FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
1 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill seeks to protect the rights and promote the welfare of journalists by 
institutionalizing a comprehensive benefits and compensation package for them. 
Section 4 of Article 111, or the Bill of Rights, of the 1987 Constitution states that: 
”No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, 
or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress 
of grievances.” 
This constitutionally guaranteed freedom remains to be one of the main features 
that have distinguished the Philippines as a democratic republican State in Asia. And at 
the forefront of press freedom are selfless men and women who risk their lives just to 
bring across stories of public interest and national importance to the public 
Journalists, by the very nature of their job, are constantly exposed to risks and 
danger. It is but proper that the State provides for their distinct needs and divergent 
responsibilities to enable them to effectively exercise their role in bringing public 
information. 
This proposed measure aims to accomplish that by providing them security of 
tenure and work-related benefits like overtime pay, night shift differential, hazard 
allowance, leave benefits, compulsory membership in the government’s State Insurance 
Fund and exemption from payment of travel tax, terminal fees and other related 
charges when in the performance of their jobs. Likewise, this proposed measure 
guarantees the journalists’ right to self-organization and freedom from interference and 
coercion in the exercise of the same. 
Moreover, a National Journalists’ Coordinating Council is established to oversee 
and monitor the proper implementation of laws that promote the welfare of journalists 
in the country. 
Finally, to foster professionalism, this bill mandates the Press Secretary, upon 
consultation with existing journalists’ organizations to formulate a Code of Professional 
Conduct for Journalists. 
In view of the foregoing, immediate passage of this bill is earnestly requested. 
Senator 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
S.B. No. 1398 
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda 
AN ACT 
PROTECTING 
THE 
RIGHTS 
AND 
PROMOTING 
THE 
WELFARE 
OF 
JOURNALISTS WHILE IN THE EXERCISE OF THEIR PROFESSION, AND FOR 
OTHER PURPOSES 
Be if enacfed by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assemble; 
Article 1 
GENERAL PROVISIONS 
SEC.l. Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Journalist Welfare and Protection 
Act of 2007." 
SEC.2. Declaration of Policy and Objectives- It is the declared policy of the 
State that workers shall be entitled to security of tenure, humane conditions of work, 
and living wage. Consonant with this institutional principle, this Act shall 'have the 
following objectives; 
A) To ensure that the journalists shall be provided with a comprehensive 
benefits package at part with the current benefits enjoyed by those in the 
labor force; 
To motivate and encourage the journalists to better perform theil' duties as 
truthful and responsible informers of the people; and 
To ensure the creation of an atmosphere conducive to a productive and 
fruitful journalism work for journalists. 
8) 
C) 
SEC.3. Definition of Terms.- For purposes of this Act: 
A) 
"Media entities" - refers to all companies in the print and broadcast media 
(radio, television and newspapers) that are involve in the dissemination of 
news and information for public consumption and are duly accredited by 
any reputable association of media persons such as, but not lifnited the 
Philippine Information Agency - Office of the Press Secretary, National 
Press Club (NPC), National Union of Journalists pf the Philippines 
(NUJP), and Kapisanan ng mga Broadcaster sa Pilipinas (KBP). 


B) 
”Editorial and /or News Department” - refers to editors-in-chief, news 
editors, 
columnists, 
deskmen, 
reporters, 
correspondents 
and 
photographers on the part of the print media; and news editors, 
newscasters, commentators / announcers, field reporters, field 
correspondents, and cameramen on the part of the broadcast: media. 
”Front-line media persons” - specifically refers to those directly involved 
in data-gathering from the field, and news reporting whether in print on 
television or on radio, such as, but not limited to, print reporters, 
cameramen, photo-journalists, radio reporter and television reporters. 
”Journalist” - shall mean any member of the Editorial and/or News 
Department including front-line media persons. 
C) 
D) 
SEC.4 . Coverage- This Act shall apply to all permanent, temporary, cQntractua1 
and casual journalists employed by all existing media entities in the Philippines. 
Article I1 
DUTIES, OBLIGATION/ PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT 
, 
SEC.5. Duties and obligations.- The journalist shall; 
A) 
B) 
C) 
D) 
Discharge his / her duties with conscience and dignity; 
Perform his / her duties and outmost respect for truth and honesty; 
Exercise his/ her profession without considerations of race, religion, 
nationality and party / political affiliation or social standing; 
Perform other duties and functions their profession may require.’ 
I 
SEC.6. Code of Professional Conduct.- Within six (6) months from the approval 
of this Act, the Press Secretary, upon consultation with the existing journalists’ 
organizations, shall formulate and prepare a Code of Professional Conduct for 
Journalists which shall be disseminated as widely as possible. 
Article I11 
HOURS OF WORK, WORKING CONDITIONS, SALARIES AND 
RENUMERATIONS, 
SEC.7.Normal Hours of Work.- The normal.hours of work of any journalist shall 
not exceed eight (8) hours a day or forty-eight (48) hours a week. 
I 
Hours worked shall include: 
All the time during which a journalist is required to on active duty or to 
be at a prescribed workplace; and 
All the time which a journalist is permitted to work: Pvobided: That the 
time when a journalist is placed on ”On Call” status shall not be 
considered as hours worked but shall entitle the journalists to an “on call” 
pay equivalent to fifty percent (50%) of his regular wage. 
A) 
B) 


SEC.8. Overtime Work,- Where the exigencies of the service so require, any 
journalist, who, under the Labor Code, may be required to render service beyond the 
normal eight (8) hours a day, shall be paid an additional compensation for the’overtime 
work in an amount equivalent to his / her regular wages plus at least twenty five (25%) 
thereof. 
SEC.9. 
A) 
Work During Rest Day or Holiday- 
Where.a journalist is required to work on his / her scheduled rest day and 
or special holidays not falling on regular holidays, he / she shall be paid a 
compensation equivalent to his / her regular wage plus at least thirty 
percent (30%) and an additional amount of not less than ten percent (10%) 
of such premium pay rate for each hour of work performed. 
Where a journalist is required to work on any regular holiday,: he / she 
shall be entitled to his / her regular wage during these days plus an 
additional compensation of not less than ten percent (10%) of such 
premium pay rate fofieach hour of work performed. Where such holiday 
work falls on the worker’s schedule rest day, he / she shall be entitled to 
an additional compensation of thirty percent (30%) of his / hdr regular 
wage. 
B) 
SEC.lO. Night Shift Differential,- Any journalist required to work between ten 0’ 
clock in the evening and six o clock in the morning shall be paid a night shift differential 
of ten percent (10%) of his / her regular wage for each hour of work performed. 
d 
SEC.ll. Salaries- 
A) 
Criteria .for salaries - In determination of ,the salary scale of journalist the 
following factors shall, inter alia, be considered: 
1. 
Comparable wages and income in other occupation withithe same 
degree of training and qualification; 
2. 
Coast of living; 
3. 
Imperatives of economic and social development. 
Salaries to be paid in Legal Tender - Salaries of journalist shall be paid in 
legal tender of the Philippines, or the equivalent in checks or treasury 
warrant; Provided, however, that such checks or treasury operating under 
the laws of the Republic of the Philippines. 
B) 
Article IV 
BENEFITS AND ALLOWANCES 
SEC.12. State Insurance Fund - Coverage in the State Insurance Fund shall be 
compulsory upon all media entities and the journalists as provided by existing laws. 
SEC.13. Hazard Allowance- Front-line media journalists assigned for at least (5) 
days with one (1) month in hospitals, difficult areas, strife-torn or embattled areas, 
distressed or isolated stations, prison camps, mental hospitals, disease-infested areas or 
in areas declared under the state of calamity or emergency for the duratioh thereof 
which expose them to great danger, radiation, volcanic activity or eruption,an# the like, 
shall be compensated hazard allowances equivalent to at least fifty percent (50%) of 


their monthly basic salary. Members of the Editorial or News Department shall likewise 
be entitled to hazard allowance equivalent to twenty-five percent (25) of their basic 
salary, to be given on the first pay period of January each year. 
SEC.14. Exemption from Travel Tax, Terminal Fees and other Related Charges 
- All journalists whose travels is in pursuit of journalistic assignments as certified by 
their superiors, shall be exempted from paying travel tax, terminal fees and other 
related charges which shall include, among others, toll fees in freeways and ferry boats 
in inland travels. 
Article V 
LEAVE AND RETIREMENT BENEFITS 
SEC.15. Leave Benefits for Journalists - Journalists are entitled to such vacation 
and sick leaves as provided by existing laws: Provided,'That. in addition to ,the leave 
privileges presently enjoyed by journalists, married journalists are entitled to such 
maternity or paternity leaves as provided by existing laws: Provided further, That upon 
retirement of journalists, they shall be entitled to all leave credits with pay. 
SEC.16. Highest Basic Salary Upon Retirement - Three (3) months prior to 
compulsory retirement, the journaIist shall automatically be granted his/ her retirement 
benefits thereafter, computed on the basis of his/her highest salary: Provided, That he / 
she has fulfilled the age and service requirement under existing laws. 
Article VI 
LABOR ORGANIZATIONS 
I 
SEC.17. Right to Self - Organization,- Journalists shall have the right to freely 
form labor organizations for purposes not contrary to law in order to depend and 
protect their mutual interest and to obtain redness of their grievances througb peaceful 
means. 
I 
SEC.18. Freedom from Interference or Coercion.- It shall be unlawfyl for any 
person to commit any of the following acts of interference or coercion: 
A) To require as condition of employment that a journalist shall not join a 
journalists' organization or shall relinquish membership from one to which he / 
she belongs; 
8) To discriminate in regard to tenure of employment as any term or condition of 
employment in order to encourage or discourage membership in any journalists' 
organization; 
C) To prevent a journalist from carrying out the duties laid upon him / her position; 
D) To harass or interfere with the discharge of the functions of the jourmalist and 
prevent him/ her from performing his/ her duties and responsibilities. 


Article VI1 
NATIONAL JOURNALISTS’ COORDINATING COUNCIL 
SEC.19. There shall be established a National Journalists’ Coordinating Council 
to be composed of five (5) members namely; the Press Secretary as Chairman, and as 
members, the chairman of the Philippine Information Agency, Director of the News and 
Information Bureau, director of the International Press Center and Director of the Media 
Relations and Accreditation Center, and two appointive members, one of whom shall 
represent the employees and the other, the employers, to be appointed by the President 
of the Philippines for a term of six (6) years. All vacancies shall be filled for the 
unexpired term only. The presence of four (4) Members shall constitute a quorum. 
SEC.20. Powers and Duties,- The council shall have the following powers and 
A) To initiate policies and programs for journalist to grow and develop in 
their potential and experience a sense of worth and dignity in their 
work; 
B) To institutionalize mechanisms to upgrade the working conditions and 
salaries of journalists; 
C) To create programs for continued manpower training and 
development to enable to avail of educational opportynities of 
personal growth and development; 
D) To ensure that due process is observed with regard to abused 
journalists; 
E) To institu’cionalized mechanisms for democratic consultation with the 
government in the event that existing national policies affecting the 
journalists are ineffective; 
F) To acquire property, real or personal, which may be necessary or 
expedient for the attainment of the purposes of this Act; 
G) To coordinate and oversee the proper implementation of laws and 
regulations that benefit journalists; and 
H) To perform such other acts as it may deem appropriate for the 
attainment of the purposes of the council and proper enforcement of 
the provisions of this Act. 
duties; 
I 
Article VI11 
FINAL PROVISIONS 
SEC.21. Penal Provision - Any person who shall willfully interfere with, restrain 
or coerce any journalist in the exercise of hi / her duties and his / her rights gharanteed 
by this Act or shall in any manner commit any act in violation of the provision of this 
Act, the rules and regulations issued pursuant there to shall upon conviction, be 
punished by a fine of not less than fifty thousand pesos (50,000.00) nor more than one 
hundred thousand pesos (PlOO.OOO.00) or imprisonment of not less than five, (5) years 
nor more than ten (10) years or both such fine and imprisonment depending upon the 
discretion of the court. Provided, that the preceding paragraph, the penalty of perpetual 
disqualification from office shall be imposed. 


SEC.22. Separability Clause,- If any provision of this Act is declared invalid, the 
remainder of this Act or any provisions not affected thereby shall remain in force and 
effect. 
SEC.23 Repealing Clause,- Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, rule and regulation inconsistent with the provisions of this 
Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC.24. Effectivity,- This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from the date of 
its publication in -the official gazette or in at leased two (2) newspapers of general 
circulation. 
Approved