Fairwork Philippines calls for reform on working conditions for Filipino platform workers

An action research firm in their recent report on gig workers in the Philippines finds a ‘critical gap’ in government regulation and platform policies that cause subpar working conditions in the country.����

“Addressing the��safety concerns and policy gaps in the platform-based ride-hailing and delivery sector in the Philippines that go beyond compliance is urgent and requires a collaborative effort from the government, platform companies, and��worker representatives,” Fairwork Philippines said in their 2023 report on ‘Protecting Worker Health, Safety, and Security in the Philippine Platform Economy’.��

The organization defined platform workers as independent contractors in digital labor platforms, such as ride-hailing and delivery sectors.��

The results released by the organization were based on its five principles of fairness:��

• Fair pay��
• Fair conditions��
• Fair contracts��
• Fair management��
• Fair representation��

Despite efforts from the government and the market to promote platform work as a viable livelihood opportunity, Fairwork Philippines said “most workers cannot meet the basic minimum wage while also facing dangerous working conditions, a lack of safety nets, and long-term financial insecurity.”��

The organization pushes for reforms to improve the quality of work for digital platforms. According to their and reports,��there were no improvements in the workers’ health, safety, and security.��

Evaluated in the 2022 ratings were Angkas, Borzo, GrabCar, GrabFood/GrabExpress, Foodpanda, Joyride, Lalamove, TokTok, and Transportify. Meanwhile, Joyride Car and Maxim replaced Transportify in the 2023 data.��

GrabCar, GrabFood/GrabExpress, Angkas, and Lalamove continue to be the only platforms that have received points from Fairwork Philippines for two consecutive years. – Almira Louise S. Martinez