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Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte is prodding senators to pass their counterpart measure to the House bill (HB) granting full protection to workers of the so-called "gig" industry, or freelancers.

“With the rapid growth of the global freelance economy and the resultant surge in demand for so-called gig workers not only in the Philippines but elsewhere in the world as well, it behooves our Congress to accord full job protection to our Filipino freelancers who are actually at risk of unfair labor practices in the absence of work contracts with their employers,” Villafuerte said in a statement Friday, May 12.

He said he hopes that senators would tackle this measure for the benefit of local  freelancers during the remaining four weeks of the first regular session of the 19th Congress. The first regular session will end on June 2.

The House of Representatives has already approved on third and final reading last Feb. 6 HB No.6718, or the proposed Freelance Workers’ Protection Act.

Villafuerte is among the authors ofnthe measure, which requires hiring parties or employers to first enter into written contracts with their freelance employees before the latter can start working for them.

The National Unity Party (NUP) president said these contracts shall itemize the following: the scope of work to be provided by the freelance employees, actual compensation and other financial benefits plus method and schedules of payment for such services delivered, grounds for breach of contract by other the employees or their workers, and other labor-related conditions set by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

He said HB No.6718 further entitles hired freelancers to extra work benefits such as night shift differential pay and hazard pay, whenever applicable, and a downpayment, upon contract signing, equivalent to at least 30 percent of the contract amount.

“Given the increasing demand for Filipino workers  in the global gig economy, it is our job as lawmakers to pass legislation that would help the Marcos administration better protect our freelancers against unfair labor practices in this new business where job contracts are not the norm,” Villafuerte said.

“This proposed law is meant to better protect our gig workers who number about 1.5 million at this point. This number is certainly growing bigger  by the day  amid the fast growth of the freelance economy and the ensuing bigger demand for Filipino freelancers," noted the Bicolano.

Local freelancers are engaged mainly in online-based jobs that range from content generation for various corporations and medical transcription to financial analysis and virtual assistance in highly competitive fields, Villafuerte said.

Senators must pass a counterpart measure to HB No.6718 for the proposed pro-freelance workers law to prosper.