CEBU, Philippines - Owing to the hazardous nature of their job, traffic enforcers and members of the disaster response team in Cebu City will soon be receiving accident insurance from the city government.
The City Disaster Council yesterday passed a resolution allocating P1 million a year for accident group insurance for fire auxiliary officers, emergency medical service workers on field, 400 disaster response volunteers, and 250 traffic enforcers.
One million will be charged against the P200 million annual budget for the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund. The amount will be processed for bidding through the Bids and Awards Committee.
"Na-approve karong buntag ang paghatag og accident insurance to the responders working on the field," said City Councilor David Tumulak yesterday. Tumulak is the presiding officer of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
He said the accident insurance is mandated by law under Section 5, Rule 9 of Republic Act 101211 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010.
The law states that "any volunteer who incurs death or injury while engaged in any of the activities shall be entitled to compensatory benefits and individual personnel accident insurance."
The government agency or local government unit that mobilizes the Accredited Community Disaster Volunteers shall be responsible for providing them with insurance and necessary benefits as provided for under the law.
The accident insurance, according to City Human Resources Development Office head lawyer Dominic Dino, will be the first undertaking of the city government in terms of providing such benefit to City Hall employees.
"The insurance covering eventualities is the first so far that we will be giving to some of our employees. There are several natures of insurance like SSS and GSIS, but this accident insurance is something different that the city has not given before and has not been practiced," Dino said.
City Traffic Operations Management operations chief Joy Tumulak thanked the LDRRMC for the move.
"Pasalamat mi nga naapil ang budget sa disaster. Angayan lamang gyod nga hatagan og insurance kay first responder ni sila and risky ilang trabaho, bisan bagyo mo-duty ni atong mga enforcers. At least dunay extra budget nakatagana daan in case of emergency," he said.
Hazard pay
Apart from the insurance, Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella said there must also be a hazard pay for traffic enforcers.
"In this particular case, it is reasonable to provide them with hazard pay. You give hazard pay to medical personnel how much more to those personnel on streets that are prone to risks," he said, adding, that doing so will conform to the Local Government Code.
The Department of Budget and Management defines hazard pay as "an additional compensation for performing hazardous duties and for enduring physical hardships in the course of performance of duties."
"The nature of the duties and responsibilities of their positions, their actual services, and location of work expose them to great danger, occupational risks, perils to life, and physical hardships; and only during periods of actual exposure to hazards and hardships," reads the DBM policies and guidelines.
Visibility
Due to the two recent incidents involving traffic enforcers, Labella issued yesterday a memorandum mandating enforcers, metro aids, 200 Department of Public Services field workers and 50 engineering personnel working at night in city streets to wear 'reflectorized vests and gloves' to increase visibility.
"As an added safety precaution to prevent the reoccurrence of the accident that resulted in the death of one CITOM enforcer recently, the traffic enforcers on duty be required to wear reflectorized vests for their greater visibility," the memorandum reads.
Another memorandum directs General Services Office head Engr. Dionisio Gualiza to procure at least 500 reflectorized gears.
"This is mandatory and not directory. To make this mandatory, the concern department heads must impose disciplinary action to those who will not obey," Labella said. - /JMO (FREEMAN)