Managed offices · Dumaguete City
Unlock the talent your business needs to grow.
Hire a dedicated VA who works from our supervised offices in Dumaguete City, Philippines, with backed-up internet and IT support on site. Start from US$49 a week, or let us handle salary, equipment, payroll and HR in one weekly fee.
Recruited, trained and fully supervised — productive from day one
Downtown office
Ground Zero Building, Dumaguete City
120-day free replacement. If your VA resigns or underperforms, we recruit again at no fee.
6-month minimum term. About half the 12 months most providers ask for.
Full refund if we can’t find your match. Your recruitment fee comes back in full.
Is admin taking over your week?
If any of these sound familiar, a dedicated virtual assistant can take the repetitive work off your plate, so you can get back to the work only you can do.
The inbox that never empties
Emails, enquiries and follow-ups pile up faster than you can answer them.
A VA clears and triages it every day, in your business hours.
Admin that eats your evenings
Invoices, scheduling and data entry spill into nights and weekends.
Most clients save 5–15 hours a week.
Hiring that drags on for months
Writing ads, screening CVs and interviewing takes time you don’t have.
We cut recruitment time in half, with your shortlist in about two weeks.
Local staff costs that keep climbing
Salary, super, equipment and office space add up quickly for one admin role.
A full-time VA costs up to 70% less, about US$6 an hour all-in on Signature.
Why choose Desk & VA?
A managed model that gives you great people and proper infrastructure, while we take care of the running of it.
Fully managed offices
Your VA works from a secure, supervised office with backed-up internet, not a shared home. Work from home is available too.
Top-tier VAs
We recruit, screen and reference-check assistants who are fluent in English and used to working with Western businesses.
End-to-end support
From recruitment to IT, supervision and, on Signature, payroll and HR, we carry the operational weight.
Lower cost, no hidden extras
Clear weekly pricing in US dollars, at up to 70% less than a local hire. You see every fee before you commit.
Short, flexible terms
A 6-month minimum, about half the 12 months most providers ask for, and a 120-day free replacement.
Time-zone friendly
Your VA works your business hours. Our Talay office is open 24/7, so we can cover Australia, New Zealand and the US.
What can a virtual assistant do for your business?
Almost anything you do at a computer. Our free checklist lists 192 tasks you can delegate, and our guide covers the 20 to hand over first. These are the roles we recruit for most often.
What is an office-based virtual assistant?
An office-based virtual assistant works for your business full-time, but from a professional office instead of their home. Your VA sits at a supervised workstation with business-grade internet, backup connections and on-site IT, so a power cut or a slow home connection doesn’t stop your work.
You still choose your VA, set their tasks and talk to them directly every day. We look after the building, the equipment and, on our Signature plan, the salary, payroll and HR.
How the options compare
| Feature | Hiring a freelancer directly | Desk & VA Core | Desk & VA Signature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where they work | Their home | Our supervised office | Our supervised office |
| Internet and power | Depends on their setup | Three connections, reliable power | Three connections, reliable power |
| Equipment | Their own | You provide it (we help you buy locally) | Included |
| Salary and payroll | You pay and manage | You pay your VA directly | Included in one weekly fee |
| HR, contracts and compliance | Your responsibility | Your responsibility | Handled by us |
| If they leave | Start your search again | 120-day free replacement | Free replacement, any time |
| Typical hourly cost | Varies widely | About US$3.80, plus equipment | About US$6, all-in |
Hourly figures are indicative for a general VA working full-time. Actual costs vary by role, salary and hours.
Where will your virtual assistant work?
Our office-based assistants work from one of our two offices in Dumaguete City, a university city in Negros Oriental.
San Juan Street, Poblacion 6
Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental 6200 Talay officeMezzanine, Elle Properties
San Jose Romero Road, Talay
Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental 6200
- Primary, secondary and satellite internet, so one outage never takes your VA offline
- Supervisor and IT support on site, every working day
- A secure, professional workplace instead of a shared home setup
How does hiring a VA with Desk & VA work?
You make every hiring decision. We do the searching, screening and setting up.
Step 1
Tell us about the role
On a free Strategy Call we turn what you need into a clear job description, hours and salary range.
Step 2
Interview your shortlist
We advertise, screen and reference-check candidates, then you interview the best few and choose.
Step 3
Your VA starts at their workstation
Your VA starts in our office with their equipment ready and a supervisor beside them from day one.
How much does a virtual assistant cost?
Three ways to work with us, each with one clear price. All prices are in US dollars and exclude GST.
Work from home
We find your VA, then hand them over
US$1,999
One-off. No ongoing fees.
- Job description and advertising
- Screening, identity and reference checks
- Home setup and internet checked
- 120-day free replacement
Core
Your VA, in our office, managed by you
US$49 / week
Workstation fee, plus US$499 recruitment (US$899 for specialist roles). You pay your VA directly.
- Workstation in our serviced office
- Backed-up internet and power
- On-site IT and supervisor support
- 120-day free replacement
Signature
Fully managed, nothing else to buy
US$249 / week
Includes a general VA’s salary. No recruitment fee. Specialist roles priced on enquiry.
- Everything in Core
- All IT equipment provided
- Payroll, HR and compliance
- Free replacement, any time
Switching providers? Love us or leave us.
Move your VA to our Core plan and your first four weeks of workstation fees are on us. If we’re not better than your current provider, leave within those four weeks and pay nothing for the workstation.
For clients moving an existing VA from another provider to the Core plan. Your 6-month minimum term starts after the four free weeks. Any transfer or hire-away fees charged by your current provider are your responsibility, so check your contract first.
Pay six months in advance and save 10%. See full pricing
What do clients say about Desk & VA?
Businesses stay with us because the model works. Our clients rate us 4.8 out of 5 on average, and 95% of them stay with us.
“They don’t just complete tasks — they take ownership, anticipate our needs, find solutions, and consistently go above and beyond our expectations.”
“Desk & VA offers a safe and welcoming workplace where we feel truly at home. They actively listen to our needs and respond immediately, ensuring that we always have the support we need to do our best work.”
Frequently asked questions
English is an official language in the Philippines, most VAs are university graduates, and Western business practices are widely understood. A full-time Filipino VA typically costs a fraction of a local hire, and the time difference suits businesses in Australia, New Zealand and the US.
On Core you pay US$49 a week for your VA’s workstation, pay their salary directly and provide their equipment. On Signature you pay one weekly fee of US$249 that covers the salary of a general VA, all equipment, payroll, HR and supervision, with nothing else to buy. Specialist roles are priced on enquiry.
Yes. If you move your VA to our Core plan, our Love us or leave us offer makes your first four weeks of workstation fees free, and your 6-month minimum term starts after that. Check your current provider’s contract first, as any transfer or hire-away fees they charge are your responsibility.
We aim to send your shortlist within about two weeks of your Strategy Call. Most clients interview and choose within a week, and their VA starts soon after, so it usually takes around three weeks from first call to first day.
Your VA works your business hours. Our Talay office is open 24/7, so we can also cover US time zones and overnight shifts.
Yes, six months on the Core and Signature plans. That is about half the 12-month term most providers require, and it gives you and your VA time to build a steady routine.
If your VA resigns or isn’t performing within 120 days, we recruit a replacement at no extra recruitment fee, provided your account is up to date. Signature clients get free replacement at any time.
Yes. We recruit a work-from-home VA for a one-off fee of US$1,999, check their home setup, then hand the working relationship over to you with no ongoing fees.
Your VA works from our professional offices rather than a shared home, and we handle personal information under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Philippine Data Privacy Act of 2012.
Ready to meet your next VA?
Book a free Strategy Call. We’ll scope the role, give you a cost, and you decide if it’s right for you.