Collabera – CWT – Philippines

The below are my personal views, any of the comments below should not be taken as general.

Different people will have different experiences. These are my personal experiences:

About CWT:

1.      Good Client.
2.      Good work –Majorly Java backend using Boot and front end using React.
3.      Nice work environment ( I like bit of pressure @ work ).
4.      2 weeks sprint and they follow agile process very very seriously.
5.      Have to logically and reasonably explain the carry overs if any.
6.      Keep tab of my each and every activity in terms of what & How I code? What, How, When & Why I commit ? What & Why I mailed ? What & Why I told anything specific ?
7.      Some times over reactive but appreciative as well.
8.      No work from home.
9.      Some teams are very helpful, some are very little. (again personal experience)
10. Around 14-16 Indians services are terminated for performance reasons, as par my knowledge, all are flown back to India as no other opportunities available. I am not in touch of any so don't know what are they doing? till now did they get the job or not, I am not sure...

About Collabera:

1.      Pay on time.

2.      Give answer to each and every query, but takes time to answer.

3.      HR and management are too slow.

4.      Took 1 month to open bank account.

5.      Still waiting for 9G (multi entry visa) after 5 months of coming. Even in case of emergency I have to ask atleast 3-5 people as by myself I cannot visit India, Collabera is having my passport for immigration purposes :( . even if I got my passport with 9G, client has to agree to give me leaves (which are unpaid) and I am agreeing to pay for arranging Business visa again (definitely Collabera is ensuring they will help, no one has tested them yet).
6. Management is responsive but pace of things is slow and most of the time I have to push to get answers and get things done.
7. Sometimes I feel delays are deliberate.

About Philippines:

1.      Scenic country.

2.      Whole country is like Goa of India. ( yes Daru is cheap )

3.      Gorgeous girls.

4.      Very friendly and respecting people.

5.      Many Indians, so will see Indians whichever part of country you go (I tried tourist destinations).

6.      Many Indian Tiffin centres, who will deliver at your work and home place like

       1.  Tajindar foods ( North Indian) :  100 piso par meal including delivery

       2.  Legend foods ( North ) : 150-170 piso par meal including delivery

       3.  Annapurna ( South Indian ) : 200 -250 piso par meal including delivery

       4.  RICH ( South Indian ) : not sure of price, but best I have heard ( never tried )

7.      I stay near WalterMart Makati, it has an Indo Pak restaurant @ 500m, which serves kind of unlimited Indian food @ 130-170 piso, which tastes average.

8.      Many other good Indian restaurants like Bombay house, Queens of Bollywood, Mantra etc.

9.      Many places to get Indian groceries (but @ double price).

10.   Major transportation are AC buses, which are comparatively cheaper.

11.   Very poor country, poverty rate is very high.

12.   Too much pollution and dirtiness, but little better in Makati.

13.   Internet is very costly - upload speed is too - too slow.

Tech Community:

1.      People @ CWT are knowledgeable.

2.      Compare to India, very few good tech companies.

3.      Pay in other companies is not that good, I heard for 8-10 years java experience they pay 40-80K/month. 

4.      CWT is highest paying company, what I have heard in Philippines tech java world (again what I have heard).

5.      I even can’t think to change company as they are paying highest (again it is relative), however pay and opportunities in India are far better than Philippines.

6.      Sometime feel outcast, but it would be same in all countries.