A lawmaker has filed a bill seeking to expand the coverage of the Government Service Insurance System to include local officials in the country’s 42,000 barangays.
Isabela Rep. Faustino Dy V made the proposal through House Bill No. 2298.
“Our barangay captains, kagawads, and secretaries are the frontliners in the delivery of public service,” Dy, who once served as President of the Liga ng Barangay, said.
“The government depends on them to help keep peace and order in communities and to aid in the implementation of key government programs,” he added.
Under the bill, GSIS coverage will be extended to local officials such as barangay captains, barangay councilors, and barangay secretaries.
The bill provides that local government units shall pay for the GSIS premiums of barangay officials.
The national government, however, will shoulder 50 percent of the premiums in the cases of fourth, fifth, and sixth class municipalities.
Barangay officials who already enjoy GSIS benefits such as insurance, retirement pay, disability benefits, and health coverage will not be covered by the measure.
“If there are problems in a community, an emergency like a fire, or a natural calamity like floods, barangay officials are the first responders on the ground,” Dy said.
“Barangay officials work for our government and our people, just like other government employees. Unfortunately, unlike other government employees, they do not have basic benefits like GSIS coverage,” he added.