Following the brazen killing of radio journalist Juan Jumalon, Senator Mark Villar is pushing for mandatory insurance coverage for journalists. Under his proposed “Journalist Protection Act,” labeled Senate Bill 2335, Villar aims to provide this coverage to all journalists, irrespective of their employment status.
Villar emphasized the critical role journalists play in delivering real-time information and the vulnerability they face in their profession.
Read: Radio broadcaster shot dead during live airing in Misamis Occidental
The bill’s scope encompasses not only editorial and news department staff but also “front-line media personnel.” These benefits would be supplementary to existing Social Security System (SSS) and Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) coverage for journalists.
The proposed bill outlines comprehensive coverage for journalists, including:
- Disability benefits of P350,000 for both partial and total disabilities, whether permanent or temporary.
- Death benefits of P300,000 for journalists who lose their lives while on duty.
- Reimbursement of actual medical expenses of up to P200,000 for injuries sustained during their work.
Media organizations would have the liberty to select an insurance provider and would be responsible for covering the insurance premiums for their employees and journalists.
Funding for this program would be drawn from the SSS and GSIS funds and would establish a “special insurance program for freelance journalists,” covering risks in conflict areas, disaster zones, and other hazardous environments.
Read: PNP releases sketch of suspect in Misamis Occidental broadcaster’s slay
