US firm to set up Asia-Pacific hub in Philippines
By Riza T. Olchondra
Inquirer, 06/16/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- A US-based provider of risk mitigation services has chosen the Philippines as its hub for the Asia-Pacific region, company officials told the Inquirer on Friday.

First Advantage Corp. has earmarked $1 million to expand its presence in the Philippines this year, said Wayne Tollemache, executive vice president for Asia Pacific.

The company offers solutions to help businesses eliminate fraud and scam losses associated with employee recruitment. A subsidiary of First Advantage Corp. of Florida, it claims to be the largest provider of pre-employment background screening services in the Asia-Pacific.

Tollemache said First Advantage would start welcoming 250 employees to its new facility in Muntinlupa City on Monday.

First Advantage started operating in the Philippines in 2005 with 12 employees. It now has 150 and expects to have 450 by the end of the year, Tollemache said.

"We may add another 800 in two or three years, depending on how fast we grow," he said.

He said the company would invest up to $5 million over the next three years to recruit 800 people.

The company's center at the Madrigal Business Park, in suburban Alabang town, serves multinational companies. "We will soon be bringing in new clients from New Zealand, Australia and the US," Tollemache said.