BY VANNE TERRAZOLA
Senate President Vicente Sotto III is pushing the grant of enhanced protection and benefits for media workers.
Sotto on Friday called for the passage of his Senate Bill No. 1820, or the proposed “Media Workers’ Welfare Act” which seeks to provide media workers with a “comprehensive benefits package at par with the current benefits enjoyed by the labor force both in the government and private sector.”
“At times when reliable and accurate information is crucial, such as today amid the menacing health impacts of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, media workers have set aside all fear and reason and have gone the extra mile to gather facts and figures to make the public fully aware of what is happening in their government and communities,” Sotto said in a statement.
He said that while the state already recognizes its contributions, “it is unfortunate that the very same people behind it are not receiving tangible fruits of this recognition which include security of tenures, hazard pay, night shift differential pay, overtime pay, just to name a few.”
“Our media workers have sacrificed a lot in the name of public service. They spend more time with their microphones and cameras, recorders and laptops than their beds, their fur babies and their loved ones. It is time for the government to level up with them and provide them a safe and protected atmosphere conducive to a productive, free and fruitful media work,” he added.
In his bill, Sotto proposed the grant of minimum monthly compensation for news media workers based on the rates determined the government, as well as a guaranteed tenure and regularization.
The media worker shall be deemed a regular employee after six months of continuous employment and shall not be dismissed without just cause and due process.
Aside from these, media workers who were required to physically report for work in dangerous coverages must be compensated with a hazard pay of at least P500 per day. Overtime and night differential pay were also proposed.
Sotto also sought a mandatory insurance benefits on top of existing government insurance programs. These should include death benefits, disability benefits, and reimbursement of medical expenses.
Meanwhile, the bill also states that media entities shall be responsible for “all contents released under [their] name”, including claims against media workers, blocktimers, and advertisements. (Vanne Terrazola)
