House OKs bill to protect self-employed persons

MANILA, Philippines — The House Committee on Ways and Means on Monday approved a bill that would provide legal and contractual protections to freelancers or self-employed individuals in the country. The still unnumbered substitute bill will require a written contract between a freelancer and the hiring party. The same bill was approved by the House committee on labor last week. The committee chair, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, one of the principal authors of the measure, said the Labor Code “does not define freelancers,” adding that “there is also no formal contractual framework for freelancers in the law.” Salceda said that about 1.5 million Filipinos were employed in the “gig” economy, or freelancing, prior to the pandemic. Under the bill, Salceda said freelancers would be eligible for night shift differential and hazard pay. —Nestor Corrales