House Bill 619, submitted by Abang Lingkod partylist Rep. Stephen Paduano, seeks to provide retirement benefits for barangay officials, whom the bill refers to as “the frontline of government services.”

Currently before the House Committee on Local Government, Paduano said barangay officials receive “meager allowances.”

The bill seeks to amend Section 393 of RA 7160, the Local Government Code of 1991, which outlines benefits for barangay officials, including the P1,000 monthly allowances distributed to most barangay officials.

Paduano’s legislation would provide a lump sum retirement payout of up to P100,000.

It also spells out beneficiaries must be at least 60 years old and have provided at least nine years of service to the barangay.

If passed, the funding would be sourced from a newly-created Barangay Retirement Fund.

The bill claims the necessary subsidy would be “equivalent to one percent of the share of the national government.”

Among the indicated eligible beneficiaries include barangay officials, tanods, members of the Lupon Tagapamayapa (the barangay justice committee), and daycare workers./PLL, WDJ