Journalists Facing Danger May Get Hazard Pay
Journalists and other media workers routinely enter areas where disasters, conflict and disease put their safety at risk, yet the financial protections attached to such assignments vary across employers.
A proposed measure in the Senate seeks to establish minimum benefits for accredited media personnel deployed to hazardous locations.
P650 Daily Hazard Pay
Senate Bill No. 2440, or the proposed “Media Workers Hazard Pay Act,” would require public and private media organizations to provide at least ₱650 in hazard pay for every day a qualified worker is assigned to a dangerous area.
The proposed benefit would cover assignments in conflict-affected areas, locations hit by disasters or disease outbreaks, isolated stations, and areas placed under a state of calamity or emergency.
Workers who already receive hazard pay equal to or higher than the proposed amount would retain their existing benefits.
Insurance for High-Risk Work
The measure would also require employers to provide comprehensive insurance coverage for media personnel exposed to hazardous assignments.
The proposed coverage includes up to ₱200,000 in death benefits, as much as ₱200,000 for disability resulting from work-related injuries, and up to ₱100,000 in medical benefits.
Additional compensation would also apply to workers required to work beyond eight hours or during night shifts from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., in accordance with existing labor laws and industry practices.
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A Safety Net for Media Workers
Sen. Mark Villar, who filed the measure, said journalists serve as the public’s eyes and ears during crises and should receive concrete protection while carrying out that responsibility.
The bill cites previous incidents involving media workers who faced health and safety risks while covering disasters and other dangerous assignments.
If enacted, the measure would establish a statutory floor for hazard pay and insurance, providing media workers with additional protection when their duty takes them into harm’s way.
