Council junks retirement gratuity for brgy officials
The Cebu City Council has junked a proposed ordinance seeking to provide retirement gratuity to elected barangay officials because it would entail additional financial burden to the city government.
In a vote of 8-7, the proposed ordinance was returned to its proponent, Councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia, upon the recommendation of the committee on laws, ordinances, and styling.
Garcia’s proposed ordinance seeks to give P5,000 to barangay captains for every year of service and P3,000 for councilmen.
“This committee finds the proposed ordinance to be beyond the power of this sanggunian to enact, on the reason that ‘retirement gratuity benefit’ is not included in the enumerated benefits barangay officials may receive,” read a portion of the committee report of Councilor Sisinio Andales.
Andales said “what is not included is excluded.”
According to him, benefits of the barangay officials should be given during their term and not after their incumbency.
Aside from Andales, the other councilors who voted to reject the proposal were Margarita Osmeña, Mary Ann de los Santos, Alvin Arcilla, Eugenio Gabuya Jr., Joy Augustus Young, Jerry Guardo, and David Tumulak.
Those who favored the proposal were Garcia’s allies, Jocelyn Pesquera, Eduardo Rama, Pastor Alcover, Jose Daluz III, Joel Garganera, and Phillip Zafra.
Garcia said his colleagues should have been more careful in deciding the issue because the city government is already giving honoraria to barangay workers like garbage loaders and daycare teachers.
“So, if we follow this thinking, what is not included is excluded, then we should not be giving our barangay loaders, as well as barangay daycare teachers, allowances or honoraria. Let’s be consistent. If we say no to this one, we should say no to barangay loaders and day care because they are excluded in the law,” Garcia said.
But Andales said the committee report was referring to the retirement benefits of elected barangay officials and not the giving of honoraria.
He said the point of the committee is that all barangay officials, including treasurer and secretary, should be included in the retirement benefit because they are also considered officials.
“Why give retirement benefits only to elected officials?...second argument is that it violates the equal protection law. If you give to elected officials, then you should give to other barangay officials,” Andales argued.
Pesquera said the other ordinances approved by the City Council involving granting of financial assistance will also be affected if the city will apply the same reason.
Garcia said other proposed ordinances like that of Andales’ financial assistance to couples who will celebrate golden anniversary is also a “burden” to the city.
De los Santos’ giving of assistance to students who will top the bar exams, among other proposals will also depend on the city’s available funds.
Garcia, however, can still amend his proposal and re-submit for the council’s consideration.