MANILA, Philippines — “News Anchor is a position necessary and desirable to the business of People’s Television (PTV4), in eleven years, she is a regular employee and cannot be terminated without just cause or authorized cause even if she is in the public service/ sector!”

This is the statement Edwin Bustillos, sectoral representative of the Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) to Center for People’s Media (CPM) after the veteran People’s Television (PTV-4) news anchor Kathy San Gabriel broke her silence on her Facebook Page last 30 June (Friday) 2017 around 7:24 am regarding her termination.

“No words. I was informed by PTV management two days ago that today will be my last day at work. Kahit malungkot, tinanggap ko ang naging desisyon ng pamunuan ng network. Mamayang gabi sana ang huli kong newscast. Bagamat alam kong magiging emosyonal, gusto ko sanang kunin ang pagkakataong iyon para magpasalamat sa inyo sa pagsubaybay sa mahigit isang dekada kong pagbabalita sa PTV. Ngunit ikinalulungkot kong hindi ko magagawa iyon. Nagdesisyon po ang pamunuan ng People’s Television na huwag akong papasukin mamayang gabi. I was not given the dignity of a goodbye.”

[No words. I was informed by PTV management two days ago that today will be my last day at work. Even though that I was saddened, I humbly accepted the decision made by the network management. Last night is supposed to be my last newscast. I know I would be emotional and I opted to grab the opportunity to thank all the PTV viewers and for those people who showed support for my almost a decade of newscasting at PTV. But I apologize for not making it. The People’s Television management decided last night that I would not report for work. I was not given the dignity of a goodbye]

After breaking the silence, a show of sympathy and support for the veteran broadcast journalist poured in.

Netizen’s comment:
“This is so wrong and unjust! Kathy San Gabriel and I went to university together and she was pretty much my classmate in all those 4 years. She’s a very talented and dedicated broadcast journalist.” –Nikki Mercado.

“Ate Kathy, we stand by you during this difficult time. Without a doubt, we know that you will find a better gig soon.” –Hans R. Luna.

“What is the role of newsreaders, anchors and broadcast professionals in today’s world? They not only inform us of what’s happening in our neck of the woods but they also help us make sense of our environment, translating policies and terminologies into something we can understand and benefit from. It takes a lot to be in this profession and even more to establish excellence and credibility. It is unfortunate when one of these voices – such as Kathy San Gabriel – is silenced.” –Angelica Cortez Jose.

“Kathy is not only a dedicated mother as I have known her as my co-parent who juggles her career and her time with her daughter. She has put her passion for more than a decade as a newscaster to this government-owned station and forego her own advancement for service. I know she will have a better new beginning after this unexpected ending.” –Jody Feliciano-Liwanag.

Meanwhile, the National Alliance of Broadcast Union (NABU) National President Arthur Guda agrees on what Bustillos statement that “the position of a news anchor is necessary and desirable.”

Guda said that’s the reason why they are one with the labor coalition NAGKAISA and labor group SENTRO in calling for the total review of Department Order 174 or DO174.

NABU believe that while the DO174 is not totally been eradicated, more and more Filipino working class will suffer the same fate of broadcast journalist Kathy San Gabriel.

“Department Order (DO) No. 174 still encourages short-term contracts and violate job security in the guise of legal contractualization,” said Rochelle Poras, executive director of the Ecumenical Institute for Labor Education and Research (EILER).

Poras added that the so-called win-win solution does not guarantees that end of the contract (ENDO) will totally be ban but it will just further legitimize the contactualization in the country.

Wilzon Fortaleza, spokesperson for Partido Manggagawa agrees to the position of Poras. He said, the DO174 only reiterated the prohibitions already spelled out in the Department Order 18-A which it was meant to supersede.

Fortaleza argued that the new order directly contradicted President Duterte’s promise to end contractualization and agency hiring. He said that contractualization of workers would continue.

“As lifetime agency employees, the best workers can hope for is a minimum wage while principal employers reap the fruits of labor productivity,” Fortaleza explained.

In a press statement released by the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) they stated that the Duterte’s promise of ending contractualization remains unfulfilled. They said the recently signed Department of Labor and Employment Order 174 has legitimized contracting-out of labor through labor contracting agencies as a government employment policy.

President Duterte failed to fulfill his promised to be one with the working Filipino class. The draft executive order to end all forms of contractualization which were submitted to his office by all labor groups last May 10 as a result of a labor day dialogue in Davao was never been signed. CPM