Lawmakers have pushed for the passage of a bill strengthening barangays and improve the compensation and benefits received by barangay workers.
Reps. Inno Dy of Isabela and Geraldine Roman of Bataan made the appeal to the House leadership led by Speaker Martin G. Romualdez, noting that it is high time that such barangay officials will be compensated by passing a measure that upholds their rights and privileges.
“I hope that when Congress resumes in January, we can also pass the Magna Carta for Barangays,” Dy said.
House Bill 1204, authored by Dy, aims to make barangay officials regular government employees, which would entitle them to fixed salaries, insurance, and retirement benefits, among others. Maricel V. Cruz
“Our barangay officials are first responders to any concern that the community faces. They do not have regular hours because their duties are closely linked with the life of the community. Yet, for such a crucial job, they only get paid a pittance.
“They do not even have insurance should harm come to them in the performance of their jobs,” Dy lamented.
The lawmaker said it was high time that such injustice be corrected, and that his proposed measure would be a good way to express gratitude for the selfless service of barangay officials.
Roman who earlier filed House Bill 228, otherwise known as “The Magna Carta for Barangays,” stressed the need to empower and enable barangay officials to serve their constituents more effectively. It recognizes the importance of the barangay as a political unit.
Roman, chairperson of the House committee on women and gender equality said by the nature of their work, the safety and security of the Barangay officials are always at risk.
“One glaring example for this is in the fight against drugs. It is the Barangay officials who have the list of actual or possible drug peddlers and users in the community,” Roman added.
Complaints against those involved in drugs are more often than not lodged with them before the complainants go to the police. It is these Barangay officials who are the first in line when it comes to receiving reports of crimes that are being committed or have just been committed, Roman said.
“Sadly, despite the services that they render with the accompanying danger to themselves and their family members, Barangay officials are a sorely neglected lot. The benefits that they currently receive from the government are not commensurate to what is due them, she said.
“To be able to deliver basic services to the people efficiently, the Barangay should be empowered and enabled to stand on its own,” Roman said, adding that necessary facilities like safe and drinkable water, health centers, educational centers and schools, barangay halls, and means for public commuting should be in place to promote the general welfare of the Barangay.
The twin measures acknowledges the right of every barangay to have a regular supply of clean and potable drinking water. To attain this goal, every city and municipality, as the case may be, is hereby required to construct and/or maintain at least one deep well with pumping device for drawing drinking water to supply the needs of every one thousand residents for each barangay within its jurisdiction.
Roman’s bill provides that every barangay is entitled to have at least one elementary school: Provided, that there shall be at least one high school for every five kilometers from the barangay center. It shall also be the right of every barangay to have one health center and one barangay hall.
Moreover, Dy’s the Magna Carta would further empower barangays by ensuring the availability in every barangay of basic services and facilities such as drinking water, transportation, and schools.
The bill mandates the construction/maintenance of at least one deep well with a pumping device for drawing drinking water for every 1,000 residents in each barangay.
Meanwhile, every municipality or city would also be tasked with coordinating with government agencies to require public utility companies to provide public transportation.
Each barangay would also be entitled to have at least one elementary school, and a high school every five kilometers from the barangay center; as well as a health center and a barangay hall.
The just share of barangays from national taxes would also be automatically released to them every end of the calendar year. As well, all public funds from the National Treasury for the maintenance of barangay roads and bridges and similar construction works should also be transferred directly to the barangays’ general fund.
Every barangay would also be entitled to an equitable share of proceeds derived from the exploitation, utilization, and development of natural resources within its territory, Dy said in his bill.