It’s high time for media workers to take winning the side of their own welfare.

This, Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar emphasized recently as he called for support on the passage of the Media Workers’ Welfare Act during a media engagement in Baguio City.

“I call on our fellow media men and women to look at the possibility of supporting the Media Workers’ Welfare Act,” Andanar, who is a former broadcaster, said.

Andanar said that the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) has also vowed to support the proposed bill submitted to Congress early this year and sponsored by the ACT-CIS partylist.

“Kung kaya niyong magpapanalo ng konsehal, kayang magpapanalo ng mayor, vice mayor, congressman, senador, presidente eh bakit tayo di natin kaya ipanalo sarili natin?,” he said.

If you can elect councilors, mayors, vice-mayors, congressmen, senators, presidents, why are we not able to get a win for ourselves?

The PCOO chief said that the proposed bill will help address the economic vulnerabilities of media workers, especially in some provinces where broadcasters have meager opportunities to earn. He also mentioned journalists who take on blocktiming.

“Yung mga kabaro po natin sa ibang mga lugar, sa ibang probinsya po ay napakataas ng economic vulnerability,” he said.

For our fellow media, in other places, in provinces, have high economic vulnerability.

“Sila ay nagiging blocktimer, pag nag block time sila, kukuha sila ng supporter, sponsors, more than often ay politiko po ‘yung sponsor. Kung uutusan sila politiko na titirahin ‘yung kabilang kampo. Magagalit, mabu-bwisit. Eh, kung hindi ka madaan sa usapan eh bala ang katapat,” he added.