ILOILO – Barangay daycare workers pressed for security of tenure and higher honoraria during their recent annual provincial convention at a hotel in Iloilo City.
“If there is a change in the barangay leadership, we are booted out,”said Elizabeth Ortega, regional president of the Child Development Workers/ Day Care Workers of Region 6.
It is as if the daycare workers’ support to the barangay captains during elections has become the determining factor in their tenure, she lamented.
“Tani indi lang basta-basta kami mapahalin,” said Ortega.
As to their honoraria which are currently between P1,500 to P1,800, Ortega said these depend on the Internal Revenue Allotment of the barangays, thus there is no standardized rate.
It was learned that some barangays could afford an honorarium of P3,000 for daycare workers.
According to Ortega, some daycare workers even spend their own money just to sustain their centers.
“Maayo lang kon ang barangay council suportado kami. Pero kon indi ka maayo sa imo barangay officials, sin-o ang naga-gasto para mapanami ang daycare centers? Kami,” she said.
A total of 1,825 daycare workers in the province attended the convention.
Provincial Board member Carol Espinosa-Diaz of the 5th District was present at the July 31 convention and vowed to sponsor a resolution calling for the approval of House Bill No. 2173 or the proposed Magna Carta of Daycare Workers.
The bill proposes the creation of at least one Daycare Worker I and one Daycare Worker II plantilla positions in all daycare centers nationwide./PN
I wish this bill will be passed in Congress for it vital to every barangay perhap not only one but 2 day care worker and 1 nurse per barangay is adequate enough and 1 doctor for every 5 barangay.