ILOILO – The provincial government has earmarked P152.5 million this year to provide cash assistance to barangay volunteer workers and barangay tanods.
According to Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr., Barangay Nutrition Scholars, Barangay Health Workers, Barangay Day Care Workers, and Barangay Service Point Officers (BSPO) will each receive P5,000, while barangay tanods will get ₱1,000.
Provincial government data shows there are approximately 14,500 volunteer workers and 20,575 barangay tanods in the province.
Defensor said the provincial government aims to provide P5,000 in cash assistance to volunteers as a token of appreciation for their service, noting that these workers only receive honorariums or allowances from their respective barangays, not salaries.
The governor clarified that this cash assistance is distributed annually, typically in December, as a gesture of gratitude and recognition for the critical role volunteers play at the barangay level.
“The provincial government’s programs wouldn’t reach the barangays successfully without the support of these volunteer workers,” Defensor said.
To ensure convenience, the cash distribution will be organized by clustering municipalities, allowing volunteers to collect their assistance without traveling to the provincial capitol. The distribution is set to begin in the first week of December.
This initiative underscores the provincial government’s commitment to acknowledging the contributions of barangay workers in delivering services to grassroots communities./PN
