How To Compute for Filipino VA Benefits

When you find that rockstar VA—the one who could smoothly take over your business if the need ever arises—you’ll naturally want to keep them around for as long as possible.

Fortunately, keeping Filipino workers happy and productive doesn’t require much effort. One of the simplest ways is to give them a raise or provide a monthly bonus for exceptional performance.

If you prefer not to hand out cash bonuses, there’s another effective method to show your appreciation for their contributions—benefits.

Benefits equal security. In fact, many Filipinos willingly choose positions that offer benefits over those that provide larger salaries or multiple clients.

Moreover, providing employee benefits to your Filipino VAs doesn’t have to be costly. Covering these benefits helps earn their trust and keeps them satisfied. It also lends your business an air of stability and respectability—qualities that experienced Filipino professionals highly value.

What Benefits Should I Pay For?

A typical office employee has four main benefits:

1. Social Security System (SSS)
2. PhilHealth (socialized medical insurance)
3. Pag-IBIG Fund (socialized housing loan)
4. 13th-month pay

Businesses registered in the Philippines are legally obligated to provide these benefits.

Since we’ve already discussed the 13th-month pay in detail, we’ll focus on the first three.

SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG Fund are all government-regulated programs.

The required contributions for these benefits are intentionally kept low, making them affordable for every Filipino. This is why covering these contributions for your VAs won’t significantly increase your costs.

How Can I Pay?

Under Philippine law, your VA is classified as an independent contractor. This means they’re responsible for directly making benefit payments to the respective government agencies.

To offer this benefit to your VA, you have two options:

• Ask your VAs to submit proof of their payments (such as a picture or screenshot), and then reimburse them accordingly, or
• Add the equivalent amount directly to your VAs’ salary, allowing them to manage the payments themselves.

How Much Is It?

Social Security System (SSS) contributions are set at 14% of your VA’s monthly salary, ranging from a minimum of ₱560 (around $10) to a maximum of ₱4,200 (around $76).

PhilHealth contributions equal 5% of their monthly salary, with a minimum monthly contribution of around ₱500 (around $9).

Pag-IBIG Fund contributions are typically 4% of their salary, with a minimum monthly contribution of ₱400 (around $7).

Additional Bonuses

If you’re feeling especially generous, you could also consider covering half of your VA’s internet or HMO expenses.

These perks are optional, but they’re increasingly common among BPO companies in the Philippines for practical reasons:

• PhilHealth primarily covers hospitalization expenses. For outpatient procedures and regular check-ups, an HMO significantly reduces out-of-pocket costs for your employees.
• Subsidizing home internet for remote employees is more cost-effective than expanding office spaces or investing in additional equipment.

Internet Providers in the Philippines

There are four major Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the Philippines:

PLDT is one of the oldest and most accessible ISPs in the Philippines. In fact, there’s a good chance (around 95%) your VA is already using PLDT.

Here are their available internet packages:

Globe offers competitive pricing with faster internet speeds available nationwide. Although not always advertised prominently, Globe also has packages offering speeds up to 1.5Gbps.

Converge ICT is a relatively new ISP known for affordability and unlimited data. They offer plans with speeds up to 1Gbps, and also have unique “Time of Day” packages. These include the “Day Plan,” offering faster daytime speeds, and the “Night Plan,” ideal for VAs working graveyard shifts.

SkyCable was originally a cable TV company. SkyCable initially gained attention for fast internet speeds. However, their current broadband offerings, often bundled with cable TV, generally fall short compared to competitors in terms of speed and reliability.

Health Insurance Options (HMO)

If you’re considering health benefits, there are several flexible options available. Maxicare, MediCard, and Intellicare—the largest private medical insurers in the Philippines—offer both prepaid health cards and annual health plans. Their packages typically vary depending on the number of enrolled employees, meaning the larger your team of Filipino VAs, the better value you’ll receive.

Conclusion

Filipinos are fiercely loyal and hardworking. Treat them well; they’ll do whatever they can to help your business grow and prosper.

Now that you’ve found the one, now that your business is growing and you’re making good money, isn’t it time to return the favor? Providing your VA with that small measure of security is an easy yet impactful way to reassure them that working for you is worth it.

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About Charlyne Lizette
Charlyne has been dipping her feet on online work since 2011 and has just recently dived in, leaving her full-time office job in the process.

A writer and an all-around VA. She has now found her home at OnlineJobs.ph.

Follow her on Instagram and Twitter.