An assembly line of Filipino remote workers powers the OnlyFans platform, where they photoshop nudes, edit porn videos, and sell explicit content on behalf of foreign female models. Accounts from two workers reveal how agencies rely on cheap offshore labor from the Philippines to boost models' earnings. This setup emerged as part of a larger industry that took off during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the hot summer of 2023, Anna*, a college student, sought an online job for extra cash. She began as a virtual assistant editing graphics and food reels for a PR agency, but soon was offered higher pay of P500 to P3,000 per photo or video—for OnlyFans content. “As long as it’s good pay, why not, right?” she told her boss, as recounted to Rappler.
Her tasks escalated to explicit work: removing unwanted hair, enhancing models' bodies, and editing one-minute porn reels showing masturbation or sex scenes. At her peak, she handled nine models, earning P45,000 to P50,000 monthly, tax-free except for transfer fees from a Europe-based company.
Kara, a 26-year-old IT graduate, became a 'chatter' in early 2025. She impersonated models in chats to engage subscribers and sell exclusive content costing up to $750 (over P44,000). Paid $2 per hour plus 5% commission, she found it tough: “I’m just not used to selling sex stuff,” she said. She quit after a few weeks due to pressure.
Agencies manage around 20 models each, with teams of at least 18 people from scriptwriting to finance. This model emerged during the pandemic, per a Reuters investigation, relying on Filipino workers for their English skills and low wages. Job postings appear on platforms like onlinejobs.ph and Facebook groups with 61,000 members, drawing many applicants.
Sociologist Ash Presto notes high interest in these gigs amid a 'deteriorating jobs market,' according to an IBON Foundation analysis in June 2025. Yet, workers like Anna and Kara lack protection in this emerging industry.
