Most legal problems arise when employers misunderstand the boundaries of lawful tracking.
Several common practices violate privacy laws across multiple jurisdictions.
Continuous location monitoring throughout the workday almost always exceeds legal boundaries.
Unless your contractor’s job specifically requires location verification like field visits or deliveries, constant GPS tracking isn’t proportionate to any legitimate business need.
Your virtual assistant’s location during evenings, weekends, or personal time is none of your business unless they’re performing job duties.
Using company-provided devices or software doesn’t give you unlimited tracking rights too.
Here’s what you need to know
The Reality of Legitimate GPS Tracking Needs
Very few remote contractor relationships actually require GPS tracking.
Most scenarios employers imagine needing location data can be handled through better alternatives.
Let’s be honest about what actually justifies location monitoring.
Field service work provides the clearest justification. If your Filipino contractors make client visits, handle deliveries, or perform on-site work at multiple locations.
But that simply does not apply when you hire a virtual assistant working halfway across the world.
Physical location is completely irrelevant to their work output.
Filipino VAs choose remote work mostly for the autonomy and work life freedom it provides.
Better Systems for Managing Remote Filipino Contractors
GPS tracking represents lazy management that creates legal risk without improving actual performance. Effective alternatives exist that respect privacy while building accountability.
Time tracking software without location features works perfectly for remote contractors.
Task-based project management creates natural accountability. When contractors regularly update task status, complete milestones, and deliver agreed work, their location becomes irrelevant.
Platforms like Asana, Trello, or Monday.com provide better productivity insights than GPS data ever could. You can see what’s getting done in real time.
Output measurement beats surveillance every time.
Track deliverables completed, quality metrics, deadlines met, and client feedback.
Regular communication through video calls, chat check-ins, and project updates maintains connection across time zones.
When contractors participate in team meetings, respond during agreed hours, and proactively communicate with blockers, you don’t need their GPS coordinates.
You have something better. Actual work communication.
Philippine Data Privacy Law Applies to Your Business
The Data Privacy Act defines personal information to include “any information from which the identity and location of an individual is apparent or can be reasonably ascertained.
GPS coordinates, geolocation logs, and movement tracking all qualify as protected personal data.
This means your US, UK, or Australian company must comply with Philippine law when tracking Filipino contractors.
The National Privacy Commission (NPC) enforces these rules. They can impose penalties on foreign companies that violate Filipino workers’ privacy rights.
The law requires you to obtain valid consent before collecting location data. Valid consent means your contractors understand what you’re tracking, why you need it, how you’ll use it, and how long you’ll keep it.
Burying tracking permissions in a lengthy contract doesn’t meet the legal standard for informed consent.
The Smart Approach for International Employers
Managing Filipino contractors successfully requires building systems based on trust, clear communication, and results measurement rather than surveillance.
Hire carefully with thorough vetting, clear job descriptions, and trial projects that let you assess work quality before long-term commitment. When you hire well, monitoring becomes unnecessary.
Set explicit expectations for availability, communication, and deliverables upfront.
Your contractors should understand exactly when they need to be responsive, what work products you expect, and what deadlines matter. Clarity prevents problems.
Great Virtual Assistants deliver excellent work consistently. That’s what matters. Everything else is noise. Trust your team.