Ira Dela Vega – IT Operations Specialist, Systems Developer, Technical Support

Hello! I am Ira Dela Vega, Ira for short. I pursued a degree in Computer Science at STI College and have been working in various technical fields since then. To begin with, I am a PWD, and my journey in customer service began in 2009 with a short stint as a Level 1 Technical Support at a well-known BPO company here in the Philippines. It was cut short due to my condition, which makes me unable to commute every day back and forth to the office in BGC. It was a big letdown for me, as I was in a hurry to get a stable job and be the breadwinner for our family.

After a few months of thinking about what I should do next aside from tutoring and fixing computers, I took the bold move of starting a business, something I knew I was very good at. I started an Internet cafe business, which, up until now, is still a big thing all across the world, especially here in Asia. With my passion for computers and gaming, I managed to solely maintain the business for a little over a decade. I can still remember playing Roblox with those kids during the day and some hardcore MOBA from night until dawn. And yes, my internet cafe was running its business hours 16–18 hours a day. I didn’t care how little sleep I got every day; I just wanted to entertain my regular customers back then. It is indeed true that sometimes you don’t feel tired doing things that you love and for me, it is being in front of a computer for long hours, and especially playing computer games.

During the last couple of years of my business, I was hired as a Systems Developer for an advertising company based in Greenhills, San Juan. This is when I began my journey working from home. Having a business and a work-from-home job, I remember telling myself back then, “This is it, this is what I want, this is my thing, this is how it is supposed to be” until the pandemic happened. Due to the nature of the project I was working on, where I connected several booths placed in different malls all across the country, the project was put to a stop before we reached the final phase. The project was put on indefinite pause, and I was forced to close my business when the series of lockdowns started.

Since I already had an idea that it was possible to work from home, I decided to go back to the customer service industry. With my background in technical support and systems development, I was eventually hired as a Level 2 Tech Support. This role allowed me to leverage my skills in troubleshooting and problem-solving, as well as providing excellent customer service. I quickly adapted to the remote work environment, which enabled me to connect with a diverse team of professionals and serve customers effectively from home. After 2 years of honing my skills and gaining valuable experience, I was able to transfer internally to IT Operations. This transition marked a significant milestone in my career, as it allowed me to further develop my technical expertise and take on new challenges in managing and optimizing IT systems.

Working from home has been a game-changer for me, providing the flexibility and accessibility I need to thrive in my career. It allows me to balance my professional and personal life more effectively, giving me the opportunity to pursue my passion for technology and continue to support my family. This setup has not only empowered me to overcome the challenges of commuting but also opened up new possibilities for growth and development in my field. Embracing remote work has truly been a positive and transformative experience.

For a copy of Ira’s resume please click here.