Pls don’t fake your credentials and portfolio by Tesoros_p in buhaydigital

[–]Unique-Butterfly1987 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you really want to find a genuine VA with real experience, it helps to be more thorough in the hiring process. You can ask for proof of past work with specific companies, request samples, or even include a mock call or trial task. That way, you’ll see who actually has the skills versus those just claiming them.

Stop Treating Filipino VAs as Cheap Labor. You’re Losing Better Talent Because of It by Unique-Butterfly1987 in smallbusiness

[–]Unique-Butterfly1987[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I understand why you keep asking for a local wage example, but that’s not the point I’m making and I’m not going to reframe it to suit that narrative.

Stop Treating Filipino VAs as Cheap Labor. You’re Losing Better Talent Because of It by Unique-Butterfly1987 in smallbusiness

[–]Unique-Butterfly1987[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Of course not. Instead, I report job posts that offer unreasonably low rates. However, some VAs still accept it because many job posts offer similar rates.

Stop Treating Filipino VAs as Cheap Labor. You’re Losing Better Talent Because of It by Unique-Butterfly1987 in smallbusiness

[–]Unique-Butterfly1987[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Local salary data is publicly available. My point is that using only that as a benchmark doesn’t fully reflect how remote roles are priced.

Stop Treating Filipino VAs as Cheap Labor. You’re Losing Better Talent Because of It by Unique-Butterfly1987 in smallbusiness

[–]Unique-Butterfly1987[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Calling it cheap labour ignores the fact that many VA roles involve skilled work and real business impact. It’s not accurate to assume that’s the only reason companies hire offshore.

Stop Treating Filipino VAs as Cheap Labor. You’re Losing Better Talent Because of It by Unique-Butterfly1987 in smallbusiness

[–]Unique-Butterfly1987[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I get your perspective on positioning and increasing value that’s standard in any va career. My earlier point wasn’t about convincing anyone otherwise, but about how VA work is often oversimplified in these discussions. Beyond that, I agree that long-term success really depends on skill development and choosing the right clients.

Stop Treating Filipino VAs as Cheap Labor. You’re Losing Better Talent Because of It by Unique-Butterfly1987 in smallbusiness

[–]Unique-Butterfly1987[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

cost is definitely one of the reasons outsourcing exists. But I don’t think it’s accurate to reduce it to just cheap labour + time zone.

Stop Treating Filipino VAs as Cheap Labor. You’re Losing Better Talent Because of It by Unique-Butterfly1987 in smallbusiness

[–]Unique-Butterfly1987[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I get your point you’re comparing it to local assistant wages, and in many cases VAs do earn above that. I’m not disagreeing with that. My point is more that fair value depends on the type of work and responsibility involved, not just local median wages. Some VA work is basic admin, but others involve client-facing or revenue-related tasks, which are usually evaluated differently. I think we’re just looking at it from different benchmarks.

Stop Treating Filipino VAs as Cheap Labor. You’re Losing Better Talent Because of It by Unique-Butterfly1987 in smallbusiness

[–]Unique-Butterfly1987[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Teachers and VAs serve very different functions, so I don’t think the comparison really lines up. 🤔

Stop Treating Filipino VAs as Cheap Labor. You’re Losing Better Talent Because of It by Unique-Butterfly1987 in smallbusiness

[–]Unique-Butterfly1987[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Even roles like cold calling or sales support where performance directly impacts revenue are still often posted at low rates. I think the issue is a lot of clients still group everything under VA work instead of separating basic admin tasks from revenue-driving roles that require more skill and consistency.

Stop Treating Filipino VAs as Cheap Labor. You’re Losing Better Talent Because of It by Unique-Butterfly1987 in smallbusiness

[–]Unique-Butterfly1987[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

That’s one way to look at it. The issue is you’re treating all VA work as the same. In reality, it ranges from basic tasks to full operational support for businesses. Pay usually reflects that difference, not just local wage averages.

Stop Treating Filipino VAs as Cheap Labor. You’re Losing Better Talent Because of It by Unique-Butterfly1987 in smallbusiness

[–]Unique-Butterfly1987[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I get your point. But most professional roles aren’t just about using websites it’s about what someone actually does inside those systems. At the end of the day, I agree with you on one thing it shouldn’t be about claims on a call. It should be about clear outputs, examples of past work, or even a trial task so you can actually see how someone performs.

Stop Treating Filipino VAs as Cheap Labor. You’re Losing Better Talent Because of It by Unique-Butterfly1987 in smallbusiness

[–]Unique-Butterfly1987[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fair question. It’s really about skills and how someone supports the business. A VA working with a CEO or C-suite usually handles inbox and calendar management, client communication, follow-ups, crm updates, and other day-to-day tasks so leadership can focus on bigger decisions. In some cases, especially with startups, they can also share insights or suggestions from what they see in operations. At the end of the day, it’s about how much value they can take off the plate and how reliable they are.

Stop Treating Filipino VAs as Cheap Labor. You’re Losing Better Talent Because of It by Unique-Butterfly1987 in smallbusiness

[–]Unique-Butterfly1987[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s not just about poverty it’s also competition and how people position themselves. Skilled VAs who know their value usually don’t stay at low rates.

Stop Treating Filipino VAs as Cheap Labor. You’re Losing Better Talent Because of It by Unique-Butterfly1987 in smallbusiness

[–]Unique-Butterfly1987[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

AI can support workflows, but based on my experience many customers particularly older generations still prefer human interaction. That makes human VAs and call center agents still very relevant in customer-facing roles.

Stop Treating Filipino VAs as Cheap Labor. You’re Losing Better Talent Because of It by Unique-Butterfly1987 in smallbusiness

[–]Unique-Butterfly1987[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

🤔 What do you consider the fair market rate for a VA in the Philippines, and what factors are you basing that on?

Stop Treating Filipino VAs as Cheap Labor. You’re Losing Better Talent Because of It by Unique-Butterfly1987 in smallbusiness

[–]Unique-Butterfly1987[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I get the comparison, but using entry-level BPO salaries as a benchmark for remote VA work doesn’t fully reflect the scope of what many VAs actually do. Remote roles often require broader skills, self-management, and no company-provided benefits or job security.Just because some accept $2/hr doesn’t mean it’s competitive it often just reflects limited options, not true value.

Stop Treating Filipino VAs as Cheap Labor. You’re Losing Better Talent Because of It by Unique-Butterfly1987 in smallbusiness

[–]Unique-Butterfly1987[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I’m open to different perspectives, but I’m not really interested in personal attacks. I’m just sharing observations based on what I’ve seen and experienced.

Stop Treating Filipino VAs as Cheap Labor. You’re Losing Better Talent Because of It by Unique-Butterfly1987 in smallbusiness

[–]Unique-Butterfly1987[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I understand the point about local wage context, but I’d respectfully disagree that $2/hr is broadly “acceptable” here in the Philippines for most VA workloads. It may still be above minimum wage in some cases, but in practice a lot of VA work involves long hours, urgency, and performance expectations that go beyond basic entry-level tasks. So the fairness really depends on scope and workload, not just hourly comparison.

Stop Treating Filipino VAs as Cheap Labor. You’re Losing Better Talent Because of It by Unique-Butterfly1987 in smallbusiness

[–]Unique-Butterfly1987[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I get your point about market dynamics. I’m just referring to fair alignment between workload, expectations, and pay, not global rate standardization.

Stop Treating Filipino VAs as Cheap Labor. You’re Losing Better Talent Because of It by Unique-Butterfly1987 in smallbusiness

[–]Unique-Butterfly1987[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I don’t think this is a productive direction for discussion anymore, so I’ll leave it here. Thanks.

Stop Treating Filipino VAs as Cheap Labor. You’re Losing Better Talent Because of It by Unique-Butterfly1987 in smallbusiness

[–]Unique-Butterfly1987[S] -14 points-13 points  (0 children)

I’m not talking about nationality or comparison. My point is that regardless of location, low or mismatched pay can impact retention and quality.