Two lawmakers are proposing to have barangay officials declared as regular government employees, urging for the standardization of their salaries at a fixed monthly rate.

Sultan Kudarat 2nd District Rep. Horacio Suansing, and wife, Nueva Ecija 1st District Rep. Estrellita Suansing filed House Bill No. 7296, which provides for the regularization and salary standardization of barangay officials, who are ranked the lowest among the all public servants in terms of remuneration, benefits and privileges enjoyed and received.

“Barangay officials only received monthly honoraria instead of fixed monthly salaries. They are not entitled to the same employment benefits and privileges of other local government officials,” they said in their bill’s explanatory note.

“It is therefore necessary for the national government to provide for their regularisation and salary standardization that are commensurate with the role they perform in the delivery of social services,” they stressed.

The Suansings said their bill seeks to provide the much-needed recognition to the barangay officials’ immeasurable contribution by declaring all barangay officials as regular government officials, while providing a salary standardisation “that is fitting to their role as dignified civil servants.”

Under HB No. 7296, Punong Barangay (barangay captain), members of the Sangguniang Barangay, the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Chairperson, the Barangay Secretary, and Barangay Treasurer shall be declared regular employees, and shall be entitled to fixed salaries, allowance, insurance, medical and dental coverage, retirement benefits, and such other incentives, and fringe benefits, which under Civil Service laws, rules, and regulation, a regular government employee may be entitled to.

The bill also provides that barangay officials, personnel, and volunteer workers shall be entitled to salaries, benefits or allowances as compensation for services rendered.

It tasks the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to develop a standardized Position Classification and Compensation Scheme for Barangay Officials, Personnel, and Volunteer Workers, taking into consideration the educational qualification and nature of work performed and the financial capability of barangays, and subject to the minimum qualification standards and guidelines to be prescribed by the Civil Service Commission (CSC).

HB 7296 or the proposed Barangay Officials Salary Standardization Act of 2020 provides that the proposed classification and compensation scheme shall comprise three salary grades. These are Barangay Salary Grade I for barangay appointive officials and other barangay personnel; Barangay Salary Grade II for barangay elective officials in the Sangguniang Barangay and SK with the exception of the Punong Barangay; and Barangay Salary Grade III for Punong Barangay.

The minimum salary for barangay officials and personnel shall be as follows: Barangay Salary Grade I, P15,000; Barangay Salary Grade II, P25,000; Barangay Salary Grade III, P35,000.

The bill provides that no barangay official or personnel shall suffer any reduction, diminution or withdrawal of salaries and benefits already enjoyed by the barangay official or concerned person.

According to the measure, the budget ceiling for annual personnel services appropriations of 55 percent of the total annual income actually realized from local sources during the next preceding fiscal year, as provided in Section 331 9b0 of Republic Act No. 7160, as amended, otherwise known as the “Local Government Code of 1991” shall apply.

HB 7296 provides that barangay volunteer workers shall be entitled to honoraria and other benefits, incentives or allowances to be determined in accordance with the proposed Act.

It provides that the amount necessary to implement the provisions of the proposed Act shall be funded by the national government under the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA).