'No go' yet on cash incentives to 3-termer barangay execs
THE Committee on Legal Matters of the Sangguniang Panlungsod will study the proposed ordinance conferring "Distinguished Public Service Award" to barangay officials who have been elected for three consecutive terms.
The said ordinance which was sponsored by Councilor Eldrid Antiquiera also calls for the city government to give cash incentives of P20,000 to the three-termer punong barangay and P5,000 for the barangay kagawad.
The decision to refer the matter to the Committee on Legal Matters as the lead committee came up after the Commission on Audit (COA) already ruled that the proposed ordinance has no legal basis for the government said cash incentives to exiting barangay officials.
The COA based its decision in the case of Makati City. The city council of Makati had extended cash incentives to the barangay officials but it was disallowed by COA for lack of legal basis.
Other committees tasked to study the proposed ordinance are the committees on Appropriations, Barangay Affairs and the Local Finance Board.
This early, City Treasurer Chief Katherine Tingson has already signified that it is impossible for the city to allocate funds for the cash incentives of barangay officials since the city is facing financial constraint.
In last Wednesday's session, several last termer punong barangays in the city trooped to the session hall to hear the details on the proposed ordinance. There are 82 graduating punong barangays in the city.