Pacquaio bill seeks standard salary for barangay officials

Senator Manny Pacquaio has filed a bill seeking to establish a standard salary, allowance, and other benefits for barangay officials in the country instead of the monthly honoraria that they are receiving.

Senate Bill No. 1956 declares the Punong Barangay, members of the Sangguniang Barangay, the Sangguniang Kabataan Chairperson, the Barangay Secretary, and Barangay Treasurer as regular government employees entitled to fixed salaries.

The bill mandates the Department of Budget and Management to develop a standardized position classification and compensation scheme for barangays, which shall be composed of the following salary grades:

• Salary Grade I (P15,000) - barangay appointive officials and other barangay personnel
• Salary Grade II (P25,000) - barangay elective officials in the Sangguniang Kabataan and Sangguniang Barangay
• Salary Grade III (P35,000) - Punong Barangay

The bill, nonetheless, states that "no barangay official or personnel shall suffer reduction, diminution or withdrawal of salaries and benefits already enjoyed by the barangay official or personnel concerned."

Under the Sec. 393 of the Local Government Code, barangay officials "shall receive honoraria, allowances, and such other emoluments as may be authorized by law or Barangay, municipal or city ordinance in accordance with the provisions of this Code, but in no case shall it be less than P1,000 per month for the Punong Barangay and P600 per month for the Sangguniang Barangay members, Barangay Treasurer, and Barangay Secretary."

Pacquiao's bill also says that barangay officials shall be entitled to 13th month pay, a Christmas bonus of P3,000, and other bonuses as may be provided by law.

Further, it seeks to provide a Special Risk Allowance amid the COVID-19 pandemic and in similar situations in the future.

Volunteer workers in barangays shall also be entitled to compensation and benefits for their services, it added. — Dona Magsino/RSJ, GMA News