A resolution was filed at the House of Representatives urging local governments to give hazard pay to barangay workers serving as frontliners amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
House Resolution 1834 filed by Rep. Anthony Peter Crisologo of Quezon City said barangay officials play a “crucial role” barangay officials in responding to the health crisis.
“Barangay workers, such as health workers, tanods (watchmen) and other barangay employees are not covered by the rules of the Civil Service Commission and are not entered to the same benefits as regular government employees,” Crisologo said in the resolution.
Crisologo, an assistant minority leader, also said “barangay workers are also community members who need protection.”
“Their contributions in the current fight against COVID-19 shall be acknowledged by providing them with security while they continue to carry out official tasks that require them to face the perils of the pandemic,” he said.
According to Crisologo, providing hazard pay to the barangay officials and workers is pursuant to the provisions of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Circular 2020-1, or the guidelines on the grant of COVI-19 hazard pay.
The circular, he said, provides that LGUs shall allocate funds to ensure that all barangay officials and workers who are identified as frontliners are given hazard pay for their safety and personal health.
According to Crisologo, there are 42,046 barangays recorded in the September 2020 data of the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
“As the basic political units of the country, all of these barangays and their workers, who serve for the general welfare of their community members, are vital in ensuring that all groups, sectors, and communities are protected from the pandemic and are reached by the government,” Crisologo said.
As this developed, the Commission on Human Rights on Wednesday commended the Duterte administration for extending the grant of the special risk allowance (SRA) to all health workers both private and public amid the coronavirus disease2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
“As such, we urge the government to make the processing of claims as easy and efficient as possible. All health-care workers deserve the timely release of their salaries, hazard pay and bonuses for the work that they do in ensuring the treatment and prevention of diseases caused by COVID-19,” spokesperson Jacqueline Ann de Guia said.
The Commission welcomed the signing of Administrative Order No. 42 by President Rodrigo Duterte paving the way for the entitlement of P5,000 to medical frontliners.
The funding of the grant would come from Republic Act No. 11494 or the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act.
The pro-rated SRA shall be based on the number of days a health worker physically reports for work from Sept. 15, 2020 until June 20 this year. with Rio Araja