Philippines Seeks to Strengthen Gig Worker Rights with ILO Convention Ratification, ETHRWorldSEA

The Philippines’ largest labour coalition is urging the government to strengthen protections for gig and platform workers following the adoption of the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) first-ever global convention dedicated to platform economy workers.

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) has called for the immediate ratification of ILO Convention 193 (Decent Work in the Platform Economy Convention, 2026), arguing that the treaty presents an opportunity to establish stronger safeguards for workers earning their livelihoods through digital platforms.

The labour group is also pressing for the convention’s principles to be reflected in the proposed EU-Philippines Free Trade Agreement (EU-PH FTA) and future legislation governing the country’s growing gig economy workforce.

According to TUCP, while the draft digital trade chapter of the EU-PH FTA acknowledges platform workers, it largely focuses on cooperation and information sharing rather than enforceable labour protections. The organisation noted the absence of clear provisions covering workers’ rights, algorithmic transparency, and accountability in digital management systems that increasingly influence job assignments, performance evaluations, suspensions, and deactivations.

The group also raised concerns that certain provisions limiting access to platform source codes and software algorithms could make it harder for regulators to investigate unfair labour practices and enforce protections envisioned under ILO Convention 193.

TUCP stressed that greater transparency in algorithm-driven systems is becoming critical as platform workers’ earnings, job security, and access to work are increasingly determined by automated decision-making tools.

The labour federation has urged the country’s trade negotiators to ensure that future trade agreements align with labour standards and support quality employment outcomes rather than the expansion of insecure forms of work.

For the workforce, the debate highlights growing efforts to extend labour rights, workplace protections, and accountability measures to the rapidly expanding gig economy, where millions of workers globally rely on digital platforms for income. The group is also seeking government backing for legislation that would strengthen protections for platform workers and bring international labour standards into the country’s digital employment framework.