By Dominic C. dela Cruz (Staff Reporter)
Laoag City—All brgy
tanods in this are expected to receive additional benefits, Laoag City
councilor Roger John Fariñas announced after they approved an ordinance calling
for those.
Fariñas, who sponsored the measure, said Section 393 of the Local
Government Code of 1991 (LGC) states that barangay officials, including
barangay tanods and members of the Lupong Tagapamayapa, shall receive
honoraria, allowances, and such other emoluments as may be authorized by law or
barangay, municipal, or city ordinance.
He also said that Chapter 4, Section 393 (d), of the LGC,
provides, that, “All duly appointed members of the barangay tanod brigades or
their equivalent, which number shall not be more than twenty (20) in each
barangay, shall be granted insurance or other benefits during their incumbency,
chargeable to the barangay of the city or municipal government to which the
barangay belongs’’.
Section 16 of the LGC further provides that every local
government unit shall exercise the powers expressly granted, those necessarily
implied therefrom, as well as powers necessary, appropriate, or incidental for
its efficient and effective governance, and those which are essential to the
promotion of the general welfare.
Relative to this, Fariñas said the local government unit of Laoag
acknowledges the important role, dedication, performance, and perseverance of
the brgy. tanod members who serve as
force multipliers of the uniformed personnel and are also considered as
frontline workers in ensuring peace, safety, and order, providing traffic
assistance and in combating illegal drugs in the city.
The Ilocos Times
learned that the present honoraria of barangay tanod in the city is ranges from
PHP1,000 to PHP2,000 per month and it is not compensable to their sacrifices
and nature of work and sometimes their lives is put in danger during the
performance of their duties.
As this developed, the 12th Sanggunian, through an
ordinance, has grant additional incentives and allowances to all duly appointed
barangay tanods to augment their honoraria that would uplift their moral and
eagerness to perform better their duties and responsibilities.
In relation to this, the city government also recently approved
an ordinance providing free basic medical examination every year through the
Laoag City General Hospital (LCGH) and/or the office of the City Health Office
(CHO) for active and in-service elected and appointed barangay officials of the
80 barangays of the city, a week before or a week after of their birthday as a
way of recognizing the vital role of the barangay as the primary implementing
unit of the government.
