BAGUIO CITY – The City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance granting mortuary benefit to the bereaved family of deceased incumbent elected or appointed barangay officials in the city.
The ordinance authored by Councilor Joel Alangsab stated that regardless of whether the cause of death is work-related or not, the beneficiary shall be entitled to receive the amount of P5,000 as financial assistance to the bereaved family.
The ordinance stipulated that in the event of death of any barangay official, the beneficiaries shall immediately notify the Office of the City Mayor through its Special Services Division regarding such circumstances and the said office shall thereafter assist the beneficiaries in the processing of the claim.
Pursuant to Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG_ Memorandum Circular No. 2008-24 which provides for revised implementing rules and regulations of Administrative Order No. 115 to ensure effective and efficient service delivery to the beneficiaries and to further ensure expeditious and prompt release of checks to the duly designated or legitimate beneficiary claimants and to establish the relationship of beneficiaries or claimants to the deceased, the ordinance stated that barangay officials are required to submit once copy each of death certificate duly certified by the Local Civil Registrar or Philippine Statistics Authority, certificate of incumbency by the City Local Government Operations Officer, sufficient identification and proof of relationship of the claimant and beneficiary and such other documents deemed necessary.
The ordinance added that the sustainability of the program shall be subjected to the availability of funds appropriated by the local government for such purpose.
The ordinance disclosed the mortuary shall be payable to the beneficiaries in the ordered of preference enumerated under the measure and shall use the same for the mortuary services of the deceased.
Under the proposed ordinance, the local government shall not render any mortuary assistance to the barangay official whose death is caused or resulting from, whether or directly and indirectly, wholly or partly, by intentionally self-implicated injury resulting to death or suicide; accident while under the influence of prohibited drugs or under the influence of liquor and while in any attempted commission of, or wilful participation in any crime punishable by any prevailing law or measure in the city.
The ordinance provided that an amount of P200,000 shall be appropriated annually from the fund of the local government for the effective and efficient implementation of the mortuary assistance to the bereaved family members of deceased elected or appointed barangay officials.
The law mandates that barangay officials shall receive honoraria, allowances and other emoluments, provided that, the barangay council enacts a barangay ordinance granting the same, however, the barangay cannot just enact an ordinance granting any amount of honoraria or monetary benefits considering the budget limitations.
By Dexter A. See