To die for: 15 dead in battle for village posts

MANILA, Philippines - The badge means being the big man at the community level, and several people have died aspiring to become chairman of the barangay, the smallest unit of government.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has so far recorded 15 people killed and 17 others wounded in “politically motivated” violent incidents related to the barangay elections. There are other incidents still to be included in the statistics.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said 94,124 filed certificates of candidacy for 42,028 positions for barangay chairman while 715,012 are aspiring to become barangay kagawad or councilor.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)’s National Barangay Operations Office said a village chairman in Metro Manila receives about P23,000 in monthly honorarium.

A barangay chairman in Metro Manila falls under government salary grade 14 while the kagawad receives over P17,000 in honorarium monthly, or salary grade 10.

By law, a barangay chairman has the power to enforce all laws and ordinances applicable within the village, maintain peace and order, negotiate, enter into, and sign contracts for and on behalf of the barangay.

A barangay chairman has the final say where to put their budget.

The village chief has the final word where to spend the barangay’s share of P59,165,520,377 in Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) this year. Last year it was about P51 billion.

The barangay chairman has the power to approve vouchers for the disbursement of funds for the village.

The chieftain also appoints or replaces the barangay treasurer, barangay secretary, and other appointive barangay officials.

Technically, a barangay captain needs the approval of a majority of the Sangguniang Barangay (village council) before making a decision, but in most cases members of the council usually give their approval.

The village chief signs application for barangay certification for residents and clearances.

Reports also have it that in areas where illegal vendors and informal settlers are rampant, the barangay chairmen get grease money as protection from demolition.

The barangay leader could also recommend to the mayor closure of an establishment for certain violations on pollution control and protection of the environment.

The chieftain can initiate the village coordination with the Department of Education (DepEd) in traditional sports and other disciplines featured in national and international games and other promotion for the general welfare of the barangay.

Aside from the IRA, barangay chairs have also shares from all the taxes collected by their local government units, including real property and business taxes.

For instance, Barangay 176 in Bagong Silang, Caloocan City could get as much as P100 million in IRA for this year, according to a kagawad in an earlier interview with The STAR.

The IRA for the 1,706 barangays in Metro Manila alone amount to P5,239,414,157, according to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

DBM records showed Southern Tagalog has the highest IRA share with P7,055,673,879, Cordillera Administrative Region has P1,304,980,224; Ilocos has P3,736,548,979; Cagayan has P2,596,851,832; Central Luzon has P5,579,537,485; MIMAROPA (Mindoro-Marinduque-Romblon-Palawan) has P1,893,828,427; Bicol has P4,104,778,116; Western Visayas has P5,075,729,489.