Barangay workers ‘unpaid’ for 6 months

CEBU, Philippines —  Village watchmen (tanods) and peace mediators (lupon'g tagapamayapa) of San Nicolas Proper in Cebu City have allegedly not been paid for six months.

This prompted the barangay workers to seek the help of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

San Nicolas Proper has 20 tanods and 11 members of the Lupon, most of them are relying on their honoraria.

Ariel Salamida, chief tanod of Barangay San Nicolas Proper, said they have not received their honoraria from the Cebu City government since January this year.

“Problema namo kay nagtrabaho mi diri pero wala mi honorarium gikan sa City Hall since January,” he said.

They blamed the Mayor’s Information and Liaison Officers (MILO) for the delay. MILO was created in February this year and is part of Edgardo Labella’s supervisory authority as city mayor.

MILO is tasked to sign the “authority to serve,” which the workers needed to get the monthly stipend.

The tanods are required to submit their daily time records (DTRs), accomplishment reports, and a letter authorizing them to serve, among others.

Salamida said former barangay captain Abraham Desamparado’s daughter, Khristy, is the village’s MILO.

The tanod said they felt they were caught in the middle of a rift between the political parties.

“Ang anak (Khristy) gi-ingnan mig giunsa kuno namo iyang papa (Abraham). Sa tan-aw nako, wala pa siya ka move on ba (losing the last barangay elections). Wa mi labot ana. Gikuha ra mi sa among kapitan aron mo serbisyo. Maong nagtrabaho mi hangtud karon,”said Salamida.

“Politically motivated man siguro ni. Lisod-lisuron mi sa pagpapirma,” he added. The current village chief, Clifford Jude Niñal, is allied with the Bando Osmeña Pundok Kauswagan of former mayor Tomas Osmeña.

The FREEMAN tried to get Khristy’s side, but to no avail.

Salamida said some tanods were already discouraged to report for work.

“Pero ang akong mga kauban wa na ganihig trabaho kay wa may sweldo ang city,” he said.

The situation, he said, has given them an added burden especially that they are on the frontline in the battle against COVID-19.

Salamida said they have already reached out to the barangay for several times and even asked for a meeting with MILO last Friday, but the latter reportedly did not show up.

Niñal said he already tried his best to help the plight of the tanods and lupon and even brought the issue to City Hall.

But was only told by Barangay Affairs Office to approach MILO, he added.

The barangay is giving the tanods and members of the Lupon P1,500  each and a monthly counterpart of P4,000 from the city government.

However, the tanods and lupon only got the barangay’s counterpart.  KQD (FREEMAN)