By Dominic B. dela Cruz
Staff reporter
Laoag City—The Sangguniang Panlungsod here unanimously approved a resolution that creates an administrator post for the city’s 80 barangays.
The council passed the unnumbered resolution unanimously, with Laoag Liga ng mga Barangay president and council ex-officio member Mary Michelle Louise “Mikee” V. Fariñas moving for its approval on May 21, 2018.
Laoag vice mayor and council presiding officer Michael V. Fariñas suggested the measure. According to the former Laoag mayor, if municipal and city governments have administrators, he said believes barangays can also have their own.
Mr. Fariñas added that barangay administrators “would be a great help and big participants for the betterment of the barangay’s programs, plans and activities”.
Laoag councilor Franklin Dante A. Respicio, committee on laws chairperson, agreed with the vice mayor; he however suggested they invite city interior local and government officer Andres Vendiola if this will have any legal basis.
Mr. Vendiola, said the barangay thru the Sangguniang Barangay can create additional appointive positions aside from the barangay secretary and barangay treasurer under Section 396 of the Local Government Code.
However, he stressed that the barangay should base creation of any position to the availability of fund. He added that a barangay administrator, or any new position they will create, will receive an honorarium like any other appointed barangay official. The honorarium, he explained, should not exceed the 55% personal services limitation.
Mr. Vendiola also clarified that any barangay creating a new position should pass an ordinance that would state the position’s duties and functions.
The Local Government Code has specified the barangay secretary and treasurer’s respective duties and functions.