Yamsuan backs additional benefits for barangay workers, retroactive pay hikes for LGU employees

Bicol Saro Partylist Representative Brian Raymund Yamsuan has thrown his support behind proposals to provide additional insurance benefits to barangay workers and institute retroactive pay increases for local government employees in recognition of their indispensable roles as facilitators of good governance.

A former assistant secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Yamsuan backed Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez’s plan to work on providing Social Security System (SSS) coverage for barangay officials and workers.

Yamsuan said he also agrees with the recommendation of Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah Pangandaman on amending provisions of the Local Government Code (LGC) to enable the retroactive salary increases of workers in the local government units (LGUs).

Allowing the retroactive effect of the pay hikes of LGU employees is in keeping with the equal protection clause enshrined in the Constitution, Yamsuan said. He pointed out that there is no substantial distinction between the plantilla positions of staff members in LGUs and in other government agencies, hence, they should enjoy the same benefits.

“Local government workers, including those in the barangays, serve as frontliners in providing basic services to the people and in maintaining peaceful, vibrant and resilient communities. Dapat lang na mapangalagaan natin ang kanilang kapakanan at matiyak na hindi sila napapag-iwanan,” Yamsuan said.

Yamsuan said the Speaker’s proposal to include village officials as SSS members is a significant step in expanding the benefits due them and complements a measure he has co-authored that aims to provide death, disability and accident insurance coverage to barangay tanods and other workers in the barangay.

The measure, House Bill (HB) 9976, seeks to amend Republic Act 6942 to include the barangay tanod, barangay health worker, barangay day care worker, and the members of the Lupong Tagapamayapa in the coverage of death, burial and accident insurance benefits provided for local government officials not receiving fixed salaries.

Under RA 6942, only the punong barangay, the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) chairperson, and other selected barangay officials are entitled to these insurance benefits.

“There are instances when barangay workers, especially our barangay tanods, are exposed to dangers in carrying out their duties and responsibilities. Marapat lang na may maasahan din sila at ang kanilang pamilya na benepisyo kung sakali man sila ay malagay sa panganib dahil sa pagtupad sa kanilang tungkulin,” Yamsuan said.

Yamsuan also expressed his support for Speaker Romualdez’s proposed legislation of providing a six-year fixed term for elective barangay officials to provide them enough time to plan, budget and execute their programs and projects.

The Bicol Saro lawmaker recalled that he, along with Camarines Sur solons LRay Villafuerte and Miguel Luis Villafuerte, have jointly filed HB 10344 seeking to postpone the December 1, 2025 Barangay and SK elections to October 26, 2026 and every three years thereafter. Their goal was to ensure that these elective officials get to complete their full three-year term, which will be cut to two years if the polls were held next year.

“If three years is not enough, what more if their term is shortened to two years? It will adversely affect their performance and diminish their obligations to serve their constituents,” Yamsuan said.

As for Pangandaman’s call to amend the LGC (RA 7160) to ensure the retroactive effect of the salary hikes of LGU officials and employees, Yamsuan said the proposal will require a detailed study to determine how this could be done in relation to existing jurisprudence on the prohibitions on retroactivity under Section 325 of the local government law.