Press Release
May 21, 2009

Village officials urged to lobby for Abolition of SK
and approval of barangay-related bills

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr. (PDP-Laban) today urged the barangay officials to wield their collective influence to persuade the Senate and House of Representatives to approve long-overdue bills that will directly benefit them and their constituents, including the upgrading of their compensation and other privileges.

Pimentel, principal author of the Local Government Code (Republic Act 7160), noted that there are about 20 bills authored by several senators seeking amendments to the Code awaiting approval by Congress.

"Few if any of the proposed amendments to the Local Government Code in relation to the barangays may be approved before the regular session adjourns early next month," he said at the 2nd national convention of the Liga ng mga Barangay at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

"Lobby with senators and congressmen for the early passage of your favorite bill. Do not ask for the approval of all the proposed amendments. Be realistic.

The Sangguniang Kabataan has proven to be a most useless experiment, extravagant and even corrupt. Pimentel is seeking the abolition of the Sangguniang Kabataan although the youth shall continue to be represented in the local government council.

He told the village officials to make representation with the leaders of Congress to pass his long-pending proposal, the Magna Carta for Barangays which provides that barangay officials should be treated as regular government employees with fixed salaries, allowances and retirement benefits.

Prior to this, the senator from Mindanao fled a bill granting a monthly allowance to all barangay tanods (watchmen).

Under the 18-year old Code, barangay chairmen were originally entitled to honoraria and allowances not exceeding P1,000 per month and councilmen, treasurer and secretary, P600.

But in 1996, then President Fidel Ramos issued Executive Order 332 which entitled barangay officials to monthly salaries by integrating the barangay unit into the Compensation and Position Classification System or the Salary Standardization Law.

Based on EO 332, barangay chairmen received a monthly salary of as high as P10,863 for first class cities P7,061 for sixth class municipalities. On the other hand, the councilmen, secretary and treasurer were given up to P8,605 and for those in sixth class municipalities, P5,593.

Pimentel said the proposed Magna Carta provides for the automatic release of the share of barangays from the national taxes in the form of Internal Revenue Allotment.

The Code provides that the more than 43,000 barangays should get 20 percent of the Internal Revenue Allotment and provinces 23 percent, municipalities 34 percent and cities 23 percent.

Pimentel said that from 1992 to 2009, the barangays received a total of P412.1 billion as their share of the IRA while the provinces received P473.9 billion, municipalities P473.9 billion, and cities P700.5 billion.

News Latest News Feed