Gov. Presby Velasco appeals for inclusion of barangay officials in SAP

QUEZON CITY, Apr. 15 (PIA) — Marinduque Governor Presbitero J. Velasco, Jr. is appealing for the inclusion of the barangay officials in the government’s social amelioration package (SAP).

He made the appeal during this morning’s #LagingHanda Network Briefing aired nationwide over Radyo Pilipinas and all of Philippine Information Agency’s social media platforms.

Velasco said that the Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of Emergency Subsidy Program (ESP) embodied in Memorandum Circular 09 of the DSWD excludes elected and appointed officials from receiving the ESP.

Velasco said that barangay officials are frontliners in the implementation of the ECQ in the barangay and are vulnerable to get COVID-19. “Talaga pong kawawa itong barangay officials and employees na mga frontliners sa pagsasagawa namin ng monitoring ng home quarantine at yung ECQ pati yung curfew. Talaga pong nakalantad sila,” Velasco said. (I feel sorry for the barangay officials and employees who are the frontliners in monitoring of  home quarantine, ECQ and the curfew. They are open to get the disease.)

Velasco said that barangay officials do not receive fixed salaries from government but a meager honorarium. “Dito sa probinsya, ang bababa ng tinatanggap;  swerte na kung makatanggap ng Ph3,800 ata o Ph4,000,” said Velasco. (Here in the province, they only receive a small amount; lucky if they get something like Ph3,800 or Ph4,000.)

The Governor said that he is appealing this case of the inclusion of barangay officials in the social amelioration package to President Rodrigo Duterte and to DSWD Secretary Rolando D. Bautista in a letter he is sending soonest.

Governor Velasco is the current Chairman of the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP), the umbrella organization of all leagues of local government units including the Liga ng mga Barangay. (PIAMimaropa)

source https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1039122