Go backs measure protecting rights, welfare of freelance workers

(The Philippine Star), 12 Sep 2020

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Bong Go has expressed support for and co-sponsored a measure ensuring that protection given to freelancers is up to par with that of regular employees.

Senate Bill 1810, or the proposed Freelancers Protection Act filed by Senators Joel Villanueva and Ramon Revilla, seeks to institutionalize the protections granted to freelance workers in the country.

In his manifestation at a Senate session last Wednesday, Go said that “freelancing is a viable way of earning a living, especially in a time of crisis like this.”

“It is about time that the law recognizes the importance of the industry and the necessity of ensuring that our freelancers will not be abused,” Go added.

Go also noted that many companies have closed, leaving many Filipinos with no alternative but to do freelance work.

“The least we can do is to make sure their rights and well-being are protected,” Go added.

Even outside a time of crisis, freelancing has been emerging as an alternative to the traditional employer-employee work model, he noted.

“A lot of our workforce prefer to do their work on their own terms, and just as the law was written to protect the employees back then, the law must now recognize this emerging way of earning a living,” Go said.

Due to the absence of formal written contracts with their clients, Filipino freelance workers are vulnerable to abuse and have very little recourse through the law.

Under the proposed measure, a written contract will be required “reflecting the mutual consent of the parties to be bound by the terms and conditions of their freelance work engagement and the consideration for the services rendered by the freelancer” as sponsor Sen. Villanueva said in an interview.

The proposed bill also guarantees the rights of freelance workers. These include their rights to affordable and sufficient financial services, education and skills training as well as social protection and social welfare benefits, among others.