Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu welcome hazard pay bill for barangay tanods

CEBU, Philippines - Officials of Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City welcome a bill which seeks hazard pay for barangay tanods who presently receive an allowance of not more than P1,000 a month each.

Rep. Ma. Theresa Bonoan-David of the 4th District of Manila has filed a bill that, if passed, would grant hazard pay to village watchmen.

Lapu-Lapu City Councilor Efren T. Herrera said barangay tanods are the frontline of defense in every barangay and play an important role in maintaining peace and order by assisting the police.

Herrera said barangay tanods in the city get their honorarium from the city government.

Tanods in municipalities get much lower honorariums.

The Association of Barangay Councils in Lapu-Lapu City has also endorsed the bill.

In Mandaue City, Councilor Diosdado P. Suico said giving more benefits to barangay tanods will encourage them to work harder.

Rep. Bonoan-David, vice chairperson of the House Committee on Globalization and WTO, has authored House Bill 4886, which seeks to alleviate the plight of barangay tanods, many of whom receive as low as P100 as honorarium per month.

She said the bill is part of her legislative agenda to grant hazard pay to barangay officials whose honoraria do not reach P1,000 per month.

She said she has filed the bill after learning that most tanods, especially those in the mountain barangays, receive but a very minimal amount from the barangay.

"They conduct rondas or nightly patrols, necessarily exposing their lives and limbs to danger in the hands of criminal elements and other wayward members of our society," David said.

Citing records, Bonoan-David said some cash-strapped barangays such as Paril and Mabini in Cebu City can only afford very minimal honorarium for their tanods.           Both barangays only give P150 as monthly honorarium.