CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – Department of Interior and Local Government Undersecretary for Barangay Affairs Martin Diño assured the village officials that they will push for their regular salaries and benefits to give them additional inspiration for their important contribution to the government.
This was said during the Barangay Officials Summit 2018 held at Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center here.
As former village chief himself, Diño said that it is high time for barangay officials to receive benefits as long as they will help the national government in their fight against illegal drugs and criminality. He stated the proposed benefits such as regularization of barangay officials, raising the salaries of barangay chairs equal to members of the municipal council members (who is entitled to salary grade of 25) and barangay councilors equal to 80% of municipal council members. Added to this are the allowance, insurance, medical and dental benefits, and retirement benefits.
“You are the government’s first line of defense. You know all of the issues that your constituents face. You are the first person to be consulted for barangay affairs, not the governor, not the mayors, or even the municipal councilors,” he added.
He also asked to help them identify illegal drug suspects and criminals in their barangays.
“If we ask you to give us the list of every illegal drug pusher, user, and even criminals, do not give us the wrong perception that you do not know them,” he said.
Diño added that he based his proposal to the Senate Bill 277, also known as the Magna Carta for Barangays as proposed by then-Senator Aquilino Pimentel, Jr.
“Ang benepisyo ay nabinbin for almost 10 years. Magmula noong maupo ako, gusto ko nang i-push ang Magna Carta for Barangays dahil alam natin ang importansya ng mga barangay officials. Dati rin akong barangay chairman for 13 years,” he added.##
PHILIP OCAMPO
