FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
7 JUN 35 r32 1 ; 
First Regular Session 
) 
/;.I 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill seeks to protect the welfare of journalists, instituting for the 
purpose a comprehensive benefits and compensation package. 
One of the main requisites of democracy is a vibrant, dynamic media. 
Philippines, being a democratic country, cannot sustain and preserve its liberal 
ideas and principles without such media. 
Journalists - the leading source of news and information - risk their life 
and limb in order to make the public aware of the events happening in and out of 
the country. 
There have been reliable reports, however, involving some 
exploitative publishing firms that abuse and trample on the rights of journalists. 
These media outfits do not provide journalists with security of tenure, humane 
work conditions, just wages and a comprehensive benefits package. Journalists 
do not enjoy additional compensation such as hazard pay, night differential, and 
insurance. Moreover, many of them have been subjected to physical harm by 
criminal elements and even by some rotten and abusive members of the 
Philippine National Police (PNP). 
Take as instance the case of Ferdinand 
Reyes, Carlos Sanchez, and many others that were either killed or severely 
injured in the line of duty. 
Considering these abuses against journalists, it has been urgently 
necessary for the enactment of a law that will: effectively deter physical abuse 
against journalists through the imposition of stiff penalties; provide for security to 
journalists through standardized policies on their work conditions, salary, and 
reasonable benefits package. 
Journalists, being constantly exposed to danger, should be accorded 
greater financial and social security to motivate and encourage them to better 
perform their duties and responsibilities as truthful informers of the people. 
Hence, should they get injured or be killed in the performance of their significant 
tasks, their families would be able to avail of certain benefits that will help them 
maintain normal lives. 


This measure therefore seeks to promote both the welfare and protection 
of journalists as front line media persons by providing social security in the 
strictest sense of the word. 
Approval of this bill is earnest sought. 
EJERCITO ESTRADA 
a- 
Senator 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
First Regular Session 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
S E N A T E  
Senate Bill No. 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
PROMOTING THE WELFARE OF AND PROVIDING PROTECTION TO 
JOURNALISTS, PROVIDING PENALTIES THEREOF AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Title. This Act shall be known as the “Journalist Welfare and 
Protection Acf of 2007. 
SEC 2. Declarafion of Policy and Objectives. It is declared policy of the 
State that workers shall be entitled to security to tenure, humane conditions of 
work, and a 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 par with the current benefits enjoyed by those in 
the labor force; 
b) To motivate and encourage the journalists to better perform their duties 
c) To ensure the creation of an atmosphere conducive to a productive 
as truthful and responsible informers of the people; and 
and fruitful journalism work for journalists. 
SEC 3. Definition of Terms. For purpose of this Act, the following terms 
will be used extensively in the course of this act. 
a) “Media enfities” - refers to all companies in the print and broadcast 
media (radio, television and newspapers) that are involved in the 
dissemination of news and information for public consumption and are 
duly accredited by any reputable association of media person such as, 
but not limited to, the Philippine Information of news and information 
for public consumption and are duly accredited by any reputable 
association of media person such as, but not limited to, the Philippine 
Information Agency - Office of the Press Secretary, National Press 
Club (NPC), National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), 
and Kapisanan ng mg Broadcaster sa Pilipinas (KBP). 


b) Ediforial and/or News Department - refers to editors-in-chief, news 
editors columnists, deskmen, reporters, correspondences 
and 
photographers on the part of the print media, and news editors, 
newscasters, 
commentators/announcer 
field 
reports, 
field 
correspondents, and cameramen on the part of the broadcast media. 
c) "Front-in-line media person" - specifically refers to those directly 
involved in data gathering from the field, and news reporting whether in 
print, on television or on radio reporting whether in print, on television 
or on radio, such as, but not limited to, print reporters, cameramen, 
photo-journalists, radio reporters and television reporters. 
d) "Journalist" shall mean any member of the Editorial and/or News 
Department including front-line media persons. 
SEC 4. 
Coverage, This Act shall apply all permanent, temporary, 
contractual and casual journalists employed by all existing media entities in the 
Philippines. 
Article II 
DUTIES, OBLIGATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT 
SEC 5. Duties and Obigations. The journalist shall: 
a) Discharge hidher duties with conscience and dignity; 
b) Perform hidher duties with utmost respect for truth and honesty; 
c) Exercise hislher profession without considerations of race, religion, 
d) P,erForm other duties and functions their profession may require. 
nationality and party/political affiliation or social standing; 
SEC 6. Code of Professional Conduct. Within six (6) months from the 
approval of this Act, the Press Secretary, upon consultation with existing 
journalists' organization, shall formulate and prepare a Code of Professional 
Conduct or Journalists which shall be disseminated as widely as possible. 
Article 111 
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. 
Hours worked shall include: 
a) All the time during which a journalist is required to be on active duty or 
to be at a prescribed workplace and 


b) All the time during which a journalist is permitted to work: Provided, 
that the time when a journalist is place 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. 
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 equivalent to hislher regular wage plus 
at least twenty-five (35%) thereof. 
SEC 9. Work During Rest Day or Holiday. 
a) Where a journalist is required to work his/her scheduled rest day 
andlor special holidays not falling on regular holidays, he/she shall be 
paid a compensation equivalent to hislher 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 hours of work 
performed. 
b) Where a journalist is required to work on any regular holiday, he/she 
shall be entitled to hislher regular wage during these days plus an 
additional compensation of not less than ten percent (10%) of such 
premium pay rate for each hour of work performed. Where such 
holiday work falls on the worker‘s scheduled rest day, helshe shall be 
entitled to an additional compensation of thirty percent (30%) of hislher 
regular wage. 
SEC IO. Njgbf Shift Differential. Any journalist required to work between 
ten o’clock in the evening and six o’clock in the morning shall be paid a night shift 
differential of ten percent (10%) of hislher regular wage for each hour of work 
performed. 
SEC 1 I. 
Salaries. 
a) Criteria for salaries - In determination of the salary scale of journalists 
the following factors shall, inter alia, be considered: 
1) Comparable wages and income in their occupations with same 
degree of training and qualifications; 
2) Cost of living; 
3) Imperatives of economic and social development. 
b) Salaries to be paid in Legal Tender Salaries of journalists shall be paid 
in legal tender of the Philippines, or the equivalent in checks or 
treasury warrants; Provided, however, That such checks or treasury 
warrants shall be convertible to cash in any banking institution 
operating under the laws of the Republic of the Philippines. 


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 five (5) days within one (1) month in hospital, difficult areas, strife-torn or 
embattled areas, distressed or isolated stations, prison camps, mental hospitals, 
disease-infested areas or in areas declared under state of calamity or emergency 
for the duration thereof which expose them to great danger, radiation, volcanic 
activity or eruption and the like, shall be compensated hazard allowances 
equivalent to at least fifty percent (50%) of their monthly basic salary. Member of 
the Editorial or News Department shall likewise be entitled to a hazard allowance 
equivalent to twenty-five percent (25%) of their monthly basic salary, to be given 
on the first pay period of January each year. 
SEC 14. Exemption from Travel Tax, Terminal Feed and other Related 
Charges. All journalists whose travels is in pursuit of journalistic assignments as 
certified by their superiors, shall include, among others, toll fees in freeways and 
ferry boats in inland travels. 
Article V 
LEAVE AND RETIREMENT BENEFITS 
SEC 15. Right to Self-Organization. Journalists shall have the right to 
freely form labor organizations for purposes not contrary to law in order to defend 
and protect their mutual interest and to obtain redress of their grievances through 
peaceful means. 
SEC 16. Freedom from lnterference of Coercion. It shall be unlawful for 
any person to commit any of the following acts of interference or coercion: 
a) To require as a condition of employment that a journalist shall not join 
a journalists’ organization or shall relinquish membership from one to 
which helshe belongs. 
c) 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. 
d) To harass or interfere with the discharge of the functions of the 
journalist and prevent himlher from performing hislher duties and 
responsibilities. 


Article VI 
NATIONAL JOURNALISTS' COORDINATING COUNCIL 
SEC 17. 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 Media and Information Bureau, Director of the Media Relations 
and Accreditation Center, and two appointive members, one of whom shall 
represent the employees and the other, the employees, 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 18. Power and Dufies. The Council shall have the following power 
and duties: 
a) To initiate policies and programs for journalists to grow and develop in 
their potentials 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 journalists to avail of educational opportunities of personal 
growth and development; 
d) To ensure that due process is observed with regard to abused 
journalists; 
e) To institutionalize 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 perform such other acts as it may deem appropriate for the 
attainment of the purposes of the council and proper enhancement of 
the provisions of this Act. 
Article VI1 
FINAL PROVISION 
SEC 19. Penal Provision. Any person shall willfully interfere with restrain 
or coerce any journalist in the exercise of hislher duties and hislher rights 
guaranteed by this Acts or shall in any manner commit any act in violation of the 
provisions of this Act, the rules and regulations issued pursuant thereto shall, 
upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not less than fifty thousand pesos 
(P50,OOO.OO) nor more than one hundred thousand pesos (PlO0,OOO.OO) or 
imprisonment of not less than five (5) years nor more than ten (IO) years or both 


such fine and imprisonment depending upon the discretion of the court. 
Provided, that if the offender is a public official, in addition to the penalties 
provided in the preceding paragraph, the penalty of perpetual disqualification 
from office shall be imposed. 
SEC 20. Separability Clause. If any provision of the Act is declared 
invalid, the remainder of this Act or any provisions not affected thereby shall 
remain in force and effect. 
SEC 21. Repealing Clause. Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, rule or regulation inconsistent with the 
provisions of this Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC 22. €ffecfivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from the 
date of its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspaper of 
general circulation. 
Approved,