500 GMA employees getting P240-M award

Some 500 employees of GMA Network Inc. won their legal battle after the Court of Appeals (CA) upheld the ruling ordering the television network to pay P240.6 million after it was found guilty of unfair labor practice in connection with hazard pay during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In an 11-page decision penned by Associate Justice Carlito Calpatura and dated 16 September 2026, the CA Fifth Division dismissed GMA Network’s petition seeking to overturn the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) ruling that affirmed the labor arbiter’s issuance of a writ of execution to collect the award.

Also, the CA upheld the NLRC’s ruling affirming the labor arbiter’s 17 Sept. 2024 order denying GMA Network’s motion to quash the writ of execution.

“All told, We find that the NLRC did not gravely abuse its discretion in rendering the assailed Decision and Resolution, considering that it based its conclusions on substantial evidence, and on relevant laws and jurisprudence. Accordingly, the petition for certiorari under Rule 65 of the Rules of Court is dismissed.

The assailed decision and resolution of the National Labor Relations Commission-Third Division in NLRC LER No. 09-282-24, NLRC LAC Case No. 05-001638-23, and NLRC NCR Case No. 11-00776-21 are affirmed.The CA found no grave abuse of discretion on the part of the NLRC in ruling against the network.”