Delivery riders, ride-hailing operators and Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) drivers in the Philippines can access benefits under the government’s Employees’ Compensation (EC) Program for work-related illness, injuries and disabilities, according to the Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC).
The expanded coverage brings self-employed and platform-based workers into a government safety net traditionally associated with employees in formal workplaces.
The EC Program provides benefits and services to public and private sector workers and their dependents when a work-related illness or injury results in disability or death. The coverage for self-employed Social Security System (SSS) members has been in place since September 2020, extending the programme to independent workers and freelancers.
To qualify, a self-employed worker must have paid at least one month of SSS contributions before the occurrence of a work-related illness, accidental injury or disability. Claims can be filed with the SSS by the worker or a family member within three years of the incident.
The programme can provide financial and medical support, although benefits may be withheld when an injury, illness, disability or death results from intoxication, an intentional act to injure or kill oneself or another person, or notorious negligence.
The ECC is encouraging self-employed platform workers, including gig workers, app-based contractors, delivery riders and TNVS drivers registered with the SSS, to check their eligibility and claim available benefits.
The development comes as the Philippine government seeks to extend worker protection to a growing segment of the labour market operating outside conventional employment arrangements.
The EC Program is administered by the ECC and provides a range of benefits to workers and their dependents in cases involving work-connected sickness, injury, disability or death.