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THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
..a 
S. No. 790.; 
1 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANUEL B. VILLAR,.JR. 
. _  
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
As a policy, the State recognizes the pivotal roles of mass media in providing all 
citizens broad access to public information, consistent with the constitutional 
provisions which emphasize the vital role of communication in nation-building, 
and the right of the people to information on matters of public concern. The 
State likewise provides the policy environment for the full development of 
Filipino capability and the emergence of communication structures suitable to 
the needs and aspirations of the nation and the balanced flow of information 
into, out of, and across the country, in accordance with a policy that respects 
the freedom of speech and of the press. 
In accordance with these policies, this bill promotes and provides incentives, 
protection and benefits to members of the media industry for their 
indispensable role in providing an effective check and balance system in our 
democratic and republican state and serving as a symbol of truth in public 
information and communication. 
In view of the foregoing, immediate passage of this bill is sought. 
MANUEL B. VI LAR, JR. 
t 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
S. No. 
. 
79W", 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANUEL B. VILLAR, JR. 
AN ACT 
. .  
GRANTING SPEC= 
PROTECTION AND ADDITIONAL BENEFITS TO 
MEDIA PERSONS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as Media Special Protection and Additional 
Benefits Act of 2004. 
SECTION 2. It is hereby declared the policy of the State to recognize the pivotal 
roles of mass media in providing all citizens broad access to public information, 
consistent with the constitutional provisions which emphasizes the vital role of 
communication in nation-building, and the right of the people to information on 
matters of public concern. The State likewise provides the policy environment for the 
full development of Filipino capability and the emergence of communication structures 
suitable to the needs and aspirations of 
the nation and the balanced flow of 
information into, out of, and across the country, in accordance with a policy that 
respects the freedom of speech and of the press. 
In accordance with these policies, the State shall promote and provide 
incentives, protection and benefits to members of the media industry as defined in this 
Act for their indispensable role in providing an effective check and balance system in 
our democratic and republican state and serving as a syrnbol of truth in public 
information and communication. 
SECTION 
3. This Act shall apply to members of Mass media winch are active 
and operating in the country. 
SECTION 4. When used in this Act, the following words and phrases shall have 
the following meanings: 
a. 
Mass Media - refers to the menus of communications and information, 
like broadcast, print media and the internet, that reach substantial 
number of people on a regular basis. 
Broadcast Media - refers to radio, television, cable broadcast and the 
like, active and operating within the Republic of the Philippines. 
b. 


c. 
Print Media - refers to newspapers, magazines, reviews bulletins, journals 
and other publications of similar nature whether found in the internet or 
otherwise, appearing at least on a bi-monthly basis, with fmed prices for 
subscription and sale acid published within the Philippines for general 
circulation. 
Media persons - are natural or juridical persons who fare the registered 
owners, as evidenced by records from proper government agency, of a 
franchise to operate a broadcast media or holder of a permit or license to 
operate a print media issued by a proper government agency or those that 
are duly accredited and principally engaged in news, information and 
opinion dissemination and gathering on a regular basis that reaches a 
substantial number of people. For purposes of applying the provisions of 
this Act, media owners shall be deemed members of mass media. 
d. 
SECTION 5. For purposes of this Act, media owners and all media persons 
while in the actual performance of their occupation or on occasion of such 
performance, shall be deemed persons in authority and their agents respectively in the 
thought provided for by Chapter Four, Sections 148-152 of the Revised Penal Code. 
SECTION 6 By virtue of this Act, additional incentives and benefits over and 
above those provided for by the Labor Code of the Philippines or other existing laws 
and implementing policies affecting the same or the applicable contractual agreements 
between the parties, shall be accorded to all it media persons with the following 
benefits, as follows: 
a. 
Compulsory Health, Accident and/or Death Insurance Coverage in the 
amount of not less than One hundred thousand pesos (P100,OOO.OO) 
shall be provided by a media owner to its regular members provided, that 
the corresponding premiums shall be paid by the parties on a fifty-fifty 
percent (50-50%) basis and under the terms acceptable to both parties. 
Educational Plan Coverage - A media owner licensed and operating for at 
least five (5) years shall provide educational plan coverage to the 
legitimate children not to exceed three (3), of its members who are its 
regular employees for at least thee (3) years provided that the value or 
amount of coverage of such plan shall be based on the standard of living 
of each and every media worker as mutually set and agreed upon with 
the media owner. 
Stock Ownership Option - A media owner licensed and operating for at 
least five (5) years shall provide ten percent (loo%) stock option plan to 
its members who are already regular employees of such owner for at least 
three (3) years. 
b. 
c. 


d. 
Discounted Fares and Accommodations. Media persons in the execise of 
their official functions or on the occasion of such performance shall enjoy 
discounted fares equivalent to ten percent (10%) of the regular fares for 
domestic travel by land, air or sea within the Philippines and ten percent 
(10%) discount on hotel rooms and/or lodging costs anywhere in the 
Philippin e. 
Security of Tenure. Media persons who have rendered work of at least six 
(6) months, shall be automatically considered as a regular employee and 
shall enjoy a31 the benefits accorded under the Labor Code of the 
e. 
Philippines; provided that the employment relationship between media 
persons on part-time basis and media owners shall be governed by their 
subsisting contractual arrangements and whenever applicable, 
provisions of the laws of obligations and contracts under the Civil Code 
of the Philippines, provided finally, that in no case shall a media person’s 
employment contract be terminate except for a just cause as defined by 
law. 
the 
SECTION 7. All public records, papers, documents or matters which are of 
public concern shall be made transparent and available to all members of media who 
request for its copies in order for them to discharge their duties and responsibilities 
except those which affect national security matters as declared by a competent 
authority or such other instances specifically justified for by law. 
SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. - All laws, degrees, orders, rules and regulations, 
and all other issuances, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act is 
hereby repealed. 
SECTION 9. Separability Clause. - If any part or provisions of this Act is held 
unconstitutional or invalid, other parts of provisions hereof which are not affected 
thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
SECTION 10 Effectivity. This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days 
following its complete publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,