Why do many competent Filipinos—smart, talented, and highly skilled still end up working in international customer service?

I’ve noticed this trend among my college classmates. These aren’t just average students, they’re people with straight 1s, cum laude achievers, and individuals I can personally vouch for as determined and hardworking.

Yet, looking back, many of them ended up in call centers instead of pursuing careers aligned with their fields of study. There’s nothing wrong with working in a call center, but it’s striking how most of them gravitate toward the same industry. This pattern makes me wonder why. It feels like all those years of hardship and sacrifice are wasted when they don’t seem to enjoy the fruits of their labor.