House Deputy Minority Leader Leila de Lima has filed a bill seeking expanded insurance coverage and tax free hazard pay for journalists, framing the measure as a concrete step to protect media workers who face growing risks on the job.
De Lima, of the Mamamayang Liberal Party-list, filed House Bill 7292 or the Journalists Welfare and Protection Act. The proposal requires media organizations to provide additional insurance benefits to field reporters, online workers, and freelance journalists who are exposed to threats, harassment, red tagging, and economic insecurity.
“In a time when free and independent media is vital to democracy, it is unfortunate that journalists remain insecure, underprotected, and undervalued,” De Lima said.
She said journalism is a public service profession whose practitioners deserve adequate benefits, stressing that safety and security are essential for journalists to perform their work without fear.
HB 7292 outlines specific insurance benefits, including P350,000 in disability compensation for journalists who suffer total or partial disability while on duty, P300,000 in death benefits for media workers who die in the line of duty, and up to P200,000 in medical reimbursement for injuries sustained during field assignments. The bill also provides up to P200,000 in coverage for diagnosis, treatment, and medication for trauma related mental health conditions such as PTSD, anxiety, or depression.
The measure mandates the Social Security System and the Government Service Insurance System to create a special insurance program for freelance journalists, allowing them to secure supplementary coverage before working in conflict zones or high risk areas. Coverage extends to loss or damage of equipment, accidents, violence, and natural hazards encountered during assignments.
Journalists deployed to conflict areas, disaster zones, or disease stricken locations will also receive tax free hazard pay of P500 per day or 25 percent of their monthly basic salary, whichever is higher.
De Lima said the bill aims to ensure journalists can perform their duties without fear or insecurity, especially in environments where reporting carries serious personal risk.
She previously filed similar measures in the 17th and 18th Congresses. The current proposal was refined through consultations with media groups, including the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines NCR and the Filipino Freelance Journalists’ Guild.
De Lima said the bill reflects a sustained push to recognize the dangers journalists face and to put enforceable protections in place to safeguard press freedom.
