In the Philippines, digital nomads flee coronavirus-hit Manila for deserted tourist towns
- A ban on foreign holidaymakers entering the Philippines has forced many tourism operators to close and wiped out millions of jobs
- Digital nomads have become a ‘target market’ for the government, which encourages resorts and hotels to offer fast internet and wellness activities
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Hungry Filipinos in lockdown share food as nation’s Covid-19 caseload surpasses 1 million
A ban on foreign holidaymakers entering the archipelago nation and domestic travel curbs since the pandemic began last year have forced many operators to close and wiped out millions of jobs.
Many digital workers in congested Manila, fearing Covid-19 and fed up with lockdowns and restrictions, are escaping to largely deserted nature hotspots to do their jobs – injecting much-needed money into communities dependent on outside visitors.
Sitting with her laptop on the balcony of the ocean-view apartment she rents with her boyfriend in San Juan, a surf town several hours north of her home, Mariano says the move has been a “big quality of life improvement”.
“Being close to the ocean, being close to nature is very calming,” said Mariano, 37, a freelance writer and communications specialist.
“When I’m in a meeting, usually Zoom or Google Meet, I try not to use the beach as my background – I just show people the wall so they don’t hate me.”