Senators Risa Hontiveros and Francis Pangilinan called for updating the nearly 50-year-old Labor Code of the Philippines to address modern work setups, including AI, online jobs, freelancing, and the gig economy.
The proposed Revised Labor Code aims to make workers’ rights easier to understand, claim, and enforce while aligning with international labor standards and recent laws like the Expanded Maternity Leave and Anti-Pogo Act.
Pangilinan also emphasized modernizing the Audit Code to enable the Commission on Audit to monitor digital, public-private, and off-budget transactions.
Hontiveros noted the need to protect workers amid crises such as pandemics, war, and rising oil prices, calling for faster resolution of labor cases.
The senators stressed that a modernized code would safeguard workers, ensure government accountability, and promote economic growth.
Source: PhilNews24 | March 11, 2026
