BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance establishing a Barangay Police Force or Tanod Insurance Program in the city and appropriating an initial amount of P1 million to serve as the insurance fund and will be incorporated in the annual budget of the local government every year.
The ordinance authored by Councilor Leandro B. Yangot, Jr. stated the annual appropriation of P1 million may be increased by the City Mayor if he deems it necessary through a supplemental budget during the first year of implementation.
The ordinance added that the Liga ng mga Barangay shall recommend at least 3 competent and reliable insurance firms to handle the group insurance of the barangay police force or tanod insurance program of the local government.
Yangot explained the barangay tanods in the city’s 128 barangays provide security to their respective barangays, maintain peace and order and serve as indispensable partners of the local police force in the city in the implementation of anti-criminality, peacekeeping and anti-terrorism initiatives to ensure the safety and security of not only the residents but also the people in the area.
The ordinance stipulated that the barangay police force or tanods are the city’s unsung heroes in the maintenance of peace and order in all the 128 barangays and for all their sacrifices, they receive a meagre honorarium or allowance which is not even enough to support the raising of a family.
In case of death or incapacity while performing their duties and responsibilities, the ordinance noted the members of the barangay police force or tanod do not get any compensation or remuneration for the services they have rendered to the barangays and that whatever contributions they receive come from the pockets of concerned city officials and residents alike.
Earlier, the Commission on Audit (COA) stalled the release of some P3.8 million earmarked by the local government for the group insurance of barangay tanods.
Moreover, the city’s barangays were prohibited by the COA from sourcing the funds for the payment of the honorarium of barangay tanods from their maintenance and other operating expenses and instead charge the same to their personnel services that resulted to the trimming down of the number of barangay tanods in the city’s barangays.
Yangot pointed out that despite receiving honoraria that is not even sufficient to raise a family, the barangay tanods continue to render quality service to the residents in their areas of assignment because of their utmost dedication to serve their fellow residents in the barangays and that their services could not be quantified and even compensated.
Barangay officials are now having a difficulty in sourcing out the funds to pay the honoraria of their tanods and how to increase the number of tanods to be able to maintain peace and order in their areas of jurisdiction.
The ordinance was referred to the concerned committee of the local legislative body for study and recommendation on whether the measure could be passed on second and third readings.
By Dexter A. See
