Press Release
July 3, 2008

LACSON BILL CLEARS CONFUSION OVER PAY FOR BARANGAY OFFICIALS

With barangay officials already saddled with many duties to their constituents, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson has filed a bill raising their compensation while clearing the confusion caused by past directives on the matter.

Lacson filed Senate Bill 2427, which gives Punong Barangays compensation ranging from P6,500 to P15,000, and other barangay officials compensation ranging from P5,000 to P12,000.

"The role being played by barangay officials is indeed no easy task. This is why it is only fair that they should be given the right compensation as well as other benefits to make up for the services they have rendered to their constituents," he said.

The bill also provides for the possibility of the salary being increased if a general salary adjustment for all government employees is granted. In this case, the Budget Department will issue the guidelines for such a salary adjustment for barangay officials.

Lacson said his bill also seeks to get rid of the confusion on compensation caused by a series of directives, circulars and orders dating back to the 1990s.

"The purpose of this legislative measure is to finally resolve this problem through the enactment of a compensation system for barangay officials that will clearly identify the type of compensation, and other benefits they are entitled to," he said.

He noted the Local Government Code of 1991, which governs compensation for barangay officials, had set the minimum pay at P1,000 for the punong barangay and P600 for other barangay officials.

But in 1996, then President Fidel Ramos issued Executive Order No. 332, which integrated the barangay unit into the Compensation and Position Classification System, or the Salary Standardization Law.

"EO 332 created some confusion in the sense that it incorporated barangay officials into the Salary Standardization system when, according to the Local Government Code, they should only receive an honorarium and not salaries," Lacson noted.

In an effort to clear the matter, the Department of Budget and Management issued local budget circulars. "Unfortunately, despite the issuance of said circulars, certain problems still arise with respect to the compensation of barangay officials," Lacson said.

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