Monday, March 10, 2008 Pay dues or forfeit benefits, brys. told
BARANGAYS that do not settle their dues with the Cebu City Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) will not enjoy sickness and death benefits from the organization.
Tessa Paradiang Cang, ABC administrative officer, said they made it a new policy to have the barangays pay up first because during the previous administrations, many did not bother to deliver their financial obligations to the organization.
“Settle your dues before claiming for burial and health assistance. This is to discipline these barangays.
Others, mobayad lang kay na-hospital na sila (they’ll only pay if they end up getting hospitalized),” she told the barangay captains in last Saturday’s ABC general assembly.
“We have encouraged them to pay because since 2002, our expenses for hospitalization and burial assistance have been considerable,” she told Sun.Star Cebu.
Each Cebu City barangay should give P25,750 as “equal sharing contribution.” But that excludes the ABC’s proportionate share from each barangay’s income, which the law mandates.
The share depends on the barangay’s revenue.
In her report on the statement of appropriations, expenditures and balances before the assembly, Cang said the biggest appropriation was P1.4 million for hospitalization and burial benefits.
Disbursed
As of last month, barangay officials already availed themselves of P107,583. For February alone, P77,583 was disbursed.
In the same assembly, barangay captains asked the national Liga ng mga Barangay to support Sen. Ernesto Angara’s bill to increase health and burial benefits of barangay officials and employees.
Barangay Captain Sisinio Andales of Pahina Central made the motion for the Liga to lobby for the bill.
“We have to support, not only the Cebu City chapter, but all under the national league,” he told Liga president Rico Judge Echiverri.
Benefits
Angara’s “Expanded Barangay Captain’s Insurance Act” seeks to supplement the benefits of barangay executives in case of death, injury, or sickness in the conduct of their duties.
Upon the motion of Councilor Edgardo Labella, the Cebu City Council last January expressed support for the bill, which it believed would boost the barangay captains’ zeal in implementing development projects.
The council said that being “at the forefront in the implementation of government policies, plans and programs at the grassroots level,” barangay officials court the ire of lawless elements, who may run after them or their family.
According to the bill, the family of a barangay captain may claim a death benefit of P250,000, provided his passing is caused by “assassination, accident or other similar circumstance while in the conduct of official duty.”
An additional P50,000 will also be given for burial expenses.
A barangay captain may also ask for reimbursement of medical expenses not exceeding P100,000 under similar circumstances, if the bill becomes law.
However, benefits cannot be claimed if the death, injury, or sickness is caused by gross negligence of the barangay captain, willful intention to injure or kill oneself, and habitual drunkenness or intoxication.
Echiverri said he will consult the other chapters, saying he attended the ABC general assembly to know the concerns of the Liga’s members. (RHM)
