What's in it for kapitan and kagawad? Pay and perks under the law

Through the years, barangay chairpersons and council persons have gained the reputation of being the go-to keepers of the peace in the community, expected to settle disputes among residents, and spot lawlessness in the neighborhood.

Many times, it is a thankless job but the Local Government Code of the Philippines mandated an honoraria of not less than P1,000 a month for kapitan and a minimum of P600 for kagawad.

According to Executive Order No. 332 s. 1996, compensation adjustments authorized by Congress and/or the President for government personnel shall also apply to the barangay personnel.

This means the honorarium rates for barangay officials may be increased or adjusted.

This year, Department of Budget and Management Circular No. 149 or the 4th Tranche of the Modified Salary Schedule for Local Government Personnel set the following maximum compensation for your barangay officials:

Manila and Quezon City are the country’s special cities.

• First class cities are those which have an annual income of P 400 million or more;
• second class, P320 million or more but less than P400 million;
• third class, P240 million or more but less than P320 million;
• fourth class, P160 million or more but less than P240 million;
• fifth class, P80 million or more but less than P160 million;
• sixth class, below P80 million.

The classes of the country's towns are as follows: 

• First class municipalities are those which have an income of P55 million or more;
• second class, P45 million or more but less than P55 million;
• third class, P35 million or more but less than P45 million;
• fourth class, P25 million or more but less than P35 million;
• fifth class P15 million or more but less than P25 million;
• sixth class, below P15 million.

Barangay officials and the Sangguniang Kabataan officers are also entitled to the following benefits.

Barangay officials’ benefits

• Christmas bonus (cash gift of at least P1,000)
• Insurance coverage during their incumbency (temporary/permanent disability, double indemnity, accident insurance, death and burial benefits)
• Free medical care in any government hospital (may also be confined in private hospitals in extreme emergency, but expenses chargeable against barangay funds are not more than P5,000 per official)
• Free tuition and matriculation fees for their legitimate dependent children (during their term of office only)
• Conferment of civil service eligibility based on the number of years of service in the barangay
• Preference in appointment to any government position in which they are qualified after their term of office

SK officials’ privileges

• Exemption from paying tuition and matriculation fees while enrolled in any public tertiary school within the municipality/city or province where his/her barangay is located or within 50-km radius from his/her province
• Exemption from taking the National Service Training Program
• If the SK official is currently enrolled in any school, he/she may be excused from attending regular classes while attending regular or special SK meetings (or the Sangguniang Barangay sessions, in the case of the SK chairperson)
• PhilHealth coverage
• Entitlement to receive actual travelling reimbursements for travel directly related to the performance of their functions as SK officials (must be supported by duly approved travel order by the punong barangay in the case of the SK chairperson or by the SK chairperson in the case of other SK officials)
• The local government units may provide additional honorarium as well as social welfare contributions and hazard pay to the SK officials through their own local ordinances, provided that the honorarium shall be subject to the post-audit jurisdiction of the Commission on Audit
• Entitlement to civil service eligibility based on the years of service to the barangay
• The SK chairperson shall have the same privileges enjoyed by other Sangguniang Barangay officials

The SK chairperson automatically serves as an ex officio member of the Sangguniang Barangay pursuant to Section 430 of the Local Government Code of the Philippines.

He or she enjoys the same privileges as the regular Sangguniang Barangay members and he or she shall be entitled to a pro-rata honoraria for every session of the Sangguniang Barangay he or she has attended.

As such, the SK chairperson shall no longer be entitled to receive any honorarium charged against the regular SK funds, except those funded by higher-level local government units.

The amount of the monthly honorarium of the SK officials shall be subject to their attendance at SK meetings, deliberations, and official activities.

The monthly honorarium shall be pro-rated based on the actual work and/or attendance vis-a-vis the work and meeting schedule or performance standards as may be prescribed under the internal rules of the SK concerned.

The monthly honorarium to be received by SK Officials shall not exceed the rate equivalent to Salary Grade 9 Step 1 in the salary schedule implemented by the city or municipality where the barangay belongs.

In no case shall the monthly honorarium exceed the actual monthly compensation received by the SK chairperson. —NB, GMA Integrated News