[APWSLMembers 216] two news releases on termination of a pro-worker program

[Kilusang Mayo Uno]

KMU NEWS RELEASE
March 26, 2006

Media suppression intensifies
KMU sees Malacañang's hand on the termination of a pro-worker radio program

Unions under the militant labor center Kilusang 
Mayo Uno (KMU) call for the retention of the 
"Buhay Manggagawa," a weekly radio program that 
tackles the current concerns and issues of the labor sector.

Workers and listeners today stage a support 
picket at the station building of DzRJ in Makati 
City to ask the station management that the said 
program be retained on air. The Buhay Manggagawa has been airing since 1987.

The Buhay Manggagawa will have its last broadcast 
this morning at 10-11am after the station owner 
Ramon Jacinto decline to renew the program's 
contract supposedly because of a station-produced 
program to replace the block-timer program.

Prior to this, the DzRJ has already terminated 
the Ngayon na Bayan, an awarded daily program 
critical to the Arroyo government.

According to KMU Spokesperson Prestoline Suyat, 
the voice of the workers in the media is already 
limited but the Arroyo government and its allies 
are hell-bent in suppressing it.

"No other radio program truly reports the 
situation, life and struggle of the workers like 
what Buhay Manggagawa does. But the hand of 
Malacañang is already at DzRJ, pressing for the 
termination of progressive radio programs," Suyat stressed.

The KMU also assailed the Presidential 
Proclamation 1017 which serves as an instrument 
for the  government to suppress media  and 
curtail freedom of expression in the country. The 
labor group believes that while PP 1017 was 
lifted, suppression, repression and crackdown of 
progressive individuals, organizations and the 
media continue. Previously, the Daily Tribune was 
harassed and other media institutions like the 
PCIJ, Newsbreak and others critical of the 
administration of Mrs. Arroyo were put under surveillance.

The KMU also asserted that the workers and the 
media people should join hands to protect the 
democratic rights and freedom of expression. ###


Center for Trade Union and Human Rights
NEWS RELEASE
March 27, 2006

DZRJ claims axed radio program is ‘unconstructive’
Workers’ radio program refuses to become mouthpiece of Malacanang

The Center for Trade Union and Human Rights 
(CTUHR) criticized the DZRJ radio station 
management for saying that they have the 
prerogative of axing a radio program if it is 
already uncooperative with the station’s 
principles and ideals. “DZRJ axed Buhay 
Manggagawa because we refused to become an 
instrument  and mouthpiece of Malacanang.”

After suspending the airing of award-winning 
radio show Ngayon Na Bayan last February 25 when 
Malacanang announced Proclamation 1017, DZRJ 
management refused to renew the contract 
of  radio program Buhay Manggagawa, a consistent 
top rater program which advocates trade union and 
human rights issues. The weekly radio show 
produced by Center for Trade Union and Human 
Rights (CTUHR) aired their last program over DZRJ yesterday morning, March 26.

DZRJ owner Ramon Jacinto, former brother-in-law 
of First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, argued that Buhay 
Manggagawa is no longer constructive to his 
station so the management decided not to renew 
the program’s contract with the DZRJ.

“We find it very ironic that Mr. Jacinto thinks 
Buhay Manggagawa is unconstructive just because 
we are criticizing the Arroyo government’s 
policies and broadcasting other issues affecting 
workers including wage freeze policy, severe 
unemployment problem, labor contractualization 
and other issues pertinent to the labor movement. 
Buhay Manggagawa has been on the air for the past 
19 years. In that period of time, this is the 
only radio program in mainstream broadcasting 
that truly represents the voice of ordinary 
working people and wage earners,” said Buhay Manggagawa anchor Bernie Ramos.

“If Mr. Jacinto meant that by being constructive 
we have to go along Malacanang’s line of thinking 
on important national issues and advocating false 
and irresponsible journalism, we’d rather produce 
alternative radio broadcasts than continue airing 
our program on his station. We know why DZRJ axed 
Buhay Manggagawa, and it’s not about being 
constructive or not, it’s about our program’s 
critical stance on the Arroyo administration,” Ramos stressed.

He said that since last year, their radio program 
have been receiving constant threats from DZRJ 
management. “DZRJ management scolded us for 
airing excerpts of the Hello Garci recordings and 
ring tones. Last month, DZRJ Secretary for AM 
operations Angie Dela Cruz texted us and advised 
us to refrain from criticizing President Arroyo. 
Until finally, last March 6, we were informed by 
DZRJ officer Dada Legaspi that the management 
decided to take our program’s time slot to air a 
station-produced radio show. We only asserted to 
finish airing our remaining episodes for the 
month of March because it is stipulated in the 
contract,” Ramos further said. ###