HomeNewsMedia task force welcomes approval of Media Workers Welfare Act by Lower...

Media task force welcomes approval of Media Workers Welfare Act by Lower House

The Presidential Task Force on Media Security welcomed the approval by the House of Representatives of House Bill No. 454, otherwise known as the Media Workers Welfare Act (MWWA), on Nov. 21, 2022.

The MWWA seeks to uplift the economic welfare of media workers by granting them hazard pay, a living wage, employment safety and security, plus additional insurance and hospitalization benefits.

Over 250 lawmakers voted for the bill with no negative votes and zero abstentions.

“This …. serves as a fitting and timely tribute to those who fearlessly toil day and night to give the Filipino people the news, especially with the recent commemoration of the 13th anniversary of the Maguindanao Massacre where 32 media practitioners were killed,” read a statement from the task force.



The bill titled “An Act Providing Enhanced Protection, Security, And Benefits For Media Workers” was sponsored by Reps. Juan Fidel Felipe F. Nograles and Jeffrey Soriano.

In the explanatory note for the bill, lawmakers cited “the lack of enabling legislation that would codify the promotion of rights and welfare of media workers”; and that “an overwhelming number of media workers are also not regularized which undermines their labor rights,” as reasons for the enactment of the proposed law.

The MWWA almost became law during the 18th Congress when it was also passed unanimously by the Lower House under House Bill No. 8140 through the sponsorship of former ACT-CIS party-list Representative now Social Welfare Undersecretary Rowena Taduran, and Representatives Eric Go Yap and Jocelyn Tulfo as early as January 2021.

- Newsletter -

The task force actively participated in the crafting of the bill and lobbied for its passage during the previous Congress.

“The Presidential Task Force is very confident that with the unequivocal commitment of the Marcos Administration to safeguard the rights of media workers, the House version of the MWWA will also be approved by the Senate in due time,” read the task force’s statement.

© Copyright LiCAS.news. All rights reserved. Republication of this article without express permission from LiCAS.news is strictly prohibited. For republication rights, please contact us at: [email protected]

Support LiCAS.news

We work tirelessly each day to tell the stories of those living on the fringe of society in Asia and how the Church in all its forms - be it lay, religious or priests - carries out its mission to support those in need, the neglected and the voiceless.
We need your help to continue our work each day. Make a difference and donate today.

Latest