A former cameraman of ABS-CBN narrated to the lawmakers during a congressional hearing how he and his colleagues were badly treated by their ex-company when they tried to fight for their rights.
During the hearing, Journalie Payonan, who introduced himself as a ‘talent’ of ABS-CBN despite being a cameraman, recounted that they filed a case against the broadcasting company before the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) together with his 103 colleagues.
According to him, being a ‘talent’ is very different from regular employees as he said that his colleagues, Val Cuenca, his co-cameraman, are receiving a bigger salary than him.
As a talent, Payonan said that he’s only receiving 14,000 pesos as salary.
Payonan told the lawmakers that their complaint already reached the Supreme Court after they won their case in the Court of Appeals.
The former cameraman also shared a story to prove how they were badly treated by the company, saying that his colleagues were invited to a hotel by ABS CBN Chairman Emeritus Gabby Lopez for a feast only to be told that they’re going to lose their jobs.
“Yung ibang kasamahan namin, pinatawag sa apat na hotel, pinakain ng masarap, may security guard para lang sabihin lang na ‘wala ka ng trabaho’, yung iba halos mabaliw kasi akala nila promotion eh,” Payonan told the lawmakers.
He also revealed that he started working for ABS-CBN in 1996, but discovered that he did not have any contribution to SSS until 2002.
Payonan then filed a case against ABS-CBN and suddenly they were given the right benefits for them like SSS, Phil health and Pagibig.
When a curious lawmaker asked Payonan if he tried to ask his superiors why they’re not getting regularize, he said that he already tried it only to receive a sarcastic response.
“Baka hindi ka magaling,” Payonan said while quoting his former superior.
He expressed disappointment to the response of the said ABS-CBN official, saying that they took advantage of his talent for 13 years only to be told that he’s not good.
Aside from Payonan, Christopher Mendoza, Jun Benosa, Eric Adriano and Alain Andres Pardo also went to Congress to share their story against ABS-CBN.
The testimony of Payonan has been recorded by blogger ‘Banat by’ and already received 850,000 views as of writing.