TNVS drivers earn more than minimum wage — study

Philstar.com

February 10, 2026 | 2:45pm

MANILA, Philippines — Transport network vehicle services (TNVS) riders and drivers receive above the mandated minimum wage in the Philippines, according to a recent study commissioned by the International Labor Organization (ILO).

In the “2025 Platform Work Survey: Philippines” presented during the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) 2026 National Tripartite Conference, it also noted that digital platforms are a major source of livelihood in the country because of the flexible working arrangements they offer.

According to the survey that covered 12 out of 17 regions in the country, the average net earnings of a TNVS rider or driver per week reach P6,704.00, net of costs, as opposed to the average minimum wage of approximately P498 to P695 per day or P4865 weekly set by the government. 

The survey was conducted from June to December 2025 and interviewed 400 respondents from nine platforms providing food delivery, logistics and parcel delivery, and ride-hailing services. It has a margin of error of 5%.

The ILO commissioned a comprehensive survey on platform work, including delivery and TNVS riders and drivers, to analyze the working conditions of workers in the platform economy, document labor practices, assess the impact of digital platforms on employment, and inform enterprise formalization and social protection strategies.

Based on the ILO study, nearly 90% of the riders and drivers indicated that they have access to social protection provided by the platform, including health insurance, insurance for workplace injury, and pension plan or retirement benefit. 

Among the top reasons the TNVS riders considered for choosing this industry are flexibility, which allows them to select their schedules and attend to family and personal matters, and decent earnings, which they deemed better than other available jobs.

According to riders and drivers, there are platform initiatives to improve their working conditions, such as increasing earnings and incentives, enhancing training and safety, and improving operational support and communication channels.

The study also noted that ride-hailing app platforms are specifically focusing on facilitating mandatory government benefits — Social Security System (SSS), PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG — to their drivers. (Contributed story)

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