopping but because I wanted to have a convenient means of booking flights, online subscriptions and things like that.

Upon looking for an answer, I saw that the major banks in the Philippines offer what they called secured credit cards. This are credit cards given to students, freelancers, basically those who cannot accomplish the document requirements such as Income Tax Return and Certificate of Employment. Yes, there's a way one can get a credit card without such requirements. But here's the catch: you need to deposit a certain amount. And here's more. You cannot withdraw the money during the duration that you're using the credit card. So you can only get it once you close your credit card account.

Here's the summary of what Philippine banks require in order for you to get a secured credit card:

Issuer	Unionbank	Metrobank	BPI
Card Type	Visa Classic	Value Mastercard	Any
Minimum Deposit	P12,000	P15,000	P10,000
Credit Limit (% of deposit)	90%	90%	50-80%
Credit Limit (% of deposit)	90%	90%	50-80%

I was able to get Metrobank's secured credit card. As a matter of fact, as I see it, they really encourage this type of credit card application. It seems that the bank employees get a commission for every credit card approved using this type of application. According to the teller who processed my application, this is the fastest, sure-ball way of getting a credit card. He also told us that after a year or so of using this credit card (actually even 6 months), once our credit rating is already established, he can endorse us to the unsecured credit card or even the M Card which does not require annual fees. We'll see.

I haven't experienced the other. But I had an experience with HSBC. That time, I am still not aware of the secured credit cards. I asked a bank officer how to apply for a credit card. Since that time, I was a government employee, I am not eligible to apply (although this is quite unfair). She told me that I can get a credit card if I deposit a minimum of P100,000. They're going to give me a pre-approved credit card.

That's all for now. I'm gonna give everyone an update once I get an unsecured credit card. :)

Getting a full-time job from Odesk is one of the great things I never expected to get when I was still a freelancing newbie. All I think of during that time is to do my best in order to earn myself a living. I never really expected that freelancing will be my career.

I started freelancing when I was still a graduating student from U.P. With the desire to help my family, I always do my best to deliver results way beyond my employer's expectations. I don't want to disappoint them and I don't want to lose a job due to incompetence. I took care of my feedbacks and gained the trust of employers. I started with a low rate - $0.99 as I can remember. I very well understand during that time that I won't be able to earn the trust of employers if I started really high. I want to create a nice profile, start low and climb the Odesk career/pay ladder.

It's been 2 years and still, I can't believe that I'm still here. From the $0.99 rate from a Japanese employer, I am now getting rates as high as $9. In the Philippines, the value of that rate is high enough to send my siblings to college and buy not just my needs but also my wants.

A year ago, one of my Odesk employers offered me a regular paying full-time job. I was so happy with the job that I chose this over a local job. I get to have Christmas bonus and a paid holiday leave. My employer is so understanding and cool.

I do not intend to brag about my accomplishments as a freelancer. I just want to serve as an inspiration for others. Climbing up the career ladder is never easy and it applies to freelancers as well. You have to start low in order to appreciate where you are now.

After 2 years of great bank transactions with Metrobank, I decided to try withdrawing Paypal funds to Unionbank Eon Debit card. I had no problems with Metrobank and I never intended to switch to Unionbank. I actually opened Unionbank Eon account to verify my Paypal account since my credit card is already expired. But since I heard a lot of great reviews about the ease of withdrawing Paypal funds to Unionbank Eon debit card, I decided to give it a try.

I was surprised that Paypal-Unionbank Eon debit card only takes 2 days. So if I withdraw my Odesk earnings on a Wednesday, I will be able to receive my money on Friday. Aside from that, Unionbank does not charge even a single peso for withdrawals. That's really great! However, since the nearest Unionbank branch in our area is 2 towns away, I usually withdraw my money using other ATMs where I was charged a corresponding bank charge. But that's small compared to what I get to save when withdrawing to Unionbank. Now, I usually withdraw Paypal funds to Unionbank Eon debit card. As of writing, I have not experienced any problem getting my earnings. :)

Withdrawing Paypal funds to Metrobank Savings Account is very convenient. I actually sticked to this withdrawal option for 2 years since I started accepting freelance jobs via Odesk. Once you added your Metrobank savings account to Paypal, you can now transfer your Paypal funds. Be sure to enter correct account details as Paypal charges P250 bounce fee.

Waiting time and bank charges are typically what freelancers consider when choosing a bank to link to their Paypal accounts. Even I considered this. However, I wasn't able to find Paypal-to-Metrobank withdrawal reviews back in 2009. I don't want to try BPI and BDO accounts since I learned that they charge around P150-P200 if I am not mistaken. I also heard of Unionbank Eon Card however, there's no nearby Unionbank branch in our area.

I opened a Metrobank ATM savings account which requires P2000 maintaining balance. Withdrawal of Paypal funds to Metrobank only took 3 days. So when I withdraw my Odesk earnings on a Wednesday, I'm sure to have it on a Saturday. This is the usual scenario. There even came a time when I receive my earnings on a Friday morning. Delays also happen especially when there's a holiday between Wednesday and Friday. In such case, I often receive my earnings Tuesday or Wednesday next week.

Withdrawing Paypal funds to Metrobank Savings account also has corresponding bank charges. Metrobank charges P76.70 for that, smaller than BPI and BDO's charge.

Since Paypal's partnership with Unionbank began, a lot of freelancers have found great advantage in using Unionbank's Eon Debit Card. Unionbank Eon debit card is the number 1 highly recommended all-in-one card for Pinoy freelancers. Why? Because with this card, you can verify your Paypal account as well as withdraw your earnings. But how does one apply for a Unionbank Eon debit card?

Here are the steps:

1. Secure 2 valid IDs with photocopies. Here's a list of valid IDs accepted by Unionbank (credits to source):

• Passport
• Current Driver's License
• Permit to Carry Firearms
• New Social Security System (SSS) card
• Government Services Insurance System (GSIS) eCard
• Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) ID
• New Tax Identification Number (TIN) Card
• Postal ID
• National Statistics Office (NSO) authenticated Birth Certificate
• NSO authenticated Marriage Certificate
• Original & unexpired National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Clearance
• Police Clearance
• Digitized Voter’s ID
• Philhealth card
• Office of Senior Citizen Affairs (OSCA) / Senior Citizen card
• ACR Identity Card (I-Card)
• Consular ID
• Barangay certification
• Philippine Overseas Employment Association (POEA) / Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Card
• OFW ID
• Seaman’s Book
• Government office ID (e.g., Armed Forces of the Philippines, Home Development Mutual Fund [HDMF] IDs)
• Certification from the National Council for the Welfare of Disabled Persons (NCWDP)
• Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Certification
• PRA Special Resident Retiree Visa (SRRV) ID
• Other valid IDs issued by the Government and its instrumentalities

2. Visit the nearest Unionbank branch.

3. Fill up the EON Visa Debit Card Application form.

4. Submit the photocopy of your 2 valid IDs. Note: The branch may require other documents and information such as your Tax Identification Number (TIN) and SSS Number so you have to bring this also.

5. Pay P350 which is your first year annual fee.

6. The bank personnel will ask you to come back after about 5-7 banking days (varies) to get your Eon card. But don't go there right away. I would advise you to call the bank first so you'll be sure the card's available already when you come. Also, don't forget to bring your initial deposit amounting to the peso equivalent of $1.95. This is required when you're using the debit card to verify your Paypal account.

Sure, verifying your Paypal account can be easy. However, not all freelancers and freelancers-to-be own a credit card. In that case, there's another convenient option which you can do to verify your Paypal account. This is by using Unionbank Eon Debit Card. Unionbank is a Philippine bank that holds a tie-up with Paypal. Using this card, you can not only verify your account, you can also withdraw your earnings using this debit card.

If you still don't have a Unionbank Eon Debit Card, you may need to go to your nearest Unionbank branch to open an account. In my case, I just applied for a Unionbank debit card when the credit card attached to my Paypal account expired. And since I no longer use that credit card, I need to attach a new credit card or Unionbank debit card. Since I don't have a credit card that time, I decided to apply for a Unionbank Eon debit card. Aside from that, I want to try withdrawing my earnings using the debit card and see whether transaction is faster here than my Metrobank ATM card.

For those who already have a debit card, verifying is just a few steps away. Since the debit card is Visa, it works like a credit card when you use it to verify your Paypal account. Here are the steps in verifying your Paypal account using Unionbank Eon Debit Card:

1. Log-on to your Paypal account. For Odesk users, you need to link your Odesk account to your Paypal account.

2. After logging in, you'll be able to see your Account Overview. You will see a link that says Verify your account. Click it.

3. You will have to enter your Debit card details on the form provided. Make sure you enter the accurate information.

4. After you enter your debit card details, Paypal will ask for the 4-digit code. At this point, you don't need to wait for a statement or bill in order to get the code because nothing's coming and you don't have to do that. Paypal will charge $1.95 to your debit card which has to be initially loaded. Again, don't worry because it will be credited back to your Paypal account once the verification is complete.

So how do you get the code?

5. You will have to access your Unionbank Eon account online in order to get the code. Log-in to your Unionbank Eon account.

6. Click Accounts.

7. On the transaction history, you will find the Visa EXPUSE (Expanded Use) charge. There you will see the 4-digit code you need to verify your account.