Sen. Bam seeks protection and incentives for freelancers

The rise of freelance work force in the country has prompted Sen. Bam Aquino to file a bill recognizing their right to protection from late or non-payment for services rendered.

"With more and more freelancers in the country, we are confronted with an urgent need to protect this new sector and empower then with ease of doing business," Aquino said.

"In our age of instantaneous global communication and interconnectivity, increased specialization and a millennialism that values mobility, creativity and entrepreneurship, we can only expect our pool of freelancers to grow," Aquino stressed in filing Senate Bill No. 351, also known as the "Freelancers Protection Act."

"Let us waste no time in ensuring that they are not inconvenienced by red tape and that they are protected from difficult, even fraudulent clients," he added.

One of the biggest challenges of a freelancer is non-payment of services.

The bill gives freelancers the power to demand from their employer what they are rightfully due as per their signed contract.

The bill also does not bar the aggrieved party from filing a complaint to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) or seek a civil case before the court.

Aquino noted that freelancing is no longer just a temporary state while they pursue their dream job but a long-term career choice.

For many intelligent and skilled Filipinos with strong network and marketable services, it is now considered a dream job, a fundamental source of livelihood especially for those who value mobility, their own time and freedom from a fixed employer, the senator further said.

Aquino's measure takes into account the ease of doing business for freelancers, making it easier for them to register in the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and mandates their exemption from tax payments for the first three years.

The bill is now pending in the committee on labor, employment and human resource development.

Its chair, Sen. Joel Villanueva, has signified his intention to be made co-author of the bill.