JV Ejercito bats for decent allowances, benefits for barangay officials, volunteers
March 21, 2023
Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito called on
his colleagues in Congress to consider institutionalizing allowances and
benefits for barangay volunteers, especially barangay health workers and
barangay tanods.
Ejercito said barangay health workers and
barangay tanods are overworked and underpaid despite being the country’s first
line of defense against public emergencies.
“Dapat talaga natin mabigyan ng benepisyo yung
ating mga foot soldiers: the barangay health workers and the barangay tanods.
Sila naman talaga yung laging nauuna kapag may sakuna, may gulo, may pandemya.
They are the most underpaid and overworked,” he said.
The lawmaker from San Juan stressed that
barangay volunteers should be provided hazard pay, health insurance, and access
to different medical services due to the risky nature of their work.
“Medyo ambitious but I think it’s about time
that we give the proper benefits and privileges to these people. Nakita naman
natin yung value nila, lalo na nitong pandemya, na lahat ay takot lumabas pero
sila ay nandun pa rin, risking their lives and even their families para lang po
makapagsilbi. It’s about time we compensate them properly,” he said.
He also urged the national government to study
the feasibility of fixing a standard or minimum compensation package for
barangay officials and volunteers.
“Sana magkaroon ng standardization or minimum
at least, kasi iba-iba ang level ng mga barangay, na magkaroon naman ng
disenteng allowance ang mga barangay volunteers,” he said.
Earlier today, Ejercito presided over the
Senate Committee on Local Government’s public hearing on several bills seeking
to create a Magna Carta for Barangays.
The said measures seek to recognize barangay
officials as regular government employees, entitled to a variety of benefits
and incentives, and establish local programs and mechanisms to assist barangays
in fulfilling their autonomy and improving the welfare of their
constituents.
For his part, after his recent return to the
Senate, Ejercito filed Senate Bill No. 396, which seeks to protect barangay
health workers, professionalize their services, and improve their incentives
and benefits.
Once passed, every barangay health worker will
be entitled to a monthly honoraria in the amount of not less than P3,000;
discounts from commercial establishments; hazard allowance; subsistence
allowance; transportation allowance; one-time retirement cash incentive;
training, education, and career enrichment programs; health benefits; insurance
coverage; sick, vacation, and maternity leaves; cash gifts; disability
benefits; civil service eligibility; free legal services; and preferential
access to loan facilities.
