On June 19, the eighth division of the NRLC issued a writ of execution requiring Sunstar Cagayan de Oro Publishing Incorporated, a regional body controlled by the larger Sunstar Publishing Incorporated, to pay eleven former employees of the now-defunct Sunstar-Cagayan de Oro and SuperBalita-Cagayan de Oro tabloids a total of PHP 2,553,000 (approx. USD 45,900) in unpaid wages, benefits and attorney fees.
Both outlets ceased the majority of their operations in June 2020 due to financial difficulties in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Following the non-payment of salaries and employee benefits, the eleven media workers filed labour complaints against their former employers in February 2021. Many claimants had worked at the outlets for the majority of their careers before the closures.
The decision will force the now-defunct publishing house, technically separate from the Cebu-based Sunstar Publishing Inc., to pay the outstanding commitments, despite the outlet having sold all assets in 2020. However, as the publishing company remains registered as a legal entity through the Securities and Exchange Commission with Sunstar Publishing Inc. owning a controlling share, the relationship between the two corporations will allow the eleven former employees to receive their owed compensation.
In a statement to Rappler, the media workers’ legal representative said the complex corporate structure of Sunstar Cagayan de Oro Publishing has left many of the claimants without clear avenues for compensation. In the same article, Sunstar’s representation vowed to present the ruling to the board in Cebu.
The decision has been welcomed by press freedom advocates and journalist representative associations, including the Cagayan de Oro chapter of the NUJP, which praised the commitment of the former employees and hailed the decision as an important step towards improving labour conditions across the media industry.
The NUJP said: “The 11 employees courageously came forward to challenge the injustice they faced, shedding light on the widespread mistreatment that had persisted within the organization. Their collective effort, resilience and commitment to justice have now paved the way for improved labour conditions not only for them, but across the entire industry. This win in the labour case serves as a wake-up call to those who engage in such practices, emphasizing the urgent need for immediate rectification.”
The IFJ said: “The decision by the NLRC to assure the payment of overdue wages and benefits is an important victory for media workers in the wake of industry-wide financial difficulties. The challenges faced by news outlets in the wake of the pandemic should not result in the mistreatment, non-payment, or exploitation of journalists. The IFJ welcomes the commission’s decision and urges Sunstar Publishing to honour the ruling.”