Bam Aquino pushes for monthly salary, PhilHealth coverage for barangay tanods, health workers

Senatorial candidate Bam Aquino said Thursday that he would push for providing benefits to barangay workers, particularly the tanods (watchmen) and health workers, as they are considered as village frontliners.

Aquino said such barangay workers must be entitled to monthly salary, coverage from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, free training, and free legal services if ever they face cases in connection to their duties.

“Panahon na po na bigyan talaga ng tamang halaga ang mga tanod natin at mga tumutulong sa ating barangay,” said Aquino in a statement.

(It's time to give our guards and those who help our barangays the right amount of respect.)

“Huwag naman nating tratuhing volunteer. Tratuhin natin talagang nagtatrabaho dito po sa ating barangay,” he added.

(Let's not treat them like volunteers. Let's treat them like real workers here in our barangay.)

According to the Local Government Code of 1991, barangay officials only receive an honorarium and not a fixed monthly salary. The law states that the Punong Barangay shall receive a P1,000 per month of honorarium and a minimum of P600 monthly for Sangguniang Barangay members, barangay secretary, and the barangay treasurer.

Likewise, barangay day care and health workers are only paid on an honorarium basis.

Aquino already filed a similar bill in 2016. However, it did not see any progress in the Senate. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/RSJ, GMA Integrated News

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