How to Hire a Filipino Executive Assistant: Complete 2026 Guide

The Filipino Executive Assistant Advantage

Hiring an executive assistant is one of the most transformative operational decisions a founder, CEO, or senior leader can make. A strong EA protects your calendar, drafts communications in your voice, manages complex travel logistics, and creates operating leverage that pays for itself ten times over.

Filipino executive assistants have become the default choice for international founders and executives. The combination of strong written English, advanced Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace proficiency, cultural fit with Western work styles, and rates that are 70–80% below US domestic EA salaries makes the economics extraordinary.

This guide covers what a Filipino EA actually does, how much they cost, how to screen for the right fit, and where to hire at zero platform cost.

What Does a Filipino Executive Assistant Actually Do?

Executive assistant work is fundamentally different from general VA work. A general VA executes a defined task list. An EA anticipates needs, manages up, and makes judgment calls on behalf of the executive. The role requires trust, context, and discretion.

Calendar and Inbox Management

Core EA work. This includes triaging inbound meeting requests against strategic priorities, protecting focus time, drafting response emails in the executive's tone, managing recurring reviews and 1:1s, and preventing double-bookings. A good EA saves an executive 8–12 hours per week at this layer alone.

Travel and Logistics Coordination

Booking flights, hotels, ground transportation, and conference registrations — including visa processing, loyalty program optimization, and detailed itinerary documents. For executives who travel frequently, this function alone justifies the hire.

Meeting Preparation

A senior EA prepares pre-read documents, briefs the executive on attendees before each meeting, captures action items during (or reviews the recording after), and ensures follow-ups land on time. This is where EAs create compounding leverage.

Stakeholder Communication

EAs draft responses to investors, board members, key partners, and team members. The best ones can write in the executive's voice indistinguishably, enabling the exec to approve and send in seconds rather than drafting from scratch.

Operations and Project Coordination

Cross-functional project tracking, vendor management, expense reporting, team onboarding coordination, and light event planning. This is where an EA shades into a chief of staff role — and senior Filipino EAs absolutely can play at that level.

How Much Does a Filipino Executive Assistant Cost?

For comparison, a US-based senior executive assistant earns $85,000–$120,000 per year ($40–$58/hour equivalent) plus benefits. A Filipino senior EA delivers comparable quality for 25–35% of the fully-loaded US cost.

How to Screen for the Right Filipino EA

1. Writing Quality Test

An EA's writing is the single strongest predictor of job performance. During the interview process, assign a paid test task: "Draft three responses on my behalf to the attached emails. Match my voice, which you can see from the sample emails I've shared." Pay $25–$50 for the test. Strong candidates will turn around polished, in-voice responses. Weak candidates will write generically or over-formally.

2. Calendar Problem-Solving

Ask: "I have a 2pm EST meeting with my Japan team, a 3pm with my London investor, and a 5pm family commitment. My Tuesday is full. How would you find me a workable slot for a new 60-minute meeting with our largest customer who is in Sydney and only available Monday 9pm PT (their Tuesday afternoon)?" Strong candidates walk through timezone logic, propose options, and surface trade-offs. Weak candidates freeze or give a vague answer.

3. Judgment and Discretion

Ask: "A vendor emails asking for your boss's personal cell number because they have an urgent issue. How do you respond?" The right answer involves filtering the request, protecting access, and routing through approved channels. This tests whether the candidate understands their role as a gatekeeper, not a pass-through.

4. Tool Fluency

Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Calendly, Zoom, Notion, Asana, Slack, and a specific expense tool (Expensify, Ramp, Brex) are table stakes. Senior EAs should also be fluent in your CRM if they will be working with customer-facing data.

Where to Hire a Filipino Executive Assistant (For Free)

WorkFil's executive assistant hiring page features active Filipino EA candidates with AI-scored quality ratings and skill badges. Posting a role is free — no subscription, no placement fee, no credit card required.

The alternative platforms — OnlineJobs.ph and VirtualStaff.ph — both charge $69–$99/month for employer access. For a complete comparison of what each platform offers, read our platform comparison or the true cost analysis including platform fees.

Onboarding Your Filipino EA

EA onboarding is different from general VA onboarding. You are not delegating tasks — you are delegating judgment. The first 90 days should focus on context transfer and feedback loops.

1. Week 1 — Context loading. Grant access to your calendar, inbox (if you are comfortable), and key documentation. Walk through recurring meetings and key relationships. Record a 45-minute Loom explaining your priorities, communication style, and who is important.
2. Week 2 — Supervised drafting. EA drafts email responses and calendar decisions; you review and approve before sending. Track how often you accept without changes. By week 3, that number should be above 80%.
3. Weeks 3–4 — Autonomy ramp. Define which categories of emails and meetings the EA can handle without pre-approval. Start narrow (scheduling logistics, internal team requests) and expand as trust builds.
4. Week 5+ — Proactive work. EA starts identifying issues before you do — preparing pre-reads unasked, flagging calendar conflicts 2 weeks out, suggesting time blocks for recurring priorities. This is the inflection point from good EA to great one.

The Bottom Line

A well-matched Filipino executive assistant transforms how much a senior leader can get done. The economics are a rare win-win: the executive gets world-class support at 25–35% of domestic US cost, and the EA gets a stable, high-paying role by local standards.

Start by posting your EA role on WorkFil — free, with no subscription required. Most roles receive strong applications within 48 hours. For background on Filipino remote hiring more broadly, read our complete Filipino VA hiring guide.