P8.2M for peacekeepers monthly allowance sought

Cebu City Hall’s executive department has set aside P8.2 million to fund the allowances of close to 200 members of the barangay peacekeeping action team (BPAT).

During the City Council’s budget hearing yesterday for the proposed P469-million first supplemental budget (SB 1) of the City, Kevin Cryster Paz of the peace and order program said that the BPATs are tasked to secure public edifices and structures owned by the City like the Rizal Public Library and Carbon Public Market.

This is what makes them different from barangay tanods.

“They are like the augmentation force of the blue guards. Because of them, we don’t need to hire more blue guards,” he said.

Paz said that before they are sent on field, members of BPAT undergo a four-day training con- ducted by the city’s police to make sure that they are ready for the job.

At present, the City has 196 BPATs who each get a P5,000 monthly allowance from the City.

Before they can get their allowances, however, they are required to submit accomplishment reports.

Addition

Paz then told the members of the council that they are planning to add some 50 more members to BPAT this year.

The P8.2 million will cover the allowances of present and additional members of BPATs from June to December 2018.

The proposed additional budget under the City’s peace and order program was just among the items that the council’s committee on budget and finance tackled during yesterday’s budget hearing.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña has submitted around P469-million additional budget for this year, bulk of the which amounting to P208.5 million seeks to fund the additional cash aid for the senior citizens in the city.

Other items that were allocated include the City’s aid to the barangays (P58.6 million), maintenance and other operating expenses of the offices under the City Administrator’s Office (P20.5 million), electricity expenses under the Department of General Services (P15.2 million) and personal services and funds for Task Force on Traffic Enforcement under the Cebu City Transportation Office (P12.6 million).

The budget and finance committee is expected to come up with its report and recommendations for the SB 1 after conducting the series of budget hearings.