Is PHP still a bad choice for web development and freelancing?

It depends a lot on what type of website you are developing and what functionality it has. Some programming languages are good for certain tasks and meanwhile, they are bad for others. Here are the programming languages and tasks they are good at:

Python: Data analysis, Machine Learning, Web Development, Automation, Educational Projects

JavaScript: Web Development (Frontend and Backend), Mobile Apps, Game Development

Java: Enterprise Applications, Android Development, Web Applications

C#: Windows Applications, Game Development (using Unity), Enterprise Applications

C++: System/Software Development, Game Development, Real-time Simulation

Ruby: Web Applications, Prototyping, E-commerce Sites

PHP: Web Development, Server-Side Scripting, Content Management Systems

Swift: iOS and macOS Applications, Mobile Gaming, System Programming

Go: Distributed Systems, Cloud Services, Server-Side Programming

Kotlin: Android Development, Web Development, Desktop Applications

R: Statistical Computing, Data Analysis, Visualization

Rust: Systems Programming, Embedded Devices, Web Assembly

So, depending on your goals you should choose the proper programming language.