Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) President and ex-officio Board Member Ferdinand Zaballa is pushing to make the benefits of graduating barangay officials a regular program through an ordinance.
Zaballa opened up the idea during the Barangay-yan sa Baragatan 2023, where barangay officials from the 23 municipalities of Palawan converged to honor the graduating 71 Punong Barangays and 328 Barangay Kagawads.
“Itong parangal na ito, nagsimula lang ngayon. Subait, ang direksyon talaga ng Liga ng mga Barangay ay gusto nating maging regular na ito or maging ordinansa na sa tuwing may ga-graduate ay meron silang matanggap na kahit konting halaga,” Zaballa told media in an interview.
He said he has already discussed the idea with the members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, and they are supporting the proposal.
“Besides, obligasyon din naman talaga ng provincial government na pangalagaan yung welfare ng ating mga punong barangay at kagawad so paglalaanan namin ito ng kaukulang pondo para mabigyang pansin, mabigyan ng recognition yung ating mga barangay officials na nagtapos ng kanilang tatlong termino,” he explained.
He also said he is proposing an amount of P30,000 for punong barangays and P15,000 for barangay kagawads who will be completing their three terms of office.
“This will serve as a financial incentive for barangay officials for finishing their term,” he said.
While the financial incentive is only on its pilot implementation, graduating punong barangays will receive P9,000 while barangay kagawads will receive P6,000.
Zaballa said the funds will be taken from the supplemental budget recently passed by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.
Ito ay isang importanteng programa kaya nga yung mga punong barangay at kagawad dahil sabi nila, masarap sa pakiramdam dahil sa tagal nilang naging opisyal ng barangay, never silang naka experience na nabigyan ng recognition sa kanilang nagawa.
Aside from this, Zaballa said he will also move for the creation of a barangay benefit system where officials will also have something to rely on,in case of emergencies.
“Kasi paano naman kung may namatay or nagkasakit na kapitan o kaya kagawad. Nagre-rely lang kami sa binibigay ng DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development). Hindi man lang kami naka enroll sa GSIS (Government Services Insurance System,” he said.
“So if we get enrolled with the DSWP, at least we will get something,” he added.
Furthermore, he said the ABC is also focusing on the barangay nutrition program.
We will course this through the liga since there is a fund allocation fo this. We need to sustain our nutrition programs because we are the most improved province in terms of nutrition status in the whole Mimaropa so this is one program that we want to sustain,” he said.
