Barangay execs finally get 1st qtr allowance

CEBU, Philippines - After waiting for months, barangay officials in Cebu City finally received their allowance from City Hall for the first quarter of the year.

Barangay captains, councilmen, secretaries and treasurers, from the city’s 80 barangays flocked to the City Hall yesterday to claim their P15,000, P9,000, and P6,000 cash assistance, respectively.

They also went with hopes for a positive response from Mayor Michael Rama on their request for an additional P2,000 in their allowance.

“Mahal na man gud ang palaliton karon; we need to cope up with the standard of living,” said Barangay Kalunasan councilman Carlito Ceniza, the executive vice president of the Barangay Councilors League of the Philippines – Cebu City Chapter.

The proposal is now with the City Council for comment and Rama assured he will look into the request. “It’s not a foreclosed matter. It’s a possibility, but we have to review and study it,” he said.

Josias Briones, a councilman of Barangay Bulacao, said he does not have complaints about what he is receiving from the city but an increase would be much welcome.

“Pang-adlaw-adlaw nga gasto unya naa pa’y mga constituents nimo na mangayo, so although wa na ko’y reklamo, labi na kay kita ra sa Cebu City naa’y ingon ani nga allowance, nag-ampo sad ko nga ma-grant ang additional nga P2,000,” Briones said.

Briones said there are many instances when they have to shell out money from their own pockets especially when residents of their barangays, particularly the elderly, ask for help.

“Especially karon nga wala pa mi appropriation sa 2014 nga budget kay naa mi problema sa barangay, so makagasto g’yud mi sa personal namo nga kwarta,” he said. He said they are serving some 14,000 in their barangay alone.

In fact, the money he received yesterday has been intended for a particular purpose.

“Di lang kay nakatagana na, nagasto na g’yud,” he councilman said in jest.

Gil Baylon, the youngest councilman in Bulacao who chairs the Youth Development Committee, said he has to team up with Briones and two other councilmen in extending assistance to residents who lost loved ones.

He said the four of them would contribute P300 each to buy softdrinks as their donation.

“Labi na karon nga sa usa ka semana dunay mga upat mamatay, so P1,200 pu’y makuot namo sa bulsa. So amenable g’yud ko anang dugangan ang allowance kay ang among honorarium di gyud paigo,” Baylon told The FREEMAN.

Before the allowances were distributed, Rama told the barangay officials to ensure peace in their respective groups.

“Dili mo mag-unay og away sa inyong barangay. You give meaning to your service,” said the Mayor. —/JMO (FREEMAN)