Social security is one of the pillars of the Decent Work agenda. In realizing decent work, nations work to extend social security coverage for their working populations. With global liberalization, access to social security has become increasingly relevant for workers as they face growing insecurity.
The Philippines faces major challenges in providing social security. While the national policy upholds universal social security coverage, a sizeable proportion of workers and their families remain uncovered. The large informal sector makes expansion of coverage daunting.
The ILO has carried out studies to understand social security challenges in the Philippines. The office has looked at government expenditure for social protection and efforts to extend social security to the informal sector. Other studies examine the feasibility of remitting premiums electronically and introducing unemployment insurance. The office has a project on micro-health insurance, highlighting the potential of expanding the reach of social protection among vulnerable and poor families.