By Perfecto T. Raymundo, Jr.
QUEZON CITY – Sagip Party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta has proposed a legislative measure to create the Barangay Affairs and Development Fund.
In a press conference at PCDC Bldg., in Tandang Sora, Brgy. Pasong Tamo, Quezon City on Thursday (Sept. 12), Rep. Marcoleta said that he has filed House Bill No. 9400 “Creating the Barangay Affairs and Development Fund” during the Third Session of the 19th Congress.
Marcoleta said that it is important in order to help the barangays to develop themselves which have been neglected for a long time and it is also significant in order to inform the public about the objective of the law.
He elaborated House Bill 9400 has been crafted for a long time in the sense that out of 42,000 barangays nationwide, only 2 percent can stand all by themselves.
Hence, Marcoleta took it upon himself to help the barangays to cope with the challenges face by the barangays nationwide.
The lawmaker said that in his meetings and consultations with the barangays in every episode of his program they were able validate the sad condition of the barangays such that some of them have only P5,000 to P32,000 IRA (internal Revenue Allotment) and the classification of a barangay, it is now depending on the IRA and the NATA today.
Marcoleta would like to source other funds not from the IRA alone, citing that, Republic Act No. 7160, or the Local Government Code of the Philippines, provides for the appropriate fund not given to them as they are groping such that the barangay tanods are now receiving P1,000 a month on the average, Barangay Health workers are receiving P800 a month, and the Lupong Tagapayapa members are only receiving P3 per day.
“Will that amount make them live decently for the volunteer work they are doing. How can they stand by themselves if that is their condition now,” Marcoleta asked.
The Sagip party-list lawmaker pointed out that House Bill 9400 will address the predicaments of the barangays now.
“For example, we are creating a Commission under the Local Government Code. We will create a new house or body, to make the other funds not being used by the national government, which will be rechanneled to barangays such that 25 percent of the unutilized fund may be rechannelled to the barangays,” Marcoleta stressed.
The solon emphasized that the budget should not be saved to make as their bonus for themselves, but it should not be that way. From all the sources, P24 billion per year can be allotted from the unutilized funds of national agencies under the General Appropriations Act.
“Perhaps, P100 billion may be saved from the other sources of unutilized funds,” Marcoleta said.
“If we have saved sufficient funds for the barangays, the Commission will study which barangay will be prioritized in a matter that the distribution of the funds will be equitably distributed to the barangays,” he added.
Marcoleta expounded that there should be trainings for treasurers in barangay so that the barangays will be capacitated so that they will be self-reliant and independent.
He explained that the DILG Secretary need not lead the Commission as he will be the ex-officio officer of the Commission, which will study the effective and equitable distribution of the barangay affairs and development fund and which will depend on the prioritization of every barangay.
Marcoleta noted “there are barangays with no barangay halls. It will depend on the most needy barangay in the determination of the barangay fund, which will be rationalized and equitable, especially the poorest barangays in the country.
The solon stressed that many other lawmakers have expressed their desire to co-sponsor House Bill 9400, noting that others, would only like to harmonize other laws with that of his proposed legislative measure for the creation of the barangay affairs and development fund.
He pointed out that barangay officials only earn about 2 percent of the minimum wage, saying that, he is proposing to at least raise their salary to the minimum wage or make them as regular employees commensurate to their 24/7 public service.
The Commission to be created under House Bill 9400 stipulates to make the DILG Secretary as the ex-officio member of the Commission, together with the Undersecretary as member.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas have also expressed their support to the proposed bill of Marcoleta, saying that, he was happy that nobody opposed the House Bill 9400.
Marcoleta has prepared “truckloads” of documents in order to address any concerns that might be raised against House Bill 9400.
The lawmaker expressed his optimism that House Bill 9400 will be an “enrolled bill” such that it would be passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, which may adopt the House version “en toto” and will be an enrolled bill and the President will sign the bill into law.
During the hearing of the House Committee on Local Government, several lawmakers have expressed their support to co-sponsor House Bill 9400 and nobody posed any objection.
