On June 12, 2026, the International Labour Organization (ILO) adopted Convention No. 193 on
Decent Work in the Platform Economy during its 114th Session in Geneva. This landmark treaty
aims to promote the rights and welfare of workers in the rapidly expanding platform economy
worldwide. Its adoption marks a historic development in advancing decent platform work
globally, as workers become more susceptible to precarious labour conditions amid extreme
weather events and rapid technological change.
In 2021, the Philippine Labor Force Survey estimated 1.7 million gig workers in the country. This
includes platform workers engaged in ride-hailing, delivery services, care work, and freelance
work for international clients. Despite the continuous growth of gig economy in the Philippines,
many platform workers are often left with limited or no protection as efforts to strengthen social
protection and improve working conditions continue to lag behind.
Platform workers in the Philippines are often classified as “independent contractors,” with no
formal employer-employee relationship with the companies they work for. This classification
often excludes them from labor rights and social protection mechanisms available to formal
employees, including minimum wage guarantees, paid leave, employer-provided insurance, and
unemployment benefits. As a result, workers are increasingly exposed to climate-related risks
without adequate occupational safety standards specific to platform work.
In response to these realities, the Resilient Platform Work PH project conducted more than 100
in-depth interviews over the past year with platform workers, industry pioneers, and influencer
coaches across the country. The key findings and policy recommendations of the project will be
presented at the Resilient Platform Work PH Policy Dialogue and Stakeholders’ Forum on July
8, 2026, 2:30 – 4:30 PM at the Pablo Nicolas Auditorium, St. La Salle Hall, DLSU-Manila.
The presentations will be three-pronged. It will first cover a presentation of the methodology and
findings, outlining the vulnerabilities resulting from the platformization of work, magnified and
compounded by climate change. It is then followed by policy recommendations for social
protection and skills development.
The event will convene representatives from the government, worker groups, civil society
organizations, academe, and the media to discuss emerging policy directions for Filipino
platform workers. The policy dialogue will feature distinguished speakers representing key
sectors in policymaking, worker organizations, and skills development:
● Sec. Jose Francisco “Kiko” B. Benitez – Director General, Technical Education and Skills
Development Authority (TESDA)
● Hon. Percival “Perci” Cendaña – Representative, Akbayan Partylist
● Dir. Girlie Grace Casimiro-Igtiben – Director IV, Social Development Staff Department
of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev)
● Ms. Miraluna S. Tacadao – Chief, Workers Welfare Research Division and OIC, Office of
the Deputy Executive Director III, DOLE – Institute for Labor Studies
● Mr. Arnold Grant S. Belver – Deputy Chief and Development Management Officer IV,
Policy Research and Development Division (PRDD), Climate Change Commission
(CCC)
● Ms. Rochefel Rivera – Co-Founder and Chairperson, Filipino Online Professional Service
Cooperative (FOPSco)
● Mr. Geoffrey Labudahon – National Coordinator, National Union of Food Delivery Riders
(RIDERS-SENTRO)
The Resilient Platform Work PH is led by the DLSU Social Development Research Center in
partnership with the Manila Observatory. The project examines platform work in the Philippines
in the context of climate change and rapid technological advancements. This work was carried
out with the aid of a grant from the International Development Research Center of Canada
through the FutureWORKS Asia research network, hosted by LIRNEasia. For any questions
regarding the event or the project, please write to the Project Secretariat at
resilientplatformworkph@dlsu.edu.ph.
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