Social security coverage for ‘gig’ workers urged

PHILIPPINE labor coalitions are demanding a systemic overhaul of social protections for “gig” workers, urging the government to mandate Social Security System (SSS) integration over the private insurance models currently favored by digital platforms.

During the National Tripartite Conference on Jan. 31, the Nagkaisa Labor Coalition, the Federation of Free Workers (FFW), and SENTRO intensified calls for the Labor department to issue formal implementing rules and regulations (IRR) to codify recent judicial wins into executive policy, Jose Sonny G. Matula, FFW president and Nagkaisa chair, said in a statement on Sunday.

“Whether in the digital economy or traditional media, the worker’s right to security and social protection is non-negotiable,” Mr. Matula said. “We call for an IRR that mirrors the Supreme Court’s clear stand: workers deserve dignity, not just a gig.”

The labor groups argue that the current reliance on private insurance schemes leaves many platform workers — such as delivery riders and courier personnel — without adequate coverage for retirement, sickness, disability, and unemployment.

The coalition said that while Labor Advisory No. 14-21 currently provides a framework for delivery and courier services, it remains an advisory rather than a binding regulation. They added that the SSS Law mandates a “universal, equitable, and comprehensive” social security net that must include all workers, regardless of whether they are labeled as independent contractors or “partners.”

Labor leaders pointed to a string of recent legal victories as the foundation for their demands, citing the three Supreme Court cases — Ditiangkin, Borromeo, and Mendaros — which found that platform riders function as regular employees rather than third-party contractors.

The push for regularization extends to the media sector, with the SC’s recent ruling involving GMA Network, Inc. talents, which, Mr. Matula said, provides the necessary legal weight to the right to security of tenure.

“Contractualization might be an employer’s cup of coffee, but it is anathema to the principle that labor is not a commodity,” Mr. Matula added.

Meanwhile, Dick Pacioles, president of the Wallstreet Courier Workers Union-FFW, confirmed a recent National Labor Relations Commission victory regularizing 131 workers. This also follows the recognition of 599 regularized workers in Palawan by the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) in Calabarzon.

According to the DoLE Bureau of Labor Relations, experts from the International Labour Organization (ILO), academe, workers’ groups, and platform companies discussed the platform economy at the 2026 National Tripartite Conference, highlighting an ILO survey that revealed income disparities and work-related costs for rider-drivers and online workers, and exploring measures to strengthen their social protection.

Platform work involves digital platforms that link service providers with clients for flexible, on-demand tasks, covering both in-person services like delivery and transport, and remote work such as freelancing or virtual assistance. Local platforms include Grab, JoyRide, Lalamove, Foodpanda, OnlineJobsPH, and Upwork. — Erika Mae P. Sinaking