In the absence of broad surveys among local creative freelancers and freelance writers, the Freelance Writers’ Guild of the Philippines (FWGP) has, over the years, conducted a few surveys to gather information that would help the organization create programs, and to gain data for the benefit of the freelancing community in general.

The first of these surveys was done shortly after the Guild was established in 2011. It was a small online survey conducted among the Facebook members of the FWGP group at the time when it was starting. Out of 240 members, the Guild received a 13% response among writers whose average years in professional practice was 8.7. The goal was to find out the minimum and maximum amounts being charged by writers for different types of jobs. This information was used to come up with a guideline for FWGP members and non-members in creating costings or quotations for clients.

In 2021, during the pandemic, a small survey was again initiated by FWGP to gather information needed to create a database of rates being paid by print and online publications. The Guild is currently growing this database, which is helpful for freelance writers wanting to avoid publications that pay fees that are lower than the going rates.

Finally, a freelance writer and current member applicant to FWGP, Melany Heger, conducted an informal qualitative study to find out the motivations of Filipino freelance writers. Her study was done with the approval of the FWGP Executive Committee in 2020.