Do you have an idea how much is the salary of Punong Barangay?
On May 14, you will elect a Punong Barangay in the place where you registered to vote.
Perhaps more than 5 or 10 candidates are vying for the position of barangay chairman or punong barangay in your area.
You may wonder why these people wanted the position so much that they sometimes violate the Comelec prohibition not to spend more than Php 5 pesos per registered voter in the place they intend to be elected.
Is the Salary of Punong Barangay substantial enough that they can recover the amount they spend for their campaign.
I asked myself this question, How much does a Barangay Chairman/Punong Barangay earn each month in the form of salary?
I found out that there is a law which says that in no case shall the salary of Punong barangay be less than One thousand pesos (1,000.00) per month.
Actually, the term used under the law is not salary.
The wordings of the law says that a Punong Barangay shall be compensated in the form of honorarium at an amount not less than P1,000 per month.
So, A punong barangay does not receive a salary but only honorarium.
But how much is this Honorarium?
Now we know that it is at least 1,000 per month because the law says the monthly honorarium must not be less than 1,000 pesos a month.
Under the law, the compensation of a Punong Barangay is equated to a government position with a salary grade 14.
Salary Grade 14 under the salary standardization law is equivalent to 30,253 pesos. This is under the so-called 4th trance of the salary standardization law of 2015. The amount mentioned will take effect in the year 2019.
The Salary of Punong Barangay, I mean the monthly honorarium of a Punong Barangay or Barangay Chairman shall not exceed that amount.
Adjustment of the honoraria rates shall not exceed the minimum for positions with salary grade 14 the rates of which are based on the salary schedule being implemented by the city or municipality where the barangay is situated.
You might ask, Can the minimum honorarium of 1,000 pesos be adjusted or increased?
The answer is yes.
The Barangay concerned through a barangay ordinance has the power to do so but there is a limitation.
It must not be more than the amount equivalent to salary grade 14. And any increase will take effect only after the expiration of the full term of office for which the punong barangay was elected.
Your next question might be, Can the monthly honorarium of a Punong barangay be increased beyond the Salary Grade 14 limit?
The answer is yes.
The rates can be increased only when:
a. A general salary adjustment for all government employees are granted, or
b. A specific legal basis is issued by competent authority upgrading the salary
So, the Sangguniang barangay is prohibited from granting any adjustment in excess of the amounts authorized.
Granting that the honorarium is increased, from where will the fund comes from?
The amount necessary for the implementation of honorarium/salary adjustments shall come from the respective barangay funds.
Said amount shall be provided for in an appropriation ordinance to be enacted by the Sangguniang Barangay and henceforth shall be included in the budget of the barangay.
Aside from the monthly honorarium, a Punong Barangay is entitled to the following benefits:
- Christmas bonus in the form of cash gift at the rate authorized by law (5,000)
- Insurance coverage under RA 6942
- Medical care consisting of free hospitalization in government hospitals, In an extreme emergency, the barangay chairman may be confined in private hospitals with expenses chargeable against barangay funds at not more than P5,000
- Free tuition and matriculation fees in government schools in their area, including two of their legitimate dependent children during their term of office only
- Conferment of civil service eligibility
- Preference in appointment to any government position to which they are qualified
The insurance coverage mentioned above shall include:
- temporary and permanent disability
- accident insurance
- death benefit
- burial benefits
In the event of the death of a Punong Barangay during his incumbency, his beneficiaries shall be entitled to Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000.00)
Should a barangay chairman be assassinated or killed while in the performance of his duties or on the occasion thereof, his beneficiaries shall be entitled to double the amounts of indemnity provided above.
In the event of total and permanent incapacity or disability as determined by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) a punong barangay shall be entitled to Twelve thousand pesos (P12,000.00.)
Provided, That the disability occurred during his incumbency whether work-connected or not.
In addition to the disability benefits, a burial benefit of Two thousand pesos (P2,000.00) shall be paid to his beneficiaries in the event that death occurs within two (2) years from the onset of total and permanent incapacity or disability.
Here are some benefits to which a Punong Barangay is not entitled.
- Clothing Allowances
- Hazard Duty Pay
- Representation and Transportation Allowances (RATA)
- Personnel Economic Relief Allowances (PERA)
- Productivity Incentive Bonus (PIB)
- Clothing Allowance
- 13th month pay
- Anniversary Bonus
Do barangay officials earn leave credits and are they entitled to terminal leave benefits?
The issue may be referred to the Civil Service Commission being the proper authority on this matter. The point of consideration is that barangay officials are not receiving salaries which should be the basis for the computation of leave credits under existing laws.
What do you think? Is The Position of a Punong Barangay worth fighting for?
Make a comment below.