BAGUIO CITY — Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) Executive Director Joel Sy Egco said addressing the security issues on the media must involve improving their living conditions without regulating the industry.
Undersecretary Egco, in a recorded interview here last July 20, cited the need to strengthen the industry and remove the vulnerabilities that media workers face.
“Di ba sinabi natin yung vulnerabilities, alam natin lahat yun. Hindi ko lang de-detalyehin — malapit sa tukso, marupok. Naranasan ko rin naman lahat yan (We mentioned the vulnerabilities, which we all know. I will not give details — susceptibility to temptation, weaknesses. I also went through all those),” he said, adding that such weaknesses could lead to a journalist getting involved in different “money-making activities,” which in turn would put him/her in an unfavorable situation.
Egco said the desire of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) is to give dignity to the profession by strengthening the industry and eliminating the vulnerabilities without removing those who are already in media practice.
“Ayaw ko ng regulation, media man din ako, eh (I am also a media man, I do not want regulation),” he told reporters in the city in a chance interview on the sidelines of the PTFoMS’ “Seminar on the implementation of the Operational Guidelines of Administrative Order 1”. AO 1, which was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on Oct. 11, 2016, created the PTFoMS to address violations to the right to life, liberty and security of members of the media.
“How do we address these vulnerabilities para patibayin yung industry? Hindi para alisin yung mga tao, pero para patibayin, lagyan mo ng dignidad yung profession (How do we address these vulnerabilities so we could strengthen the industry? Not to remove or terminate people, but to dignify the profession),” Egco said.
During the interview, a local reporter talked about the issue on salaries and wages that media practitioners receive, which expose them to the possibility of being engaged in “corruption” and “politics” that could put them in danger.
Egco spoke about the draft Magna Carta for media workers that they are putting together, saying the PCOO and the PTFoMs hope this would professionalize the media and improve the salaries and benefits of media practitioners so they could upgrade their and their families’ living condition.
“That’s why binubuo po natin ngayon, pine-perfect natin yung Magna Carta for media workers. Ano ito? Dati may Magna Carta for journalists, tinurn-down natin. Why? Walang nakasaad kung magkano ang sweldo. Nire-regulate (ang industriya), ayaw ko din yun (That’s why we are putting together and perfecting the Magna Carta for media workers. What is this? Before there was a Magna Carta for journalists, which we turned down because it did not mention the salaries. Regulating, I don’t want that too),” he said.
“Hindi mo pwedeng sabihin kung sino lang mag-practice, accredit o not accredit. That’s wrong. Paano mo ia-address yan? Ipo-professionalize natin in the sense na mayroon tayong qualifying at classifying exam. Hindi regulation (You cannot dictate who can practice, accredit and not to accredit. That’s wrong. But how do we address it? We will professionalize by having qualifying and classifying exam and not regulation).”
The qualifying and classifying examination will be given to all those in the industry every six months, if they so desire to take them, and the result will define their level, which has corresponding entitlements and emoluments.
“If you want to be a media practitioner, take the exam every six months. The questions will be crafted by the media and if your grade in the exam is 90 to 100 percent, perfect, you are entitled to a position equivalent to a managerial position, editor and up,” Egco explained.
He likened it to the salary grade of those in government where a skill has an equivalent position, which has a defined salary and benefits.
“Lalagyan natin ng parang equivalent salary grade. Kung ang grade mo sa classifying exam ay 89.9 down to 75 for instance, Level 2 ka. Level 2, ano ang Level 2 classification? Yan yung mga reporters, pwede ka nang mag-column. Pwede ka nang mag-correspondent (We will put an equivalent salary grade. If your grade in the classifying exam is 89.9 down to 75 for instance, you belong to Level 2, which is for reporters. Or you can be a columnist or a correspondent),” Egco said.
He noted that there will be no failing score. “Yung mas mababa pa run, wala namang bagsak sa test, pero makikita ang skills mo, made-define na natin yung mga benefits at saka classification. That’s professionalizing our ranks (Those who get lower than that, will not really get a failing mark. But the exam will show your skills and will define your benefits and classification),” he said.
If the result of the exam qualifies the practitioner at the second level, he can again take the succeeding exams to upgrade his classification.
”Isn’t this uplifting the industry, making us world-class in standard? No one will fail the exam. Those who take the exam will only be classified, just like the classification in the National College Entrance Examination, where you know where you should be,” Egco said.
He also explained that if one is a Level 2 professional, he/she can again take the exam after six months up until such time he/she reaches a higher level.
Egco expressed confidence that media workers would like it as it “will uplift your standard of living.”
Media work is not an 8-to-5 job, he said, noting that there is no definite time when there would be breaking stories, hence practitioners practically do not have a day off.
However, if the practitioner is a qualified professional, he gets an entitlement for a definite emolument that would help him provide for his needs without having to engage in “other activities,” Egco said.
Professionalizing the industry, he said, would remove the “hao-shiao” in the industry.
“Yung mga ‘hao-shiao’, yung sinasabing pinabili lang ng suka, mawawala na yun pero may mga ‘hao-shiao’ na kukuha ng exam, hindi mo mapagbawal yan. Kung pumasa, eh hindi na siya ‘hao-shiao’ (Those bogus journalists, they will no longer exist as they too can take the exam. If they pass the exam, then they would no longer be known as ‘hao-shiao’),” he said.
Egco reiterated that the PTFoMs and the PCOO are eyeing the Magna Carta, not for regulation but to professionalize the industry, to keep media men from being involved in money-making schemes that would make them vulnerable to harm. (Liza Agoot/PNA)
