Pre-Employment Background Check in the Philippines: A Basic Guide for Employers

Hiring the wrong person can cost your company more than just time—it can also impact productivity, compromise workplace safety, and even damage your brand’s reputation.  More than just verifying résumés, pre-employment background checks ensure that every candidate considered for a certain position, whether an entry-level or key executive, is truthful, qualified, and free from red flags that pose risks to the organization. 

What is a Pre-Employment Background Check?

A Pre-Employment Background Check is usually a set of background checks conducted by an employer or a legally authorized third-party service provider to systematically verify the accuracy, authenticity, and integrity of a job applicant’s personal, educational, professional, and legal information, among others. 

In the Philippines, these background checks involve validation of government-issued identification, academic records, employment history, criminal clearances (e.g., NBI and Police Clearances), and other documents — all necessary to assess the candidate’s job suitability, mitigate the hiring risks, and ensure due diligence in the recruitment process. 

Are Pre-Employment Background Checks Legal in the Philippines?

Pre-employment background checks are not mandatory, but they are commonly practiced in sensitive industries such as banking, finance, and healthcare, among others. While legally allowed, these background checks must comply with the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (R.A. 10173)—particularly Section 12, which outlines the criteria for the lawful processing of personal information: 

“SEC. 12. Criteria for Lawful Processing of Personal Information—The processing of personal information shall be permitted only if not otherwise prohibited by law, and when at least one of the following conditions exists:

a) The data subject has given his or her consent;

b) The processing of personal information is necessary and is related to the fulfillment of a contract with the data subject or in order to take steps at the request of the data subject prior to entering into a contract;

c) The processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which the personal information controller is subject;

d) The processing is necessary to protect vitally important interests of the data subject, including life and health;

e) The processing is necessary in order to respond to national emergency, to comply with the requirements of public order and safety, or to fulfill functions of public authority which necessarily includes the processing of personal data for the fulfillment of its mandate; or

f) The processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by the personal information controller or by a third party or parties to whom the data is disclosed, except where such interests are overridden by fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject which require protection under the Philippine Constitution.”

Now, based on these legal provisions, written consent from the candidate is required, and any collected personal data must be exclusively used for recruitment and employment-related purposes. Likewise, employers are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality and security of all the personal information obtained during the background checks. 

5 Basic Components of Pre-Employment Background Checks in the Philippines

When deciding on the specific components of a pre-employment background check, it is important to consider factors such as the nature of the position, level of responsibility involved, regulatory or industry-specific requirements, sensitivity of the information to be handled, relevance of each check to the job role, and budget, especially if a third-party service provider will be hired. Here are the basic components of pre-employment background checks: 

1. Employment Check

An employment check is a structured verification process intended to confirm the accuracy of a candidate’s declared employment history and to validate previous job titles, inclusive dates, roles and responsibilities, reasons for separation, and other employment-related information through direct communication with the former employers or HR departments. 

2. Reference Check

A reference check, also known as character reference verification, is an important component of a pre-employment background check that offers valuable insights beyond the information provided on the résumé. It involves contacting the candidate’s listed references, such as former supervisors, coworkers, or mentors, for a clearer picture of his or her work performance, reliability, soft skills, and overall fit for the role.      

3. Educational Check

An educational check is a background check used to verify the authenticity of a candidate’s academic credentials, including the institutions attended, degrees earned, dates of attendance or graduation, and, if applicable, honors and distinctions received. This is helpful in ensuring that the candidate meets the educational qualifications required for a specific role. 

4. Professional (PRC License) Check

A professional check, also known as professional license verification and professional qualification check, is helpful in verifying the professional and license details of a candidate (e.g., an engineer, teacher, doctor, accountant, etc.) with the regulatory commission, i.e., the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) in the Philippines. 

5. Criminal Record Check (NBI Clearance)

A criminal record check, also known as criminal background check, is commonly conducted through a National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) clearance request. It is used to determine whether the candidate has criminal records or pending cases as recorded in the government database at the time of its issuance.  

Other Background Checks

Depending on the needs and preferences, pre-employment background checks may also include identity checks, credit record checks, address verifications, driver’s checks, househelp (kasambahay) checks, and global dataset checks. To check the complete list of background checks that we offer, kindly visit our Background Check Service Page.