Metro Manila, Philippines — The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) lamented the “lack of transparency” amid the layoff of about 100 workers of media giant ABS-CBN reportedly due to significant losses.
In a statement on Sunday, Oct. 20, the NUJP pointed out that the retrenchment means uncertainty for affected media workers, especially amid the rising costs of commodities.
“While seeking viability and survival is understandable, big media owners all too often prioritize profits, with employees bearing the brunt of, and being the last to know about, measures to reduce losses,” the NUJP said.
“As has happened in similar job cuts across the industry, colleagues had little warning about management decisions that potentially affect their lives, their livelihoods and their mental health. Although they are on the company’s payroll, media workers create value for the corporation and, at the very least, deserve more open communications and consultations about developments that could change the trajectories of their careers,” it continued.
The group also stressed the negative impact of the layoff to information dissemination.
Reduction in media workers as the midterm polls near “impair discourse, the free flow of information, and the public’s right to know,” the NUJP said.
The layoff, the group said, may also result in unreported or underreported issues outside Metro Manila.
The NUJP is ready to provide peer support, mental health services, and assistance in job hunting for retrenched workers.
The group called on the public to support local media “by watching, reading, listening to and sharing” their stories or reports.
In 2020, around 11,000 ABS-CBN workers were laid off after the House of Representatives did not renew its franchise.
