Lupon league asks city for raise in allowance

CEBU, Philippines - The League of Lupong Tagapamayapa of Cebu City is requesting the City Government an additional P1,000 allowance for their everyday survival amid surging prices of commodities.

They want this to be in addition to the P1,000 monthly allowance they are currently receiving from the City Government.

In a resolution, the league made an appeal to Mayor Michael Rama to consider their plight as they are losing ways to counter the constant price increases of basic commodities in the market due to economic crisis.

“All Lupong Tagapamayapa are in need of additional financial assistance from the City of Cebu to cope with the continuing economic crisis in the country and to equate the quality of service rendered by the Lupong Tagapamayapa to their constituents that place the City of Cebu in the national limelight by winning the Ga-ling Pook Award,” the resolution reads. The league won the Galing Pook Award in 2007 for promoting the barangay justice system that saves the government millions of litigation costs for every case that is settled at the lupon level.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government has recorded some 4,279 cases resolved by the Lupon member in 80 barangays in Cebu City during the first half of the year.

Last year, the Lupon solved 5,011 cases.

Of the 4,279 cases solved during the first and second quarters, 1,819 cases were resolved through mediation; 926 cases through conciliation; and 71 cases through arbitration at the barangay level.

The City Government is about to increase the allowances of barangay captains and councilmen. If the proposed P9.1-million budget is approved, the barangay captains shall start receiving P5,000 monthly allowance while the councilmen shall receive P2,000 monthly allowance from the City Government.

The city government is also giving monthly allowance to judges, prosecutors and police, among others. (FREEMAN)