BEHIND THE SCENES
Alfred
P. Dizon
With the passage on final reading at the House of Representatives of the bill on Media Workers’ Welfare Act, the Commission on Human Rights said it is looking forward to a “more open and consultative climate” between government and journalists in the country.
The CHR said with enactment into law of House Bill No. 454, the government and journalists will be able to better explore and create responsive solutions to needs and challenges faced by the media — from basic social security and welfare benefits to medical insurance, and death benefits for the family should a media worker die in the line of duty.
“The CHR has long since stood in solidarity with the media community and called for substantive legislation that will foster a healthy media environment, where workers are not only able to conduct their duty without fear of intimidation, violence, or reprisals, but also boost their collective morale,” the CHR said in a statement.
On top of the benefits, the CHR also cited the bill’s measure on responsibilities that should be shouldered by media workers, since this will bolster the culture of due diligence and truth-telling.
“The Commission similarly looks forward to the proposed creation of a News Media Tripartite Council under the bill, which will serve as a platform for dialogue between media workers and their employers,” it said.
“Such will be an exercise of freedom of expression wherein parties can have the opportunity to discuss issues on labor concerns as well as the development of the media industry,” it also said.
At the same time, the CHR called for the enactment of support for community media and publications that may lack funding to implement the bill’s provisions.
The CHR said it hopes the bill will promote press freedom, democracy, and human rights in the country.
“We look forward to a more open and consultative climate between the government and journalists in the country to better explore and appropriate responsive solutions to challenges faced in practice and on the ground,” it said.
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All this, even as not only media groups are pushing decriminalization of the Libel Law. Media workers say it is being used by government officials among others to “terrorize” or “tame” their ranks like what happened to our long-time peer Frank Cimatu.
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The Baguio City Council’s committee on laws, human rights, and justice conducted a preliminary meeting to lay the groundwork for extensive review of the Revised Baguio City Charter (Republic Act No. 11689), Jordan G. Habbiling, information staff of the Baguio City Council bared.
Councilor Peter Fianza, chairperson of the committee, reportedly said the first step is to conduct a massive information dissemination campaign to get the public involved in this endeavor.
Fianza said it is important to let stakeholders understand the need to thoroughly examine the provisions of RA No. 11689 which lapsed into law on April 11, 2022.
Different stakeholders including members of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, barangay officials, indigenous peoples groups in the city, and scholars in the academe will be furnished copies of the Revised City Charter, Habbiling said.
They will be advised to write their position papers to be consolidated and studied by the city council. A series of consultations will also be held to solicit public opinion.
Habbiling said joining Fianza in the preliminary meeting were Councilors Jose Molintas, Fred Bagbagen, Elmer Datuin, Arthur Allad-iw, and Mylen Victoria yaranon who expressed willingness to be part of the working group tasked to facilitate public consultations and consolidation of people’s comments and suggestions.
This is reportedly part of the effort of the city council to correct certain provisions of the Revised City Charter after its failed attempt to convince former President Rodrigo Duterte to veto the bill.
In its resolution requesting for the veto on House Bill No. 8882, the city council enumerated some critical points.
The resolution pointed out “ambiguity” of territorial boundaries of the city as indicated in Section 3 of the bill. It claimed this section does not indicate exact metes and bounds of the City of Baguio which is supposed to be a “vital provision” of the city charter.
It said there is a need to include a provision in the charter containing the definite metes and bounds of the city, taking into consideration the city’s land disputes with the adjoining municipalities.
The resolution also assailed the bill for stating that the sales shall go to the coffers of the national government. Under the original city charter, the said proceeds shall be remitted to the City Treasury Office to finance the A.O 504 Clearing Committee for the processing of clearances of applications for land titling.
Likewise, the resolution claimed that the bill would undermine Resolution 362-1994 which contains the 19 conditionalities set by the city government in the formulation of the Master Development Plan for Camp John Hay to be complied with by the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA).
The resolution said a plebiscite must be conducted to involve the people of Baguio CIty, considering revisions are “substantial.”
Lastly, the resolution raised concern on “discrepancy” between the new city charter and the Bases Conversion and Development Act of 1992 on the land area of the Camp John Hay Reservation.
The councilors said another important concern that needs to be addressed is the issue on ancestral lands and ancestral domains in the city.
Earlier, the city council urged the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples-Cordillera Administrative Region (NCIP-CAR) to examine RA No. 11689 and find out whether its provisions support the processing of ancestral land titles in the city or “erase” the rights of the Indigenous Peoples to their ancestral domain.
The schedule for the first official public consultation will be announced soon, Habbiling said.
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