Higher pay for tanods pushed

CEBU, Philippines - A ranking member of the House of Representatives in Manila has cited Cebu City mountain barangays Paril and Mabini, which only give P150 as monthly honorarium to their tanods, in her move for a P300 hazard pay for tanods nationwide.

Rep. Ma. Theresa Bonoan-David of the 4th District of Manila, vice chairperson of the House Committee on Globalization and WTO, authored House Bill 4886, which seeks to alleviate the plight of barangay tanods, many of whom receive as low as P100 as honorarium per month.

David said the bill is part of her legislative agenda to grant a hazard pay to barangay officials whose honoraria do not reach P1,000 per month. She filed the bill after learning that most tanods, especially those in the mountain barangays, are receiving but a very minimal amount from the barangay.

David lamented that tanods play a very significant role in helping authorities maintain peace and order in their respective barangays despite the danger they face.

“They conduct rondas or nightly patrols, necessarily exposing their lives and limbs to danger in the hands of criminal elements and other wayward members of our society,” David said.

Citing records, Bonoan-David said some cash-strapped barangays like Paril and Mabini in Cebu City can only afford very minimal honorarium for their tanods. Both barangays only give P150 as monthly honorarium.

David wants budget for the proposal taken from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) under its current General Appropriations Act. (FREEMAN)