House Assistant Majority Leader and ACT-CIS Rep. Niña Taduran on Sunday commended the media for its role in providing information to the public in the midst of the pandemic.

Laban lang! Ex-TV journo Nina Taduran lauds media’s dedication amid pandemic

By Billy Begas

House Assistant Majority Leader and ACT-CIS Rep. Niña Taduran on Sunday commended the media for its role in providing information to the public in the midst of the pandemic.

Taduran said media workers continue to do their work while some of them are dealing with reduced salaries, long work hours, and zero health benefits.

“Laban lang. Umiiyak na sa takot at hirap, pero tuloy pa rin sa kanilang trabaho ang mga mamamahayag. Binawasan ang suweldo, walang insurance, kanya-kanya sa pagprotekta sa kanilang kalusugan, pero patuloy pa ring naghahanap ng istorya sa labas dahil kailangang maihatid ang balita sa publiko,” said Taduran on the eve of World Press Freedom Day.

Taduran urged media workers to “remember that we have one goal – to inform and spread what is honest, truthful and helpful”

“Media should tell the news as it is and be the guardian of truth and justice,” added Taduran, who is a former TV and radio broadcaster.

Taduran is the author of the Media Workers Welfare bill (House Bill 8140), which was passed on the third and final reading at the House of Representatives. It is pending before the Senate.

She said the measure will further professionalize the media industry and will ensure journalists, technical people and other media workers of proper safeguards as they perform their jobs.

Under the bill, all media workers will be given wages mandated by law, enjoy security of tenure, will be accorded the appropriate hazard and overtime pay plus insurance and other benefits.