BPJS Ketenagakerjaan launches PEKA program for economic empowerment

Indonesia's Ministry of Manpower and BPJS Ketenagakerjaan have launched the Economic Empowerment and Independence Program for Beneficiaries (PEKA) nationwide. The initiative aims to transform social security benefits from simple cash compensation into sustainable economic capital for workers and their families.

Minister of Manpower Yassierli emphasized that social security should not end with the payment of benefits following workplace risks or deaths. Instead, the funds should be utilized as seed capital to establish or expand productive businesses. This approach is designed to help heirs and workers entering retirement achieve long-term economic independence.

BPJS Ketenagakerjaan Director Saiful Hidayat stated the program follows a ‘Value Beyond Protection’ philosophy, providing entrepreneurship training, financial literacy, and business mentoring. The program aligns with the Ministry of Manpower's existing ‘Tenaga Kerja Mandiri’ (TKM) initiative, which has previously supported hundreds of thousands of independent workers.