Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan (Facebook)

A neophyte congressman has echoed Speaker Martin Romualdez's proposal to provide additional insurance benefits to barangay workers and institute retroactive pay increases for local government employees in recognition of their indispensable roles as facilitators of good governance. 

Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan says he supports Romualdez's plan to provide Social Security System (SSS) coverage for barangay officials and workers.  

Yamsuan said he also agrees with the recommendation of Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah Pangandaman to amend provisions of the Local Government Code (LGC) to enable the retroactive salary increases of workers in the local government units (LGUs).  

Allowing the retroactive effect of the pay hikes of LGU employees is in keeping with the equal protection clause enshrined in the Constitution, Yamsuan said.   

The former Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) assistant secretary noted that there was no substantial distinction between the plantilla positions of staff members in LGUs and in other government agencies; hence, they should enjoy the same benefits. 

“Local government workers, including those in the barangays, serve as frontliners in providing basic services to the people and in maintaining peaceful, vibrant and resilient communities. Dapat lang na mapangalagaan natin ang kanilang kapakanan at matiyak na hindi sila napapag-iwanan,” Yamsuan said.  

(We just have to look after their welfare and ensure that they aren't left behind.) 

Yamsuan says turning village officials into SSS members is a significant step in expanding the benefits due them and complements a measure he has co-authored that aims to provide death, disability and accident insurance coverage to barangay tanods and other workers in the barangay.  

The measure, House Bill (HB) No.9976, seeks to amend Republic Act (RA) No.6942 to include the barangay tanod, barangay health worker, barangay day care worker, and the members of the Lupong Tagapamayapa in the coverage of death, burial and accident insurance benefits provided for local government officials not receiving fixed salaries.  

Under RA No.6942, only the punong barangay, the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) chairperson, and other selected barangay officials are entitled to these insurance benefits.  

“There are instances when barangay workers, especially our barangay tanods, are exposed to dangers in carrying out their duties and responsibilities," Yamsuan said. 

He also expressed his support for Speaker Romualdez’s proposed legislation of providing a six-year fixed term for elective barangay officials to provide them enough time to plan, budget and execute their programs and projects. 

The party-list lawmaker recalled that he, along with Camarines Sur solons LRay Villafuerte and Miguel Luis Villafuerte, have jointly filed HB No.10344, which sought to postpone the Dec. 1, 2025 Barangay and SK elections to Oct. 26, 2026 and every three years thereafter. 

Their goal was to ensure that these elective officials get to complete their full three-year term, which will be cut to two years if the polls were held next year.  

“If three years is not enough, what more if their term is shortened to two years? It will adversely affect  their performance and diminish their obligations to serve their constituents,” Yamsuan said.