How to Manage Multiple Projects with Filipino Virtual Assistants

I hired my first Filipino VA in 2006. One person. One project. Easy.

Then I hired another. Then three more. Then I had four clients and six VAs and I realized something.

I had no idea what anyone was doing.

Invoices were coming in at random times. I couldn’t remember who was working on what. One VA asked me a question about Project B and I gave them an answer meant for Project A.

It was a mess.

Here’s what I learned about actually managing multiple VAs across multiple projects without losing your mind.

Get the Tax Forms Sorted

US companies need Form W-8BEN from Filipino contractors. It says “I’m a foreign person, you don’t withhold US taxes from me.”

It takes five minutes. Get it signed. Keep it on file.

Your Filipino VAs should register with the BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue) as self-employed. That’s their responsibility, not yours.

Don’t tell them how to do their taxes. Don’t control that process. It makes you look like an employer.

Pick a Payment Method and Stick With It

Wise works. PayPal works. Pick one.

The main thing is you need records. Who got paid. For what project. When.

When you’re paying multiple people for multiple projects, you need to know that the $500 you sent to Maria was for Client A’s content work, not Client B’s admin tasks.

Here’s what I do now.

Every VA submits an invoice. The invoice lists the project name, the dates, the hours or deliverables, and the rate.

I approve it in my system (or just reply “approved” to the email). Then I pay on the same day every week.

Everyone knows when to expect payment. I can batch all my Wise transfers at once. I have a record of everything.

Make Invoice Templates 

Give your VAs an invoice template.

Project name (required). Date range (required). What they did. How much.

If they work hourly, they track hours per project. If they’re project-based, they invoice when deliverables are done.

Route everything through the same place. Email usually works. 

This sounds basic. But when you have six invoices coming in at random times for projects you can barely remember, you’ll understand why this matters.

Data Protection Is Not Optional

Your VAs are accessing client information. Sometimes sensitive stuff.

The Philippines has a Data Privacy Act known as Republic Act 10173. It’s actually pretty strict.

If personal data is being processed in the Philippines (which it is, if your VAs are there), the law applies. Even if you’re a foreign company.

You’re the “controller.” Your VA is the “processor.” You’re still responsible for everything.

Your contract needs to say that. I used to skip this part. Seemed like overkill for a VA relationship.

Then one of my VAs had their laptop stolen. With client data on it. Now my contracts cover it.

Simple Security Measures

Every VA gets their own login. No shared passwords ever.

Give access only to what they need. If they’re working on Project A, they don’t need access to Project B’s files.

Require password managers. Require two-factor authentication if possible.

When a project ends or a VA leaves, cut access immediately. Check that they’ve deleted data from their devices. Verify they’re out of all your tools.

I keep a checklist now. Takes two minutes to run through when someone’s wrapping up.

Pick One Project Management Tool

Asana. Trello. ClickUp. Monday. Doesn’t matter which one.

Pick one. Make everyone use it. I use Asana. Every project gets its own board. Every task has an owner and a due date.

Same status tags everywhere: To Do, In Progress, Review, Done.

Track Time by Project

Your VAs should track their time. Even if you’re not paying hourly. Why? Because you need to know where the hours are going.

Project A is eating 30 hours a week and you thought it would be 10? That’s a problem. Either the scope is wrong or something’s inefficient.

Use ManagePh. Use whatever’s built into your PM tool. Track time per project, per task if possible.

This also makes invoices easy to verify. VA says they worked 25 hours on Project B? You can check.

Time Block Your Own Work

You can’t manage multiple projects if your own time is chaotic.

Block time by project. Monday morning is Project A. Tuesday afternoon is Project B coordination. Wednesday morning is Project C client calls.

My VAs do the same thing. They know which project they’re working on during which blocks.

Reduces context switching. Keeps things focused.

Make One Virtual Assistant the Coordinator

This was a game changer for me. One of my more experienced VAs became the project coordinator. 

She doesn’t do less work. She just also keeps track of what everyone else is doing.

She collects daily standups. She chases people when tasks are blocked. She makes sure things are moving through the workflow. She tells me when something needs my attention.

If you have multiple VAs, try this. Pick someone organized. 

Give them coordinator duties on top of their regular work. Pay them a bit more if you need to.

Write One Master Agreement

One master services agreement. Covers all the general stuff.

You’re an independent contractor. Payment terms are bi-weekly. Everything you create is work-for-hire and belongs to me (or my client). 

You’ll keep information confidential. Here’s how we handle data. Here’s how either of us can end this.

That’s your base document.

Add Project-Specific SOWs

Then every new project gets a Statement of Work.

References the master agreement. Adds the specific details.

Project name. Client (if applicable). What you’re delivering. Timeline. Rate or total cost. What data or tools you need access to.

Both parties sign. Now everyone knows what this project is.

VA finishes Project X and starts on Project Y? New SOW. Same master agreement.

Cross-Train Everyone

If one person knows how to do something, that’s a single point of failure.

I learned this when my main VA got dengue fever. Out for three weeks. No one else knew how to do half her tasks.

Now at least two people understand every major function.

Document your processes. Rotate VAs through different types of tasks sometimes. 

Keep project documentation where anyone can access it (client contacts, credentials in a password manager, file locations, process notes).

Knowledge can’t live in one person’s head.

Plan Transitions Deliberately

When someone’s leaving a project, bring the new person on early if you can.

Two-week overlap. They work together. Knowledge transfers naturally.

Way better than “here’s a Google Doc, good luck.”

I have a transition checklist now. Knowledge transfer sessions. Documentation handoff.

Run through it every time someone leaves. Nothing gets missed.

Run a Weekly Review

Check time logs against project budgets. Approve invoices. Make sure deliverables are moving through your workflow. Communicate any priority changes.

Look for patterns.

VA consistently working overtime on one project? Needs resources or client input.

Tasks sitting in review forever? Your approval process is the bottleneck.

This is when you make tactical calls.

Document Everything

Write down how you do things.

How you use your Project Management tools. What reporting formats you expect. How payment cycles work. Security practices. How to escalate issues.

This becomes your training material.

New VA starts? Share the docs. They understand your processes without you explaining everything.

This Actually Works

I manage more projects now than I did ever. With less stress. Because I built systems.

Clear contractor relationships. Consistent payments. Data protection that’s actually enforced. One place where all work lives. 

Contracts that scale. Risk management that catches problems early. Weekly reviews that keep everything on track.

Most people add VAs without adding systems.

That’s how you end up with chaos.

Build the infrastructure first. Then scale.

You can run multiple projects with multiple VAs without losing your mind. You just need these seven pieces in place.

The tools will vary. Your specific processes will vary.

But the pattern is the same: systematic attention to classification, payments, data protection, unified operations, good contracts, and active monitoring.

Get those right and scaling becomes easy instead of overwhelming.