The City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance granting cash incentives to deputized barangay enforcers of the Anti-Road Obstruction Task Force of the city.
The ordinance authored by Councilor Michael L. Lawana states the barangays are entitled to 70 percent of the collection of fines for anti-road obstruction while the 30 percent of the same shall remain with the city government.
The ordinance stipulates that the proceeds from the share of the barangays shall be placed in a trust fund, specifically intended to defray expenses and operationalize activities of the task force in the respective barangays.
The ordinance insinuates the expenses of the barangays shall include, but are not limited to, cost of inspection and enforcement by the deputized enforcers, including allowances for meals and transportation, cost of regular or periodic meetings of the barangay officials and deputized enforcers; cost of the conduct of seminars and trainings of the deputized enforcers, cost of procurement of necessary equipment, tools, gears and the like, incentives for the deputized enforcers that will come from the share of the penalties that were paid and other expenses associated with the implementation and enforcement of the operation anti-rod obstruction.
The ordinance defines that 70 percent of the amount of the corresponding penalty paid by a violator shall be apportioned wherein the equivalent of 20 percent of the 70 percent shall accrue to the deputized enforcers who did the apprehension as an incentive and the reminder of the proceeds from penalties collected as payment by violators after this deduction shall accrue to and form part of the general funds of the city’s barangays.
Under the proposed ordinance, deputized barangay enforcers shall secure from the City Treasury Office the traffic citation ticket which they are authorized to issue to the violators and that the barangay council shall be empowered to determine how the trust fund is to be utilized in furtherance of the subject to the usual government accounting and auditing procedures, provided that, however, the amount of deposit may be withdrawn after the City Accounting Office certifies the amount is already available and for the same to be downloaded to the beneficiary barangays.
Administrative Order No. 116, series of 2016, creates the city’s Anti-Road Obstruction Task Force to strictly implement the pertinent provisions of Ordinance No. 7, series of 1984, and other related city ordinances, in conjunction with national laws, decrees and instructions, in the interest of public safety and common good.
Pursuant to the pertinent provisions of the administrative order, Administrative Order No. 197, series of 2016, was issued by former Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan deputizing barangay-based enforcers to implement the provisions of Ordinance No. 7, series of 1984, and other related city ordinances, in conjunction with national laws, decrees and instructions in their respective territorial jurisdictions.
Section 5 of Administrative Order No. 197, series of 2016, provides entitlements of share from the collection of anti-road obstruction fees where 70 percent goes to the barangay and 30 percent will accrue to the city government.
By Dexter A. See
