Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
 First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. _______________
Introduced by ANG PROBINSYANO 
Party-List Representative Alfred Delos Santos
EXPLANATORY NOTE
In line with the policy of the State to to afford full protection to labor, promote
full employment and equality of employment opportunities for all, to ensure that
they be entitled to security of tenure, humane conditions of work, and a living wage,
this Bill aims to codify and institutionalize the various rights and benefits to be
granted to the said workers. This Bill seeks to implement measures in order to
alleviate the inequity suffered by the workers in the media and news sector.
Considering the peculiar hazards of their work, it is essential that they be
given adequate safeguards and benefits in how they do their job. Oftentimes, not
only are they involved in covering the events as they happen and letting the public
know  about  it,  they are  considered  part  of these  historical  events  themselves.
However, despite the immensity of their  tasks,  they are  often overworked and
underpaid. Even when they are considered on call 24/7, they are oftentimes not
given the compensation they deserve for these hours. 
In  light  of  the  foregoing,  the  Bill  proposes  measures  which  are  oriented
primarily  towards  the  protection  of  those  in  the  media  and  news  sectors,  the
protection and enforcement of their rights, and the institutionalization of the various
benefits to be granted to them.
It is for the foregoing premises that the approval of this Bill is earnestly
sought.
      ALFRED C. DELOS SANTOS
Representative, Ang Probinsyano Party-List
July 13, 2022
4:43 pm
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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. _______________
Introduced by ANG PROBINSYANO 
Party-List Representative Alfred Delos Santos
THE MAGNA CARTA FOR WORKERS IN THE MEDIA AND NEWS SECTOR
Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  the  House  of  Representatives  of  the
Philippines in Congress assembled:
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Magna Carta for
Workers in the Media and News Sector.”
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the declared policy of the State to
afford  full  protection  to  labor  and  promote  full  employment  and  equality  of
employment opportunities for all. These laborers shall be entitled to security of
tenure, humane conditions of work, and a living wage.
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. – For purposes of this Act, the term:
a) “Media  sector”  shall  refer  to  the  sector  engaged  in  communicating
information, art, and/or entertainment to a large audience. This includes print
media,  broadcast  television,  radio  and  audio  productions,  movie,
documentary,  and  film  production,  music  production,  distribution,  and
performance, musical theater, performance art, among others.
b) “News sector” shall refer to the sector engaged in any form of mass media
that focus on delivering news to the general public or a target public. These
include print media, broadcast news, and online platforms.
SECTION 4. Coverage. – The provisions of this Act shall be applicable to all
workers in the news and media industry, whether on contractual or regular basis, in
the public and private sectors.
SECTION 5. Employment Generation and Protection Support. – The State shall
ensure and promote the provision of employment opportunities and full protection
for workers in the news and media sector. In line with this, the Department of Labor
and  Employment  (DOLE)  shall  spearhead  nationwide  employment  generation
programs for workers in the news and media industry. The DOLE shall also provide
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adequate and sufficient regulations for the entertainment industries, television and
media networks, to assure that these workers are fully protected, regardless of
employment status.
SECTION 6. Professionalization of Workers in the Media and News Sector in
Public Service. – The State shall promote and ensure that the workers in the media
and news sector in the public service are conferred with the appropriate position
title, salary grade, just compensation, benefits, and professional recognition.
SECTION 7. Security of Tenure. – Workers in the media and news sector in the
public  sector  with  permanent  positions  shall  be  terminated  only  for  just  and
authorized causes:  Provided, That if it is determined by the proper authority that
the  worker  concerned  is  unjustly  dismissed,  he/she  shall  be  entitled  to
reinstatement  without  loss  of  seniority  rights  and  back  wages  with  twenty  per
centum  (20%)  interest  to  be  computed  from  the  time  of  withholding  of
compensation up to the time of reinstatement. However, if the worker concerned
does  not  wish  to  be  reinstated,  he/she  shall  be  entitled  to  back  wages  and
separation pay with the corresponding twenty per centum (20%) interest to be
computed from the time of withholding of compensation up to full payment of
judgment award.
SECTION 8. Normal Hours of Work. – The normal hours of work of a worker in
the media and news sector, whether in the public or private sector, shall not exceed
eight (8) hours per day or forty (40) hours  per week. The hours of work shall
include, but shall not be limited to the time in which:
a) The worker in the media and news sector concerned is required to be
present and on active duty at the prescribed place of work;
b) The worker in the media and news sector concerned is permitted to work,
whether or not such work is done at the prescribed place of work; and
c) The worker in the media and news sector concerned is required to work in
places other than the prescribed place of work.
SECTION 9. Overtime Work. – Where the exigencies of the service so require,
any worker in the media and news sector, whether in the public or private sector,
may be required to render service beyond the regular eight (8) hours per day,
inclusive  of  Saturdays,  Sundays,  and  non-working  holidays.  In  such  cases,  the
worker  in  the  media  and  news  sector  concerned  shall  be  given  additional
compensation in accordance with existing laws on the matter.
SECTION 10. Freedom from Interference or Coercion. – It shall be unlawful for
any person or juridical entity to commit any of the following acts upon any worker in
the media and news sector:
a) To require, as a condition of employment, that a worker in the media and
news sector concerned shall not join an association, organization, or union of
workers in the media and news sector s;


b) To discriminate in order to encourage or discourage membership in any
association, organization, or union of workers in the media and news sector;
c) To prevent a worker in the media and news sector from performing his/her
duties and functions in his/her association, organization, or union of  workers
in the media and news sector;
d) To penalize a worker in the media and news sector for any lawful action
performed in his/her capacity as a member of any association, organization,
or union of workers in the media and news sector;
d) To harass or intimidate a worker in the media and news sector or prevent
him/her from performing his/her official duties and functions; and
e) To perform acts that will diminish the independence and freedom of any
association, organization, or union of workers in the media and news sector in
directing its own affairs.
SECTION 11. Non-discrimination Provision. – Workers in the media and news
sector  shall  not  be discriminated  based on belief, civil  status,  ethnic grouping,
religion, or sex in connection to the exercise of his/her profession.
SECTION 12. Rights in Administrative Proceedings. – In every administrative
proceeding concerning a worker in the media and news sector, he/she shall have
the right to:
a) Be informed of the charges;
b) Full access to evidence against him/her;
c) Defend himself/herself with or without the assistance of counsel of his/her
choice;
d) Be given adequate time to prepare his/her case, which shall, in no case,
exceed thirty (30) days;
e) Appeal any adverse ruling to the proper authorities;
f)  Cross-examine  witnesses  and  to  have  subpoenas  processed  for  the
production of his/her own witnesses;
g) Reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred during his/her defense,
in cases of exoneration or dismissal of the charges; and
h)  Such  other  rights  provided  by  existing  laws,  rules,  and  regulation  in
relation to ensuring fairness and impartiality in administrative proceedings.
SECTION 13. Right to Join Organizations. – Workers in the media and news
sector  shall  have  the  right  to  autonomy  in  terms  of  joining  associations,
organizations, or unions for purposes not contrary to law, in the protection of their


mutual  interests,  and  in  the  pursuit  of  seeking  redress  for  grievances  through
peaceful concerted activities.
SECTION 14. Consultation in Policymaking. – All necessary public and private
sector institutions concerned with the media and news sector, to be determined by
the DOLE, shall be taken into consideration and consulted in the formulation of
national  educational  policies  and  professional  standards  as  well  as  in  the
formulation of national policies and programs on media and news sector of the
State:  Provided, That the State shall ensure that media and news associations,
organizations,  or  unions  are  adequately  represented  in  the  policymaking  and
consultative bodies of the State.
SECTION 15. Other Compensation and Benefits. – All workers in the media
and news sector, in addition to the compensation and benefits already provided by
existing laws, shall be entitled to the following compensation and benefits:
a) Representation Allowance and Travelling Allowance;
b) Hazard Allowance;
c) Subsistence Allowance;
d) Longevity Pay;
e) Clothing Allowance;
f) Housing Allowance;
g) Compensation for Injuries;
h) On-call Pay; and
i) Vehicle Loan.
SECTION  16.  Implementing  Rules  and  Regulations. –  The  DOLE  and  the
private  sector  stakeholders  in the  media  and  news sector,  shall formulate and
prepare the necessary implementing rules and regulations for the provisions of this
Act.
SECTION  17.  Monitoring  and  Implementation. –  The  DOLE  shall  form  an
Oversight Committee to monitor the implementation of the provisions of this Act.
The Oversight Committee shall be composed of representatives from the DOLE and
the private sector stakeholders on the development of the media and news sector:
Provided, That the Oversight Committee shall submit bi-annual reports regarding
the status of the implementation of the provisions of this Act to the Committee on
Labor and Employment of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
SECTION  18.  Penal  Clause. –  Any  person  who  shall  violate  any  of  the
provisions of this Act shall, upon conviction, be punished with a fine of not less than


Fifty Thousand Pesos (P50,000.00) or imprisonment of not more than one (1) year,
or both, at the discretion of the court.
If the offender is a public official, the court shall order his/her dismissal from
public service and the same shall be disqualified from holding public office.
SECTION 19. Separability Clause. – If any provision or part of this Act is held
invalid  or  unconstitutional,  the  remaining  provisions  or  parts  unaffected  shall
remain in full force and effect.
SECTION  20.  Repealing  Clause. –  All  laws,  executive  orders,  presidential
decrees  or  issuances,  letters  of  instruction,  administrative  orders,  rules,  and
regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
SECTION 21. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,