HONTIVEROS URGES DOLE: ISSUE GUIDELINES TO PROTECT DELIVERY RIDERS FROM 'UNFAIR' LABOR PRACTICES

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Senator Risa Hontiveros today urged the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to swiftly issue guidelines and labor standards that will better protect and promote the welfare of delivery riders.

"Pinagaan ng mga delivery riders ang napakaraming transaksyon sa ilalim ng community quarantine. Pero ang kapalit ng paghahatid ng ating mga order sa takdang lugar at oras, ay ang pagharap sa napakaraming panganib sa gitna ng paghahanapbuhay. DOLE should come up with guidelines that will provide riders with appropriate social protection coverage, including but not limited to basic pay and social protection coverages," Hontiveros said.

Late last year, hundreds of food delivery riders filed a complaint before DOLE as they were treated only as freelancers by their mobile app operators. In February, another food delivery app left its riders with nothing after it ceased operations.

Hontiveros said that the guidelines should address these unethical terms of employment, emphasizing that delivery riders must be considered 'employees' since mobile app operators have control over their operations.

The senator explained, riders can avail of benefits under the law only when they are formally classified as 'employees'. These include membership in the Social Security System (SSS) as well as health insurance coverage under the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

"Pananagutan ng employer ang kahinatnan ng kanyang empleyado habang nasa kasagsagan ng trabaho. Hindi makatarungan na walang kalinawan kung sino ang may pananagutan sa ating mga delivery rider sakaling madisgrasya sila o magkasakit habang ginagampanan ang kanilang trabaho," she said.

She added that Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) and periodic testing should be provided for free by the logistics companies to prevent riders from acquiring COVID-19 while on duty.

"Sumulat tayo sa DOLE noong April dahil may lumapit sa atin na delivery rider na nagka-COVID habang nagtatrabaho. Dapat itong tingnan ng DOLE. We believe that this is not an isolated case as there are other logistic companies that might also be neglecting the welfare of its employees," she said.

Hontiveros also stressed that it is vital for DOLE to craft specific and targeted measures for the informal and gig economies as they are seen to be on the rise with the country continuing to face economic recession.

"Kung hindi ito aaksyunan ng DOLE sa lalong madaling panahon, patuloy at paulit-ulit lang itong mangyayari. Napapanahon na para maglabas ng kaukulang tuntunin dahil mas maraming kababayan natin ang namamasukan sa gig employment," she said.

"Huwag nating kalimutang frontliners rin ang ating mga delivery riders. Dahil sa kanilang pagkayod, ligtas at kumportable tayo sa loob ng ating mga bahay. Sa gitna ng napakalaking krisis pangkalusugan at pang-ekonomiya, hindi kalabisan ang hinihingi nilang proteksyon. Sana ay tayo naman ang maghatid ng kaginhawaan sa kanila," Hontiveros concluded.