From the time she began working in ABS-CBN in 1994, when the network took her in after her student practicum there, Hidalgo said she had never taken a vacation or leave of absence, except for one month when she delivered her baby. And that was an unpaid leave.
Wheng Hidalgo has been working with the ABS-CBN for 16 years. (Photo by Marya Salamat / bulatlat.com)
Hidalgo seemed very used to working nonstop that as soon as she lost her job, the one and only job she has had since she graduated from college, she suffered a severe gut-wrenching illness that forced her to rush to a hospital emergency room.
A reporter on leave also told Bulatlat that as talents frequently seen on TV, the BIR people who want to tax them more could not seem to understand that they do not earn that much, really.
He said he himself had also visited the offices of Pag-ibig to register as a member, but the employees there directed him instead to the ABS-CBN human resources.
“I have been with ABS-CBN for six years, but my individual application had to be handled by the company liaison to Pag-ibig, who told me that Pag-ibig is only for regular employees.”
Hidalgo and this male reporter told Bulatlat that even if they face the cameras as part of their jobs, they also pay for their own grooming. And when they research their stories, they must pay for their own health insurance.
While reporters may go out of their way for a story, brave bullets, back hoes, floodwaters, slamming doors, hostage-takers, among others, he said they started to receive life insurance from ABS-CBN only recently, and at very small rates at that. Starting this year, the two reporters said the company began insuring the non-regulars for P100,000 ($2,278) and the regular employees for P400,000 ($9,115) .
Shocking Treatment
Considering the positive DOLE decision on her case, Hidalgo was shocked at having lost her job. Her desk editors and immediate superiors had reportedly liked her work, enough to give her assignments and recommend her for regularization. “I cannot understand why…I gave ABS-CBN my service, love, loyalty,” she said.
Wheng Hidalgo doing a live report for ABS-CBN. (Photo grab from an ABS-CBN news report via www.youtube.com/TheABSCBNNews / bulatlat.com)
The male reporter who had been with ABS-CBN for six years, said he cannot understand it either. “We have sacrificed many family reunions for shows during holiday seasons, Holy Week; we have lost a lot of sleep over our jobs.”
The two are glad that many progressive party list groups and organizations are taking up the ABS-CBN employees’ cases. “I would push through with the case I filed,” Hidalgo said. She vowed to pursue the implementation of DOLE’s decision on her case.
As this developed, an alliance of labor advocates called Defend Job Philippines, embarked on a signature drive urging job defenders, workers’ unions, workers’ council and international labor organizations, solidarity groups, workers’ rights advocates, students, televiewers, human rights defenders, non government organizations, fellow citizens and concerned people to support calls to, among others:
•“Pressure the ABS-CBN to reinstate without condition all of the 110 ABS CBN employees it illegally dismissed this year;
•Urge ABS-CBN to stop the illegal dismissal of workers and discriminatory regularization scheme. Stop contractualization and outsourcing. Regularize all ABS CBN/IJM Workers;
•Urge ABS-CBN to stop harassing its workers and respect instead its workers’ rights to organize a union; and
•Urge the new administration of President Aquino, the Department of Labor and Employment and all government agencies concerned, to act in favor of ABS CBN employees who are only asserting their rights.”
The youth group Anakbayan, meanwhile, charged that “Gabby Lopez is confident that as a crony of the new President, he would be allowed to carry out his anti-worker schemes with impunity.”
The Lopezes are known supporters of Aquino’s presidential candidacy. The ABS-CBN network has allegedly supported Aquino’s candidacy through biased reporting. A reporter of the network has also been appointed in Aquino’s cabinet.
Anakbayan spokesperson Charisse Bañez dared President Benigno Aquino to publicly condemn the mass dismissals of employees in the ABS-CBN network, “if he truly favors the interest of common Filipinos over his perceived cronies such as the Lopezes of the ABS-CBN.” (Bulatlat.com)
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ABS-CBN should be exposed for its greed and inhumane treatment of its employees. And to think that taxes of ordinary working Filipinos were used to bail out one of their sister companies: Bayan Tel. I still recall that DBP pardoned the loans of this Lopez owned company to the tune of 800 million pesos. Who paid this bad debt of a Lopez’ owned company? Why are ordinary working Filipinos being made to pay for the losing investment of the Lopezes??????? And here is this news of exploitative labor practices of the Lopezes, grrrrrrrrrrr. . . Charo Santos Concio is the sitting president of the network right? Where is the sense of decency of this woman who is very proud to head such a greedy and inhuman corporation? She seems very proud to be a top woman executive, but she is no different from how a ruthless and insensitive male executive would run a corporation. Shame on your Charo Santos Concio, and to think that she won awards for her own show, ” Kung Malaala Mo Kaya”, a show which capitalizes on the suffering of ordinary Filipinos. How could she reconcile her maltreatment of the employees of the company she runs with the theme of her show? No wonder, she was one of those who laughed out loud at a show of one of their gay talents, making fun of rape and Jessica Soho. Charo Santos Concio is one corporate executive without a conscience!!!!!!!!
Really? I also pity you Mr. John Paul. Ikaw yong hindi marunong at walang alam. Di mo naman kaano ano ang mga ito. Bakit ka sobrang affected? Siguro pakawala ka din ng babaeng kabayo????
Tama ka naman . But do you know her personally?The girl Horse??? Kung ikaw maagawan ng asawa ewan ko na lang kung ano gawin mo. Basta ako i know her personally. T.Y.
You know,you don’t have to feel sorry for them. Malaking pera ang nakuha ng mga natanggal. Siguro it’s their way para makakamal ng malaking salapi. Mga mukhang pera, lalo na yan si weng hidalgo.
it’s not always about the money, girl. i pity you kasi it seems either napakababaw ng political/social consciousness mo or baka pakawala ka ng ABS-CBN. the issue here ay ang labor violations ng ABS-CBN. there’s such a thing as due compensation for tenure, globally-recognized na karapatan ng kahit sinong empleyado or worker. and ABS-CBN being profitable company has the capability to regularize its employees. para sa akin, it’s not Hidalgo and the layed-off employees ang “mukhang pera” kundi ang mga owners at stockholders of ABS-CBN for perpetuating an oppressive labor system sa kanilang kompanyang “Kapamilya”. to be fair, baka ganito rin ang Kapuso, Kapatid at iba pang media companies. something must be done to improve the labor system
i was researching something for our class discussion about Labor Dispute and this one caught my interest. Medyo matagal na pero sana nagkaroon ng magandang settlement ito dahil we in the public, to some degree, look up these people for good examples and a source of inspiration too. thanks God Bless to all…
KARMA NA YAN KAY WENG HIDALGO SA PANINIRA NYA SA ABS CBN.
This is fun. Magkapangalan tayo.
Good day! Kindly delete the comment of that Hazel Plastina of #23. She/he is making kwento out of my expense. I don’t know Weng Hidalgo po. I can’t even say those words she/he uttered. Thanks po!
I know wheng hidal hidalgo . She is the most plastic media personnel I’ve ever know n. Lahat ng kanyang pinapakita kaplastikan lahat. Masama ugali nyan bukod sa panget nyang mukha. Karma yan sa kanya. Dinadaan pa sa religious activity pero kung makapagmura akala mo kung sino.
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napansin ko lang bakit po wala man lang na kinuhang side para sa ABS_CBN sa report na ito..di ko tuloy alam kung ano ba talga ang real score…isang side lang ng story ang nakalagay..siyempre lahat ng agaisnt sa ABS_CBN tlga mag tatalak dito…
GABBY LOPEZ
VIOLATOR OF WORKERS RIGHTS
isa lang ang masasabi ko, GANID si gabby lopez!
i know weng hidalgo, madalas ko mapanood sya, pero what happen to ABS CBN, god, this is awful,kaya super BABA ng rating nila, from morning to primetime… KARMA na kaya yun?
ABS CBN really have thick faces…SOBRA!!! They think that just because PNOy won…they can do anything they want. Another scenario nalang…ABS CBN is currently filming not 1 but 2 shows inside a house without permission from the "real" owner. Although meron mga nakatira dun, but these people are not the REAL owners. Nakipag-usap yung owner sa location manager and nakipag set up ng meeting togather with a lawyer. Hindi sumipot yung location manager at sinabing "Labas na kami diyan sa kung ano mang gulo meron yung bahay na yan!"…Ayun naman pala eh…BUT as of this very moment tuloy parin yung filming of 2 shows inspite na nagwala na mismo yung owner sa film location.
Ang ABS CBN kung ano gusto nilang gawin yun ang masusunod kahit wala na sila sa jurisdiction nila. All I can say is…If Gabby Lopez doesn't get his acts together, he might end up having the same illness as his father or even worse. Karma strikes back really fast nowadays.
how can you accuse ABS CBN bias when you do not even have the side of ABS CBN on this report?
@bern dyan tayo whag pumayag na maging private ang pagcor,pcso.. dahil maraming natutulungang mahihirap ang pagcor at pcso… lalu na yung mga mahihirap na merong sakit na kapos sa pambayad ng ospital. Dahil ang pcso at pagcor ay nagbibigay ng discount fee sa ospital para sa mahihirap o kapos sa pambayad at sila ang nag sho shoulder ng ibang gastos.. Pag nangyari yun.. wala nang matatakbuhan ang mahihirap na kapos sa panggastos sa doktor at ospital …
ang mga lopez bumabawi na sa mga ginastos nila sa kampanya ni p-noy… mataas singil sa meralco, sa tubig, sa NLEX, at kung saan pa na mga hawak nila na kompanya sa kinuha nila sa gobyerno… gusto nila hawakan lahat ng ahensya ng gobyerno… baka pagcor maging kanila na rin… mga SAKIM!!!
talo pa ng lopez ang napoles. si napoles may kaso sa pang scam, ang lopez nagnanakaw sa sobrang singil ng koryente at tubig, hindi inaaresto.
Yung iba minimum ka na.. tapos yung kinakaltas sa iyo na sss,tax,health, pag na end contract ka na. Saka mo malalaman na hindi pala hinuhulog.
Wheng ganyan talaga next time, Love yourself next your work.
It was obvious that ABSCBN favored Aquino's candidacy. Imagine, a legislator for 12 years with zero accomplishment winning the top seat of the land.
It is nice to know that this site is publishing issues like this but it saddens me to see some activists supporting Noynoy during the campaign. I lost respect for these guys and funny now they are complaining.
As one of the most effective supporter of Aquino, ABS-CBN will surely abuse their power.
ibulatlat nyo naman kung sino pumirma ng contractualization law
ganyan talaga dito sa pinas..hehhee
maraming ganyan dito.. magugulat ka na lang kung sino pa yung nirerespeto o malaking kumpanya ganyan ang istilo…
sino pa yung malakas kumitang kumpanya sila pa ayaw mag regular.. ok lang sana contractual o contractualization kung malakihan ang sweldo.. halimbawa contractual ka ng 1year basta per month mo not below 15thousand. para kahit papano makakaipon ka o meron kang mabibili.
Kaso kadalasan dito sa pilipinas contractual kana.. madalas minimum ka o pag minalas ka below minimum pa. kahit nakagraduate ka..
Buti na lang meron ng call center kahit papano mataas magbigay ahahahha
ABS-CBN recently boosted that it earned billions, yet they do not care about their employees tenure. Kayang-kayang magbayad ng millions sa mga pini-piratang artista dahil sa pinag-kakakitahan, pero sa sariling empleado ay tinitipid. Ito ba ay dapat tawaging KAPAMILYA NETWORK?
My Brother inlaw was one of those that got laid off, I know for fact that he worked way more than 8 hours per day, for poor pay. When they took them all out for dinner then dropped the bomb on them that they no longer had a job (after more than 15 years)and dodging bullets (he has a backpack with a bullet hole)this is the thanks for a job well done, it was devestating to him his wife and 3 kids. I don't think that this is a very good company and he is better off not working fot them, but now he has no job and income.
Simple, if ABS-CBN honors the 16 years of service, Weng will get a huge amount when she retires. Ganyan talaga ang gawain ng HR ng ABS, kahit lilipat ng ibang department, they will offer a slightly higher rate pero you will be hired as a new employee para back to zero ulit ang tenure. San ka nakakita ng company na a managing director lost a lot money in one department because of bad decisions, practically does not know what he/she is doing pero still got promoted? Ganyan talaga ang "Kapamilya", In Service of the Filipino People.
Sugapa, sakim, napakaganid ng ABS-CBN kung totoo to…aanhin kaya nila ang pera e hindi naman nila madadala sa hukay yan…
I certainly agree of what was exposed to this article. I was once a part of the Contractual Employees in one of its channels. Worked 3 days straight because of MILENYO and was only given 500 php for overtime. It really sucks.
Grabe, buti na lang di ako nag-apply dun nung nag-graduate ako. Kung ganyan lang ang pagtrato sa mga empleyado, sana naman dumating na ang karma nila.
Tingnan nga natin kung ano ang mangyayari sa isyung ito.
We have also look into the other side of the coin to make it fair. we don't know exactly the real picture of the scenario. maybe, the ABS-CBN evaluated their decision before reach into action.
the article could definitely have been improved had an attempt made to get ABS-CBN’s side, particularly on why the 16-year tenure was not honored. but not having the side of ABS-CBN does not negate the assertions of Hidalgo and the other reporters/employees interviewed. there has been several news and in-depth articles confirming that this has been a long-standing practice not only in ABS-CBN but also in other large media networks, and almost all big business establishments like SM. to keep profit margins up, labor costs must be kept at a minimum, thus you have contractual-part time employees, including the “talent” system. kung strict ang implementation ng labor laws, hindi dapat pinapayagan ito ng taumbayan. it’s the same with the volunteer-trainee system ng mga hospitals at ang contract system halimbawa ng SM malls. in a genuinely humane and democratic society, every worker or employee must really be regularized after a period of productivity. any other situation is simply inhuman, un-Christian and evil. and to think the profits are cornered mostly by the business owners and the stockholders/investors. ito ang main issue, not whether the article is fair or not
hindi lang sakim ang abs-cbn…ganid at mapansamantala sa mga uring manggagawa…ginagamit nila ang mga maimpluwensyang tao para sa sarili nilang kapakanan….kapamilya raw ang tag line pero sa totoo isa itong kahunghangan at malaking kalokohan..lahat ng paraan ginagawa ng abs-cbn para makapanlamang at makapanghakot ng pera sa tao…puro kasinungalingan ang mga nilalabas na press release ng abs na hiring sila at hindi sila nagtatanggal ng mga empleyado….
it simply means that abs-cbn is not in favor of regularizing employees who are not in favor of what abs-cbn tells them to report. in short, abs does not like to take employees who have their loyalty to honest and truth journalism than loyalty to abs.
sakim pa sa lahat na kasakiman ang ABS-CBN, lalo na ngayon na nanalo na si P-noy, ang pambatong manok ng mga kapitalista at asyendero, kaya kailangan tayong uring mangagawa magkaisa, isa ang panawagan palitan ang sistema.