Best EOR Providers for Hiring in the Philippines 2026

Summary

Deel and Multiplier are the strongest EOR providers for the Philippines. Deel onboards in 3–5 days and handles SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG without manual intervention. Multiplier undercuts on price across APAC and has deeper Philippines support than its global competitors. For budget hiring, Remofirst at $199/month is hard to beat. Remote wins if you need an owned-entity compliance chain. The Philippines is one of the most popular EOR markets in Asia — and for good reason. Large English-speaking talent pool, competitive salaries, strong cultural alignment with US and UK companies, and compliance that’s straightforward compared to India or Indonesia. Employer statutory contributions are relatively light: SSS (~9.5% of monthly salary credit), PhilHealth (~2.25%), and Pag-IBIG (PHP 200/month up to the maximum). Total employer burden runs roughly 10–12% above gross salary. The mandatory 13th month pay adds another month of basic salary to your annual cost, paid before December 24.

The real draw is value. A senior full-stack developer in Manila or Cebu commands PHP 80,000–150,000/month (roughly $1,400–$2,700 USD). The US equivalent runs $8,000–15,000/month. Even after EOR fees and statutory contributions, you’re paying a fraction of the cost for comparable output — and the Philippines produces engineers, designers, and operations staff who work US hours without complaint.

Quick Decision

• Pick Deel if the Philippines is part of a broader APAC or global hiring push — 3–5 day onboarding, automated SSS/PhilHealth/Pag-IBIG, and one dashboard across your other markets.
• Pick Multiplier if the Philippines is your primary or secondary APAC market — $50–100/month cheaper than Deel with comparable compliance quality and APAC-native support.
• Watch the 6-month probation clock: after 6 months of continuous service, the employee is automatically regularized and full Labor Code termination protections kick in. If you plan to assess the role or need flexibility, manage this window deliberately rather than letting it pass unnoticed.

Top Picks

1. Deel — Best for Speed and Multi-Country Scale

Treat this as one input: validate budget assumptions in the EOR cost guide, legal framing in the EOR glossary, and timing assumptions in remote hiring trends. Deel onboards Philippine employees in 3–5 business days. SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG contributions are automated — Deel’s local team handles the registration numbers, monthly remittances, and the annual 13th month pay calculation. Employment contracts comply with DOLE (Department of Labor and Employment) standards, including the mandatory probationary period terms and regularization language.

Deel is the pick when the Philippines is part of a broader hiring push. You’re adding 3 developers in Cebu, 2 in Kuala Lumpur, and 1 in Bangalore — one platform, one invoice, one dashboard. Their Philippines entity handles separation pay calculations, mandatory holiday pay (there are roughly 18–20 regular and special non-working holidays per year ), and the DOLE-required final pay release within 30 days of separation. Pricing: $599/employee/month.

2. Multiplier — Best APAC Pricing and Regional Depth

Multiplier consistently prices Philippines EOR $50–100/month below Deel. For a 5-person team, that’s $3,000–$6,000/year in savings — real money when your Philippine hires are already your cost-optimization play.

Multiplier’s APAC DNA shows in their Philippines coverage. SSS contribution tables are current, PhilHealth premium splits are automated, and Pag-IBIG handling includes both the mandatory and voluntary contribution tiers. Their platform generates 2316 BIR forms for withholding tax and handles the annualized income tax computation that trips up foreign employers. If you’re building across the Philippines, India, and Singapore, Multiplier gives you regional coherence that Deel and Remote don’t match.

3. Remote — Best for Owned-Entity Compliance

Remote operates its own Philippine entity. No third-party partners sitting between you and your employees. For companies in regulated industries or those facing audit scrutiny, the owned-entity model means Remote files SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG directly under their own registrations. The compliance chain is shorter and cleaner.

Onboarding takes 5–7 business days. Pricing: $599/employee/month. Remote handles 13th month pay, separation pay, and the mandatory final pay timeline. The IP assignment clauses in their Philippine employment contracts are strong — relevant if your Manila team is writing production code. The trade-off: Remote’s Philippines-specific support is smaller than Deel’s or Multiplier’s, and APAC coverage breadth doesn’t match Multiplier’s regional depth. Pick Remote when the compliance purity of an owned entity matters more than price.

4. Remofirst — Best Budget Option at $199/Month

Remofirst is the cheapest viable EOR for the Philippines at $199/employee/month. They cover SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, and 13th month pay. For companies hiring 1–3 junior or mid-level employees where cost is the primary driver, Remofirst saves you $4,800/year per employee versus Deel or Remote.

The trade-offs: smaller local operations team, less platform polish, fewer HRIS integrations, and limited ability to handle complex separation scenarios or DOLE disputes. You won’t get proactive compliance advisory — Remofirst processes payroll and remits contributions, but don’t expect them to flag that your employee’s probation terms need updating to survive a DOLE inspection. For straightforward Philippine hires — developers, virtual assistants, customer support — Remofirst does the job at a price point that makes the Philippines hiring math even more compelling.

Local Alternative: Sprout Solutions

Sprout Solutions is a strong local alternative for Philippines-only hiring programs that want in-country payroll execution and support tuned to SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG, and routine DOLE-facing employment administration.

For domestic hiring, that local execution model can be more practical than a global EOR stack. If you are scaling beyond the Philippines this year, global providers still offer a cleaner multi-country operating model.

Philippines Employment Compliance: What Your EOR Handles

Philippine labor law is employee-friendly. The Labor Code of the Philippines sets the baseline, and DOLE enforces it actively. Here’s what your EOR must get right.

SSS (Social Security System). Employer contribution is approximately 9.5% of the monthly salary credit, up to a maximum salary credit of PHP 30,000/month. Employee contributes roughly 4.5%. The SSS contribution table updates periodically — your EOR must track the current schedule. SSS covers sickness, maternity, disability, retirement, and death benefits. Late or missed remittances trigger penalties at 2% per month.

PhilHealth. Employer and employee each contribute approximately 2.25% of monthly basic salary (total 4.5%), up to a salary floor/ceiling set by PhilHealth. Coverage is mandatory for all employed workers. PhilHealth premium rates have been increasing annually under the Universal Health Care Act — your EOR should be adjusting contributions each January.

Pag-IBIG (HDMF — Home Development Mutual Fund). Employer contributes PHP 200/month (for employees earning over PHP 1,500/month). Employee contributes PHP 100–200/month depending on salary bracket. Pag-IBIG is a housing fund — small cost, but non-negotiable. Some employers and employees opt for higher voluntary contributions for the savings program.

13th Month Pay. Mandatory under Presidential Decree No. 851. All rank-and-file employees receive 13th month pay — calculated as total basic salary earned during the year divided by 12. Must be paid on or before December 24. No exceptions, no pro-rating arguments. Employees who worked less than a full year get a proportional amount. Your EOR handles this automatically, but verify the calculation base: it should be basic salary only, excluding allowances, overtime, and other monetary benefits. The first PHP 90,000 of 13th month pay and other benefits combined is tax-exempt. Probation and Regularization. Maximum probationary period: 6 months. After 6 months of continuous service, the employee is automatically regularized — meaning full employment protections apply and termination requires just or authorized cause under the Labor Code. Your EOR must serve proper notice and document performance standards during probation. Failing to regularize or terminate before the 6-month mark means the employee is deemed regular by operation of law. DOLE takes this seriously.

Separation Pay. Required when termination is for authorized causes (redundancy, retrenchment, closure, disease). Redundancy and closure without serious losses: 1 month pay per year of service, or at least 1 month pay — whichever is higher. Retrenchment: half-month pay per year of service, or at least 1 month. Termination for just cause (serious misconduct, willful disobedience, fraud): no separation pay required. Your EOR must classify the termination correctly — misclassification leads to DOLE complaints and reinstatement orders.

For detailed SSS contribution tables, PhilHealth rates, and termination rules, see our Philippines hiring guide on eor.asia.

Practical Scenario: 5 Developers in Manila and Cebu at PHP 100,000/Month

You’re a US SaaS company hiring 5 mid-senior developers: 3 in Manila, 2 in Cebu. Each at PHP 100,000/month gross salary. Here’s what you’ll actually pay.

Monthly employer statutory costs per employee:

• SSS employer: ~PHP 1,830/month (based on PHP 20,000 salary credit bracket — the contribution table caps employer share; verify exact bracket for PHP 100,000 earners)
• PhilHealth employer: ~PHP 2,250/month (2.25% of PHP 100,000)
• Pag-IBIG employer: PHP 200/month
• Total statutory: PHP 4,280/month per employee ($77 USD at PHP 56/$1 )

13th month pay: PHP 100,000 per employee per year (one additional month of basic salary). Amortized monthly: ~PHP 8,333/month per employee.

EOR fees (Deel): $599 × 5 = $2,995/month, or $35,940/year.

Total annual cost for 5 employees:

• Gross salaries: PHP 100,000 × 5 × 12 = PHP 6,000,000/year (~$107,143 USD)
• 13th month: PHP 100,000 × 5 = PHP 500,000/year (~$8,929 USD)
• Employer statutory: PHP 4,280 × 5 × 12 = PHP 256,800/year (~$4,586 USD)
• EOR fees: $35,940/year
• Total: approximately $156,598/year for 5 mid-senior developers

The US equivalent — 5 developers at $10,000/month each — would cost $600,000+ in salary alone before benefits, payroll taxes, and office space. The Philippines team costs roughly 26% of that, fully loaded with EOR fees and compliance.

With Multiplier: ~$499–549 × 5 = $2,495–2,745/month . Saves $3,000–$6,000/year versus Deel. Same compliance coverage.

With Remofirst: $199 × 5 = $995/month, or $11,940/year. Saves $24,000/year versus Deel — but weigh that against the thinner support and platform limitations.

Comparison Table

How We Ranked Them

Five factors, weighted for what matters most in the Philippines:

1. Statutory compliance accuracy (30%). SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG contributions must be calculated correctly against the current tables and remitted on time. 13th month pay must hit employee accounts before December 24. We verified each provider’s handling of contribution updates (SSS tables change), PhilHealth annual rate increases, and 13th month calculation methodology.

2. Onboarding speed (25%). The Philippines doesn’t require work permits for Filipino nationals, so onboarding should be fast — 3–5 days is the benchmark. Providers taking more than 7 business days for a standard hire are operationally slow. Deel and Multiplier lead.

3. Pricing and cost transparency (20%). Philippine EOR should be straightforward pricing. We checked for hidden charges on statutory contribution administration, 13th month processing, and separation pay handling. Remofirst wins on sticker price; Deel and Remote are transparent at a higher price point.

4. Separation and termination handling (15%). Philippine labor law is employee-protective. Termination requires just or authorized cause, proper notice, and correct separation pay calculation. DOLE complaints are common and the burden of proof falls on the employer. We evaluated each provider’s termination advisory, DOLE compliance documentation, and final pay processing.

5. APAC regional coverage (10%). Companies hiring in the Philippines typically also hire across APAC — India, Singapore, Indonesia. Providers with strong regional coverage scored higher. Multiplier leads here.

When to Skip EOR and Register a Philippine Corporation

Philippine entity setup is more complex than Singapore. Registering a domestic corporation requires filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) — expect 2–4 weeks for the certificate of incorporation, plus additional time for BIR (tax), SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG employer registrations.

Foreign ownership limits matter. The Philippines maintains a Foreign Investment Negative List that restricts or caps foreign ownership in certain industries. For most tech and services companies, 100% foreign ownership is permitted under the Revised Corporation Code, but the rules depend on your specific business activity. If your operations touch anything on the negative list — media, advertising, certain professional services — you’ll need Filipino directors and potentially a 60/40 ownership split favoring Philippine nationals. Minimum requirements: At least 1 incorporator (up to 15), a resident agent if all directors are non-residents, a corporate secretary who must be a Filipino citizen and resident, and a treasurer who must be a Filipino resident. Minimum paid-up capital for foreign-owned companies: $200,000 USD, reduced to $100,000 for companies with advanced technology or employing at least 50 direct employees. That capital requirement alone makes entity setup impractical for small teams.

Ongoing costs: Annual SEC filings, BIR tax returns (monthly/quarterly/annual), barangay and mayor’s business permits (renewed annually), accounting and audit fees. Outsourced payroll runs PHP 1,000–3,000/employee/month. Total ongoing compliance: PHP 300,000–500,000/year depending on complexity.

The breakeven math: The $200,000 minimum paid-up capital requirement means entity setup only makes sense at meaningful scale — typically 20+ employees with a multi-year commitment. At 5 employees, EOR fees run $12,000–$36,000/year depending on provider. The entity costs more to establish and maintain at that headcount. Unlike Singapore, where a Pte Ltd makes sense at 3 employees, the Philippines tips toward EOR for longer. Use an EOR until you’re at 20+ heads and confident in the Philippines as a permanent hiring market.

Our Final Verdict

Deel for speed and multi-country operations — onboard Philippines hires in days, manage them alongside the rest of your APAC team on one platform. Multiplier for APAC-focused companies that want better regional pricing and don’t need Deel’s 150+ country footprint. Remote when you need owned-entity compliance for audit or regulatory purposes. Remofirst when you’re hiring 1–3 people and $199/month is the right price point for your stage.

The Philippines is one of the strongest value propositions in global hiring. English-speaking, US-time-zone-friendly, technically skilled, and cheap to employ through EOR. The compliance isn’t hard. The 13th month pay is predictable. The statutory contributions are modest. The hard part is finding good people — and that’s a recruiting problem, not an EOR problem.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is 13th month pay calculated, and does my EOR handle it automatically?

13th month pay = total basic salary earned during the calendar year ÷ 12. If an employee earned PHP 100,000/month for the full year, 13th month pay is PHP 100,000. For employees who joined mid-year, it’s proportional: an employee who started in July and earned PHP 600,000 total basic salary through December gets PHP 50,000. The amount must be paid on or before December 24 — not December 31, not “by year-end.” All four providers listed here automate the calculation and payment. The first PHP 90,000 of combined 13th month pay and other benefits is tax-exempt; amounts above that are taxable income.

What’s the real risk of using contractors instead of EOR employees in the Philippines?

Significant. The Philippines follows a substance-over-form test for employment relationships. If your “contractor” works fixed hours, uses your tools, reports to your managers, and works exclusively for you — DOLE will treat them as a regular employee. The consequences: back payment of SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG contributions from day one, plus 13th month pay, holiday pay, and potentially separation pay. DOLE’s enforcement has become more aggressive, and complaints are easy to file. EOR eliminates this risk entirely by making the employment relationship explicit from the start. The EOR fee is insurance against a DOLE labor complaint that could cost you 2–3 years of back contributions plus penalties.

How complex is setting up my own entity versus using EOR in the Philippines?

Much more complex than Singapore, less complex than India. The key barriers: $200,000 minimum paid-up capital for foreign-owned corporations (reduced to $100,000 with advanced technology or 50+ employees ), mandatory Filipino corporate secretary, Filipino resident treasurer, SEC registration taking 2–4 weeks, and separate registrations with BIR, SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-IBIG. Annual compliance includes business permit renewal (barangay + mayor’s), SEC annual filings, BIR returns, and audited financial statements. Budget PHP 300,000–500,000/year in compliance and professional fees. For teams under 20, EOR is almost always the better call. The capital requirement alone disqualifies most startups and small companies from entity setup.

Before choosing a provider, review how to negotiate EOR pricing and current remote jobs by country market signals.

Further Reading

• Deel EOR Review — Top pick for speed and Philippines hiring at scale
• Multiplier EOR Review — Best APAC pricing for Philippines teams
• Remote EOR Review — Owned Philippine entity with strong compliance chain
• Remofirst EOR Review — Budget Philippines EOR at $199/month
• Hiring in the Philippines: EOR Guide — Full guide to Philippine employment law and EOR compliance

Anchal Katyal · Founder, eorHQ

Anchal has spent over a decade in product strategy and market expansion across Asia and the Middle East. She evaluates EOR providers on compliance depth, entity ownership, payroll accuracy, and in-country support quality.

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