Cebu City govt completes distribution of cash incentives for barangay officials

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City government has completely released the allowance for all barangay officials in the city after having been postponed for a week due to the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit Central Visayas last week.

According to OIC City Treasurer Diwa Cuevas, they have released the remaining P14 million cash incentive for barangay officials from the north and south districts of Cebu city which covers the second and third quarters of 2013.

The first distribution was done last May 3, more than a week before the midterm elections, with barangay captains from the 80 barangays of Cebu City taking home P30,000 each while barangay council members received P18,000. Barangay treasurers and secretaries individually got P12,000.

 On the second and most recent distribution, which is a week before the October 28 barangay elections, incentives covering the period of April to September were distributed with barangay captains getting P5,000 each, councilmen taking home P3,000 and barangay secretaries and treasurers with P2,000 each.

The two distributions for the year were both held at Waterfront Hotel Lahug.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said that apart from the delay caused by the recent earthquake and with the barangay election fast approaching, other matters had to be prioritized too, including those for the senior citizens and the persons with disabilities (PWDs).

Rama said he hopes the barangay officials would use the incentives for the good of their respective constituents considering that the city government decided to provide the allowance so the needs of those in the barangay level which could no longer be covered by the barangay budget can still be supported.

“They (barangay officials) are like little mayors, councilors. Most of the time, people would line up in their residences or offices to ask for help. This incentive can help them. I told them that should financial status of the city further improve, the amount could increase,” Rama yesterday told reporters.

Meanwhile, Rama and Ester Cubero of the Local School Board (LSB) explained that the additional P500 for school supplies allowance of Cebu City scholars could not be released yet pending an amendment to the existing ordinance which will increase the amount from P500 per semester to P1,000.

Cubero explained that the processing was further stalled since their partner schools failed to submit to the LSB the master list of enrolled scholars.

“So far, 15 schools have submitted and we are currently processing their payroll,” she said. – (FREEMAN)