House OKs bill granting additional protection, benefits for media workers

The House of Representatives on Monday approved on third and final reading the measure seeking to provide enhanced protection, security, and benefits for media workers.

With an overwhelming 218 votes, the chamber approved House Bill 8140, or the proposed "Media Workers' Welfare Act."

The measure essentially aims to ensure that media workers are paid sufficient wages, allowances, and benefits that the law provides to all employees, and promote an atmosphere conducive to a productive and free media.

Under the bill, media workers and entities in the private sector are entitled to minimum wage prescribed by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board, as well as to overtime pay, night shift premiums, hazard pay, and other forms of compensation provided under the Labor Code of the Philippines and other related laws.

The measure also ensures security of tenure for media workers after the probationary work period of six months of continuous work.

It also provides them additional insurance coverage aside from the social welfare benefits they already enjoy under the programs of the Social Security System, Pag-IBIG, and PhilHealth.

These include a death benefit of P200,000 for each media worker who died in the line of duty, a disability benefit of P200,000 for partial disability arising from injury at work, and medical insurance benefit of P100,000.

Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Zarate welcomed the approval of the measure on third and final reading.

"Ang mga manggagawa sa sector ng media ay ang laging nauuna pagdating sa iba’t ibang mga kaganapan dito sa ating bansa, at wala itong pinipiling panahon—dahil trabaho nila ang maghatid ng balita at impormasyon sa madla," he said.

:Dahil sa pagkilala ng karapatan ng mga media workers at pagbibigay sa kanila ng mga dagdag na benepisyo, lalo na ang pagkakaroon ng mandatory insurance ay bumuboto ng 'Yes' ang representasyon na ito sa HB 8140," he added. — BM, GMA News