By The Philippine Department of Labor and Employment has approved strict regulations requiring delivery platforms and motorcycle taxi operators to manage extreme heat risks for couriers, according to PravdaReport. Labor Advisory 22 (2026), signed by department head Francisco Tolentino, sets out mandatory cooling breaks, free water, shaded rest areas, protective gear and first aid kits for workers exposed to abnormal temperatures and El Niño conditions.
The advisory also prohibits platforms from lowering a courier’s rating, fining them, restricting access to orders or blocking their accounts if they stop working due to heat. Companies must implement a 24/7 emergency assistance service with an SOS function, register all employees in the Social Security System, and report heat-related hospitalizations or deaths to regional DOLE offices. The report states that “human safety now officially takes precedence over operational service efficiency.”
What Labor Advisory 22 requires in practice
The new rules shift responsibility for heat safety from individual couriers to the platforms that dispatch them. Employers must conduct route-based risk assessments, referred to in the advisory as HIRAC, that account for the actual heat index and time spent in transit. This means a courier assigned to a midday route through congested urban areas with little shade would trigger different protections than one working an early morning route.
When heat levels become critical, platforms must adjust order schedules. The advisory allows for rescheduling or canceling deliveries based on the current heat index. Training on high-temperature safety protocols is mandatory for all logistics services, not only for couriers but for anyone involved in dispatch and route planning.
The prohibition on punitive measures is significant. Under the advisory, a courier who stops working because of heat cannot be fined, have their rating lowered, lose access to orders, or have their account blocked. If a worker shows symptoms of heatstroke, immediate assistance is required, and demanding completion of a delivery in that condition is a direct violation.
What this means for HR and payroll teams
HR teams at delivery platforms, logistics companies and motorcycle taxi operators in the Philippines need to review their worker classification and safety policies. The requirement that all employees be officially registered in the Social Security System raises questions about how platforms classify their couriers. Companies that have treated riders as independent contractors may need to reassess whether that model remains viable under the new advisory.
Payroll teams should prepare for changes to how courier hours are recorded. Cooling breaks and schedule adjustments will affect shift calculations, and any rescheduled or canceled deliveries may alter pay calculations. The advisory does not specify whether cooling breaks must be paid, so employers should confirm how DOLE expects break time to be treated under existing wage rules.
The reporting obligations also create new administrative work. Companies must track heat-related illnesses and submit reports to regional DOLE offices when hospitalization or a death occurs. HR teams should establish internal reporting channels so couriers can flag heat-related symptoms without fear of retaliation, and so the company can meet its WAIR reporting duties.
Deadlines and compliance steps
The advisory does not specify a grace period in the available reporting, but administrative fines are prescribed for ignoring the new standards. Companies should treat the rules as immediately applicable and begin compliance work now.
Practical first steps include mapping current delivery routes against heat index data, identifying high-risk zones and times, and creating a schedule for cooling breaks. HR teams should draft or update heat safety policies, train dispatchers and couriers on the new protocols, and set up the 24/7 emergency assistance service and SOS function.
Employers should also audit their SSS registration records to confirm every courier is covered. The advisory makes registration mandatory, and gaps could expose companies to fines even if no heat-related incident occurs.
Common mistakes to avoid
One likely mistake is treating the advisory as guidance rather than enforceable rules. DOLE has prescribed administrative fines, and the state intends to monitor that businesses do not shift costs onto worker health. A policy document without operational changes will not satisfy the requirements.
Another risk is failing to connect heat safety to dispatch systems. Route-based risk assessments only work if dispatchers actually use them. A courier assigned to a high-heat route without adjusted schedules or cooling breaks creates liability for the platform, even if the company has a written heat policy.
Companies should also avoid retaliating against couriers who invoke their right to stop work. The advisory explicitly prohibits rating penalties, fines, order restrictions and account blocks. Any automated system that penalizes couriers for declining orders during heat events could put the company in violation.
| Requirement | What it means for employers |
|---|---|
| Route-based risk assessment | Evaluate heat index and transit time for each route before dispatch |
| Cooling breaks and water | Provide free water, shaded rest areas and scheduled breaks |
| Critical heat adjustments | Reschedule or cancel deliveries when heat index reaches critical levels |
| Worker protections | No rating penalties, fines, order restrictions or account blocks for heat-related work stops |
| Reporting | Track heat illnesses and report hospitalizations or deaths to regional DOLE offices |
Sources: PravdaReport
Photo: 1952 Ford Courier Delivery by Sicnag, CC BY 2.0
