Photo by Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News. QUEZON CITY – The Commission Human Rights on Tuesday emphasized its solidarity and support for media workers following recent job layoffs in the country.

"The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) underscores the vital role of the media as the Fourth Estate in safeguarding every Filipino’s access to information and freedom of expression," the CHR said in a statement.

 "As such, we extend our solidarity and acknowledge the challenges faced by media workers affected by layoffs across various media outlets," it added.

The statement comes after reports of an estimated 100 media workers were affected by layoffs announced by ABS-CBN Corporation last month.

 "TV industry as a whole has been hurt by lower consumer spending which translated into lower advertising spends.  The company is also being affected by the global decline in the pay TV business," ABS-CBN said in a statement released October 18. 

"As a result, the company has made the difficult decision to retrench around 100 or about 3% of its workforce," it added.

ABS-CBN committed to provide affected workers with full benefits and support and thanked them for their service.

"These layoffs represent a portion of the job cuts forced upon the media giant due to the House of Representatives' 2020 decision to deny ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal," the CHR noted.

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The commission reiterated that the denial of ABS-CBN's franchise which it said "lacked fairness and justice" inevitably created a "chilling effect" on press freedom in the country.

"We cannot ignore the fact that the denial of ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal continues to affect workers who have been left uncertain about their ability to support themselves and their families," it said.

Another media outlet, CNN Philippines, shut down due to financial losses in January. This led to the displacement of about 300 employees.

"It is evident that the severe challenges faced by media outlets have not only weakened the foundations of our democracy—a system reliant on free and truthful reporting—but have also been detrimental to the journalists dedicated to upholding these principles," the CHR said.

"Now more than ever, we must balance the recognition that journalism is a vital public service with the understanding that media outlets also operate as businesses," it further stated.

 The CHR expressed "deep concern" in the current climate, saying media workers are being pushed to accept abrupt job losses as "inevitable."

 "While we acknowledge that traditional media outlets face revenue declines due to shifting audiences and the growth of new media, the Commission emphasizes the employees' right to transparency from their companies’ management. We also urge that the laid-off media workers be provided ample assistance and benefits in this difficult period," it said.

 "In a time rampant with misinformation and disinformation, the CHR believes that the role of the media remains crucial in disseminating authentic news and covering the real events in the country," the Commission added.

The CHR highlighted the significant role of media in the upcoming 2025 national and local elections.

"Timely and credible information is even more crucial in empowering Filipinos to choose competent public servants. We cannot uphold a firm standard of truth in the country if journalists are unable to carry out their duties," it said.

The CHR said it is "imperative" we equally ensure protection of media's rights as workers and bastions of truth.

abs-cbn.com is the official website of ABS-CBN Corp.