Proposed COVID-19 hazard pay for Barangay frontliners rejected

April 12, 2020 Community Billboard

The Local Finance Committee (LFC) said the City Government cannot fund the proposed hazard pay for barangay officials and other barangay workers who are considered as frontliners.

The city council earlier passed a resolution requesting the LFC to source out funds for the hazard pay of barangay frontliners and tasked the latter to prepare the guidelines that will determine and standardize the amount to be granted as hazard pay to each barangay official/worker.

However, during the April 6 regular session, City Budget Officer Leticia Clemente said the council’s proposal lacked “legal basis.”

“We are not clear with the guidelines whether the City can provide assistance to the barangays for the provision of hazard pay,” Clemente said.

Clemente explained the City cannot use its savings from Personal Services (PS) for the proposed hazard pay because of the 45% PS limitation imposed by the Local Government Code.

The budget officer further said the PS savings will be used to grant the daily hazard pay of regular employees, casual employees, and job order workers of the City Government who are required to go to work during the community quarantine period pursuant to the
guidelines issued by the Department of Budget and Management (Budget Circular 2020-1).

City Accountant Antonio Tabin meanwhile stressed that the said circular does not specify hazard pay for elected barangay officials; however, the city treasurer said appointed barangay employees such as the secretary and treasurer may receive the said grant.

Tabin further explained that the proposed hazard pay for barangay frontliners cannot be sourced out from the recently approved 150-M supplemental budget as it has been earmarked for various COVID-19 prevention measures and for the City’s ongoing relief operations.

Tabin also dismissed the idea of using the City’s Quick Response Fund (QRF) to provide the proposed hazard pay emphasizing that the said fund is reserved for this year’s rainy season.

Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda advised the LFC to check if the City’s savings generated from the Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) can be tapped to provide the said hazard pay.

“Take a second look at all these issuance’s by the national government so that we will all be clarified as to whether elective barangay officials are entitled to receive hazard pay or not and where exactly can we get funds for this,” Tabanda added.

Councilor Michael Lawana, President of the Liga ng mga Barangay, sought help from Congress Representative Marquez Go who was also present during the council’s regular session. Lawana requested Go to address the lack of financial compensation granted to barangay officials/workers who are burdened by numerous tasks in the implementation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine in their respective barangays.

Go concurred that barangay frontliners should be given financial aid. The Representative said he will raise the matter to the Social Amelioration Program’s congressional oversight committee.

Jordan G. Habbiling/ABN