The Bureau of Working Conditions (BWC) has urged the Philippine business process outsourcing (BPO) industry to adopt stricter safety standards and uniform best practices to protect employees during calamities, following reports that several firms required staff to report on-site amid the dangerous conditions of Super Typhoon Uwan.
BWC Director Alvin Curada said BPO companies, through their Industry Tripartite Council, should establish consistent protocols and contingency plans to guide operations during severe weather events.
“They should discuss these challenges to identify recommendations, next steps, and best practices,” Curada told The Philippine Star, adding that BPO companies must have clear business continuity plans to ensure preparedness for similar emergencies.
Curada said it is unacceptable for firms to cite client demand as justification for requiring employees to work during typhoons or disasters. “Workers have the right to refuse work if they believe there is imminent danger,” he emphasized.
Reports of forced work spark DOLE probe and worker outcry
The statement follows reports from the BPO Industry Employees Network (BIEN) that 21 BPO firms continued “business as usual” operations during Super Typhoon Uwan, forcing employees to brave floods, blackouts, and unsafe commutes.
BIEN stated that some workers who refused to report were issued “notices to explain,” which could potentially violate DOLE guidelines on work suspension during severe weather.
The group has formally asked the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to investigate 98 BPO companies for possible occupational safety violations. In response, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma ordered regional offices to inspect the firms and ensure compliance with worker safety regulations.
BIEN urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to “match DOLE’s investigation with decisive national action,” calling for mandatory hazard pay, stricter disaster protocols, and an end to what it described as “corporate impunity” in the outsourcing sector.
Lawmakers push for stronger BPO labor protections
The controversy has renewed calls for stronger worker safeguards across the BPO sector. Senator Raffy Tulfo filed Senate Bill 1493, also known as the BPO Workers’ Welfare and Protection Act, which aims to ensure safer and fairer employment conditions in the industry.
The measure seeks automatic work suspension during disasters, hazard pay, earlier access to medical benefits, regularization after six months, and a ₱36,000 national entry-level wage. It also promotes voluntary work reporting during severe weather and stricter penalties for companies that endanger workers.
Meanwhile, progressive lawmakers refiled the Magna Carta for BPO Workers, which seeks to codify minimum labor standards and guarantee union rights. They set clear health and safety protocols, including protections against forced reporting during calamities.
Recent incidents, such as workers in Cebu returning to quake-affected offices and Metro Manila employees wading through floods, expose ongoing safety gaps, lawmakers said. They argue that reforms are overdue for an industry that fuels the economy, yet still struggles with workplace safety and labor rights.
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Sampang, D. (2025, November 13). BPO employees’ group urges Marcos to strengthen safe labor practices. Inquirer. Retrieved from https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2139684/bpo-employees-group-urge-marcos-to-strengthen-workers-safe-labor-practices
Macayan, D. (2025, October 10). Philippine lawmakers refile Magna Carta to protect BPO workers. Outsource Accelerator. Retrieved from https://news.outsourceaccelerator.com/magna-carta-protect-bpo-workers/
