House panel approbates bill for better payment of media workers

The House Committee on Labor and Employment approved a bill that seeks to provide protection, better pay, and benefits to media workers.

Authored by ACT-CIS party-list representative and former journalist, Niña Taduran, the House Bill No. 2476 seeks to mandate improved benefits for media workers such as overtime pay, minimum compensation, social security and welfare benefits, hazard pay, insurance coverage, and regularization.

"I am very convinced that this bill... is ripe for the plenary... Media workers will be assured of just wages, security of tenure, entitlement to overtime, nightshift differential, hazard pay, as well as insurance coverage." Taduran said.

She added that there will no longer be reporters who will cover a typhoon wearing a garbage bag for protection.

Under the proposed bill, media workers shall not receive less than the applicable minimum wage rate mandated by the law and will also be entitled to overtime pays and benefits provided by the Labor Code of the Philippines.

The bill also decree that all media workers must be covered by the Social Security System (SSS), Pag-Ibig fund, and PhilHealth upon employment.

The bill is set to be scheduled by the House Committee on Rules for plenary deliberations.

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