The students in the universities of Iloilo City has the option to co-working spaces as their go-to place to study and do their homework and projects. What attracted them are the features of clean and silent place, stable internet connection and up to late night operating hours.

In a report by Colliers International (2016), a property consultancy company, they have cited the development of co-working spaces that cater to students and start-up firms, such as Dojo 8 and Bonds, as the “emerging trend” in the capital of Iloilo City and province. The co-working spaces are strategically located along the city’s busiest streets and near the universities. What also benefits from these establishments and are their haven are the freelance workers in the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector.

In another news report (Lazo, 2017), Colliers International has projected 10-percent growth in the supply of co-working office spaces in the Philippines in the next three years on the back of the expanding freelance millennial workforce. As mentioned in their report, “Mining Millennials: Finding Gold in Co-working Spaces”, the rapid growth in recent years was mainly due to the emergence of freelancers and online professionals.

Aside from being considered as flexible office types, these co-working spaces are more open, intended for sharing and also reflecting the comforts of home. This type of office space enables tenants — mostly freelancers and start-ups — to collaborate and connect in a shared working environment. These shared offices only charge an average of P500 per person a day.

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