MetroVanIndependent.com
May 2015
5
News
Journalists union slams GMA7’s mass layoff of regional news staff
MANILA, Philippines – Broadcasting
giant GMA-7's dismissal of its staff in
regional stations despite being financially
robust is callous, heartless, and appalling,
the National Union of Journalists of the
Philippines (NUJP) said in a statement.
NUJP regarded the network's claim of
"strategic streamlining" to justify the layoffs
as a "play on words" that "belies the grim
reality that almost all employees in regional
news desks of the network will lose their
jobs."
Questioning the justification that GMA-7
used, NUJP argued that the network "is not
on the brink of bankruptcy with no recourse
but to let go of its employees to stay afloat."
Under the Constitution, workers are
guaranteed security of tenure or the right
against termination without just cause and
due process.
"GMA-7 is not in the red. It is not
bleeding," NUJP explained, citing the
network giant's reported "net income of
P1.01 billion in 2014 and at least a billion
pesos yearly in 2012 and 2013."
It said the network's management –
"in one swoop" and "without sufficient
warning" on April 23 and 24 – "put in peril
the future of the families of hundreds of
its employees and talents, many of whom
have spent many years of their lives
dedicated to the company and the public
that they serve."
Mike Tolang, a veteran cameraman in
Cagayan de Oro, said employees like him
were left in the dark with no idea of what
hit them and what awaits them. The only
instruction was that they are not to report
to the news desk until Wednesday, April
29, he added.
"Clearly, hundreds of jobs and lives
have been put in the altar of sacrifice for
more profits for its owners and investors
at the expense of loyal and dedicated
employees and talents," NUJP alleged.
"Based on a compensation filing
made by the network, its top 5 executives
received a total of P141.72 million" in 2014,
NUJP said.
"We stand with our colleagues who lost
their jobs. What happened to them can
happen to any media worker in the country
who, despite our noble profession, many
continue to be treated as dispensable
pawns," it added.
The group also challenged
businessman Ramon Ang, who recently
acquired a 30% stake in the network, if he
really wants "to team up with a company
that does not think twice of letting its
people go for the sake of revenues alone."
NUJP disseminated its statement on
social media and used the heart-shaped
rendering found in the GMA-7 logo, but
in black. A version of this was seen on
Monday evening as the cover photo in
GMA-7 Davao local morning show Una Ka
Bai's Facebook page.
The said union of journalists boasts of
some 1,500 members worldwide.
Reports from various provinces
In defense of the retrenchments,
the network previously said it "is in
the process of undertaking a strategic
streamlining of programs and manpower
in its provincial stations to ensure business
competitiveness."
The reduction in manpower "targets
more efficient operations," it added in
a statement. "Severance packages are
offered by GMA to all affected personnel."
On Friday, April 24, a representative
from GMA-7 in Manila came to Bacolod to
inform the regional office's staff that their
last day of work was also on that day. At
least 20 employees were laid off.
The only local show, Isyu Subong
Negrense, also went off air.
The GMA Bacolod office will still
operate as a relay of the local channel, but
there will be no employees, only engineers,
working.
GMA-7 Cagayan de Oro, on the other
hand, had its last local broadcast last
Friday. Staff members said they will have
a final meeting on Wednesday.
There are at least 40 employees in
GMA-7 Northern Mindanao.
In the cities of Legaspi and Naga in
Bicol, reports have surfaced sometime
last February about the closing down of
the network's offices there.
In Cebu, the retrenched employees
have turned to social media, such as social
networking site Facebook, to express their
dismay. Journalists in Cebu were urged to
turn their profile pictures to plain black.
Sara Duterte, former Davao City mayor
and host of GMA-7 Davao's local morning
show Una Ka Bai, posted on her Instagram
account a photo of her alarm clock in her
phone and said: "Goodbye alarm. I will
miss you. This is the only job that left a
mark in my life."
opinion
Mayweather shows why boxing
is called 'sweet science'
By Alex P. Vidal
LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Instead of
ribbing Floyd Mayweather Jr. for "running
away like a scared rabbit", we must, in fact,
credit him for giving justice to boxing's
billing as the "Sweet Science."
Daniel Petrov Bojilov exposed our
igno