Entitled or empowered?: Netizens weigh in on P37k starting salary declined by Ateneo graduate

MANILA, Philippines – Netizens are left divided over a Twitter post about an Ateneo de Manila University graduate who declined a starting salary of P37,000. The controversial topic quickly became viral and even became a subject of debate among netizens on various social media platforms.

While many netizens claim that the fresh graduate was too entitled to reject a salary that many employees could only dream of, several others defended the job applicant saying that she only made an empowered decision.

In his viral tweet, Twitter user @DearKume narrated how a mint graduate of the prestigious university refused a job offer for entry level Marketing Associate with P37,000 starting salary. The Twitter user was shocked to know that the job applicant was expecting P60,000 starting salary because of her educational background.

“I just made a job offer to an Ateneo fresh grad, and I was shocked that she declined a 37k starting salary. The role is for an entry level Marketing Associate. I asked for her reason and she said that she expects at least 60k because of her educational background. I’M SPEECHLESS,” he wrote.

I just made a job offer to an Ateneo fresh grad, and I was shocked that she declined a 37k starting salary. The role is for an entry level Marketing Associate. I asked for her reason and she said that she expects at least 60k because of her educational background. I’M SPEECHLESS.

— Kume (@DearKume) April 29, 2021

Many netizens who slammed the job applicant’s decision claimed that they started out with a much lower salary even with a PRC license. An Ateneo alumnus even pointed out that the job applicant’s education in Ateneo de Manila University, which is known to have one of the highest tuition fees in the country, is not enough reason for her salary demand. Most of them believe that the job applicant needs to prove herself first before demanding a higher salary.

Wow entitled. Anlake na nga nyan kumpara sa mga entry level para sa mga PRC License holder. Starting ng mga professionals malakas na ang 20k without experience tapos sya dahil lang sa school. Give it to other SCU graduates, they'll be happy and will perform better, for sure.😁

— ᜋᜍ᜔ᜃ᜔o ᜀᜈ᜔ᜆ᜔oᜈᜒ (@engr_sam07) April 29, 2021

Kagigil nga si fresh grad. 37k for a fresh grad is really good. Starting palang naman yan and if ur good talaga eventually mabilis lang yan tumaas. Entitled masyado!!

Ako nga 20k starting oks na eh. Btw arneyow grad din ako hindi nga lng sa katipunan. 💪🏿

— paykikoy (@paykikoy) April 30, 2021

Nursing job left the room. Ang laki na kaya ng P37k ☹️. Dati masaya na ko sa P5k-6k kada kinsenas 😑. Kakahiya nman dyan 😑

— デスメイジ 👨‍⚕ (@ShameOnYouPpl) April 29, 2021

I’m an Ateneo grad (pero given, 20+ years ago), but TBH, I’m shocked. Even with her educ background, at kahit may pedigree pa ‘yan, she needs to earn her stripes first. As someone who now hires people I’d say educational background counts for just 30% of what I look at

— Niña Terol (@ninaterol) April 29, 2021

Meanwhile, many netizens believe that the job applicant simply made an empowered decision when she turned down the job offer. For them, the debate only revealed that there are many underpaid professionals in the country and accepting a low salary despite educational background and credentials actually hinder Filipino employees from getting better pay.

Baka naman hindi po siya entitled, but more on underpaid and PRC License holders in the Philippines. Yan po yun tunay na problema, underpaid professionals hindi po yun entitled freshgrads.

— Xenon Su (@AtomicNumber54) April 29, 2021

Ano po ba ang issue kung ganun 'yung expectations niya? Kaya nga job offer, applicants are allowed to decline.

'Yung mga nagsasabi na kesyo "ako nga nung nag-start ako, ganito ganyan lang sahod ko" are plain insensitive. Stop making it about you. Lakas niyo mang-invalidate. 😑😑

— ECQ N ME N OLOPDAPIPOL (@robismore) April 29, 2021

For those who are invalidating the Atenean's standpoint just because you started with a lower salary "back then," this mentality is what hinders Filipino workers from getting better pay. Don't employees at least deserve compensation that can sustain 50k+/mo Manila cost of living?

— Rose Wang (@thefancy29) April 29, 2021

37k is undeniably high for a fresh grad. I agree some Ateneans are entitled but this goes beyond that argument. Shouldn’t the argument be to increase the wages of the people who are paid incredibly low instead of saying, “ako nga 15k starting. Sobrang entitled nito.”

— Ivannah Uy (@IVAkaNNAH) April 29, 2021

In his series of tweets, Twitter user @DearKume eventually revealed that a Marketing Management graduate of the University of Santo Tomas happily accepted the position. This time, the salary budget for the position is P484,000 per year.

— Mini, The Summit Express