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‘Bungang araw’ now comes with benefits

Alvin Murcia··2 MIN READ

HEAT rash can pay for itself if the labor department’s pronouncement holds true.

HEAT rash can pay for itself if the labor department’s pronouncement holds true.

Photograph courtesy of DOH

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You — yes, you — may be compensated for “bungang araw” or heat rash.

This as the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) has issued guidelines clarifying which heat-related illnesses may qualify for compensation under the Employees’ Compensation Program during El Niño and other periods of extreme heat.

Labor Advisory 19, Series of 2026, signed by Secretary Francis Tolentino over the weekend, covers the prevention, documentation and reporting of occupational heat-related illnesses, as well as the filing and evaluation of compensation claims.

The guidelines apply to workers covered by the program through the Social Security System and Government Service Insurance System who are exposed, or may reasonably be expected to be exposed, to excessive heat in the workplace. This includes both indoor and outdoor workers.

Aside from heat stroke, heat cramps and heat exhaustion, which are already recognized under existing compensation rules, other illnesses associated with extreme heat may also qualify for compensation under Employees’ Compensation Commission Board Resolution 26-10-40, Series of 2026.

These include heat syncope, or fainting and dizziness; heat rash, or bungang araw; rhabdomyolysis, or muscle damage; dehydration resulting in kidney injury; and neurological disorders affecting the normal functioning of the nervous system.

Whether an illness is work-related will depend on factors such as the employee’s duties, workplace conditions, duration and intensity of heat exposure, protective clothing and equipment, and preventive measures.

Heat Index classifications issued by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration may also support a claim.

Employers must maintain records of work-related heat illnesses and assist affected workers or their beneficiaries in filing compensation claims.

Supporting documents may include occupational safety and health records, workplace temperature measurements, work schedules, physical workload and work-rest arrangements, records of preventive measures, and witness statements.

Employers must also comply with DoLE reporting requirements, including submitting a Work Accident/Illness Report when required.

The Employees’ Compensation Commission, through its Regional Extension Units, and DoLE, through its regional offices and attached agencies, will disseminate the guidelines and provide technical assistance.