THE Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) said gig workers are not well-served by the current safety nets available to conventional employees, and noted that the segment needs special protections due to income instability.
“We have laws that protect the interests of traditional employees, but not comprehensively address the unique needs and vulnerabilities of our gig workers,” Miraluna S. Tacadao, a division chief with Department of Labor and Employment’s Institute for Labor Studies, said in a statement on Tuesday.
A separate PIDS report noted that while freelance earnings in the Philippines surged 208% between 2019 and 2020, online workers face significant challenges related to employment security and social benefits.
Ms. Tacadao said that dispute resolution mechanisms are usually available only for those with employer-employee relationships, leaving gig workers without recourse.
This has caused gig workers to indecently cover their social security costs, adding another layer of insecurity.
She also raised calls for the collection of accurate data on the gig workforce to inform policy decisions in the absence of reliable government data, which “complicates efforts to understand and regulate this growing sector.”
Ms. Tacadao and her co-authors proposed a regulatory approach that balances innovation with the safeguarding of workers’ rights.
“We know that the passing of new legislation would entail time, but there are low-hanging fruits which can offer positive opportunities for parties involved in the gig economy,” Ms. Tacadao said.
PIDS said those in authority should modernize labor rules and regulations, while safeguarding the needs and interests of the flexible, on-demand workforce.
