MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Sept. 18, 2013) – A Filipino lawmaker is pushing for the immediate approval of House Bill 2104 or the Journalist Insurance Bill, saying many media practitioners are risking life and limb to gather news in conflict areas.
Rep. Carlos Zarate, citing a report by the Committee to Protect Journalists said the Philippines is the second most dangerous country for media workers with at least 140 journalists killed the past three decades, next only to Iraq with 151.
He said majority of those killed were covering politics, corruption and crime and that an overwhelming majority were murdered because of their work while the rest died during dangerous assignments. Only a handful of cases have been partially resolved.
He said with this bill, media practitioners or their families can get as much as P200,000 death and disability benefits and P100,000 reimbursement for their medical expenses when injuries are acquired in the line of duty.
“At the very least, families of slain journalists or those disabled may receive temporary relief while awaiting the resolution of their cases,” Zarate said.
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