BAGUIO CITY – The city legislative body approved the allocation of some P10.24 million as the city government’s financial assistance to the city’s 128 barangays to help in improving their ongoing initiative to fight the dreaded Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) during this extended Luzonwide enhanced community quarantine.
The decision of the city legislative body to approve the allocation of the aforesaid amount was based on the recommendation of the city’s city finance committee due to the limited resources of the barangays to be used for their respective anti-COVID-19 operations to cater to the growing needs of their constituents in the light of the extended quarantine period.
The financial assistance to the barangays will be charged against the P150 million earlier realigned by the city government from previously unimplemented appropriations over the past several years for the programs, projects and activities geared towards preventing the spread of the deadly virus in the city and maintain its status as one of the local governments having some of the best practices in addressing the global pandemic.
Earlier, the city government earmarked some P5.7 million as budget augmentation to the barangays to help prevent the further spread of the contagious virus and control its proliferation in the city in the coming weeks.
However, City Accountant Antonio Tabin explained the allocated funds can only be used by the barangays for their anti-COVID-19 operations such as purchase of medicines and supplies, procurement of personal protective equipment (PPEs) provision of relief goods for the vulnerable and marginalized sectors, and other related interventions, to help government’s efforts against the highly contagious virus.
He added the pro-rated financial assistance for the barangays to be credited to their bank accounts cannot be used or appropriated by the barangay council for the payment of hazard pay and special risk allowance for barangay officials and health workers, based on the limitations provided under the circular issued by the budget department for the said purpose.
The national inter-agency task force on the management of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases tasked the barangays to be one of the major frontliners in the aggressive implementation of the numerous policies governing the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine to fight the dreaded COVID-19 considering the projected surge in the number of cases once social distancing will not be implemented in the communities.
Tabin stood firm on the position of the city finance committee that elected city and barangay officials are not entitled to the hazard pay pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act (RA) 11469 or the Bayanihan To Heal As One Act of 2020 and the succeeding guidelines that were crafted by the budget for the said purpose.
The government embarked on the implementation of a Luzonwide enhanced community quarantine as one of the precautionary measures that will curb the rapid spread of the deadly virus considering the continuous increase of the cases and the presence of city transmission.
By DEXTER A. SEE
Photo by: Armando Bolislis