Pasay city: Speaker Faustino Dy III has vowed to fight for the passage of a long-overdue Magna Carta for Barangays that will finally give barangay officials the recognition, dignity, and compensation they rightfully deserve as full-fledged government employees, not volunteers.
According to Philippines News Agency, Dy made the pledge before over 2,000 village leaders during the Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas National Congress at the World Trade Center in Pasay City on Tuesday, as noted in a news release on Thursday. 'Muli ko pong gustong sabihin sa inyo at iparating sa bawat isa sa inyo na amin pong ipaglalaban ang Magna Carta para po sa ating mga barangay (Let me reiterate to you that we are fighting for the Magna Carta for Barangays),' Dy said, drawing applause from barangay officials.
A former barangay official himself, Dy is the author of House Bill No. 3533, which seeks to establish the Magna Carta for Barangays and formally recognize barangay officials as regular government employees entitled to fixed salaries, full benefits, and retirement security. The measure is one of the eight legislative priorities of the House of Representatives and a key part of its commitment to strengthen the foundations of grassroots governance. The bill, along with several similar proposals, is now pending before the House Committee on Local Government.
In his speech, Dy highlighted the burdens barangay officials bear in public service, often responding to emergencies 24/7, mediating disputes, and comforting grieving families while implementing national and local programs with limited resources and modest pay. He noted that barangay leaders perform executive, legislative, and judicial functions at once-as implementers of projects, lawmakers in their respective councils, and peacekeepers through the Lupong Tagapamayapa (Peace Council). Despite these roles, Dy said barangay officials continue to receive token allowances instead of regular salaries.
Dy lamented the current status of barangay officials, questioning whether they are truly recognized for their work in government or if it remains voluntary. 'Hanggang ngayon, hindi po natin matawag ang ating mga sarili o ating mga barangay kung ano ba talaga ang kalagayan at katayuan ninyo sa ating gobyerno (Up to now, we cannot determine what really are your status in government),' Dy stated.
The proposed Magna Carta for Barangays, encapsulated in HB 3533, seeks to recognize the Punong Barangay, Sangguniang Barangay members, Barangay Secretary, and Barangay Treasurer as regular government employees entitled to fixed salaries, insurance, medical and dental coverage, retirement benefits, and other fringe benefits. Under the proposed law, the Punong Barangay will receive a salary equivalent to that of a Sangguniang Bayan member of his municipality or city, while Sangguniang Barangay members will receive 80 percent of that rate. The Barangay Secretary and Treasurer, on the other hand, will receive 75 percent.
Cities and municipalities will have up to six months from its approval to determine funding sources and enact local ordinances implementing the new salary structure. The bill also guarantees essential services in every barangay by mandating the construction or maintenance of at least one deep well for every 1,000 residents to ensure clean, safe drinking water, and by requiring that public transportation be available daily so that no community is left isolated or disconnected.
To strengthen fiscal autonomy, the Magna Carta mandates the automatic release of each barangay's share of national taxes, the direct transfer of road and bridge maintenance funds to its general fund, and a 25 percent share of all real property taxes collected within its jurisdiction. It also provides that 10 percent of all other taxes, fees, and charges collected from residents and businesses within a barangay be remitted to the barangay.
Additionally, the measure includes a provision for barangay scholarship grants, requiring every barangay to sponsor at least one student annually for any bachelor's degree, covering tuition, fees, and allowances for books, transportation, and other necessities. It also mandates that barangay residents be given priority in employment for government construction and development projects within their communities.
To promote economic self-reliance, the bill encourages the establishment of cooperatives in every barangay, directing local governments to extend full assistance and support to such enterprises. The Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Department of Budget and Management are tasked to issue implementing rules and submit to Congress the necessary budgetary estimates for salaries, benefits, and other provisions.
If enacted, the Magna Carta for Barangays would be the most comprehensive reform in local governance since the 1991 Local Government Code-a landmark measure that ensures barangay officials are treated not as volunteers, but as vital pillars of government service.
Meanwhile, Abra Rep. Joseph Sto. Ni±o Bernos thanked Speaker Dy for committing to pass the Magna Carta for Barangays. 'As a former barangay captain and local executive, the Speaker of course has an intimate knowledge of the plight of our barangays and barangay workers. I am glad that he has identified the Magna Carta as one of his priorities, and the Speaker can definitely count on my support when we tackle the bill in the local government committee,' Bernos said in a statement on Thursday.
Bernos, who also serves as president emeritus of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines, lauded the bill for being 'comprehensive in its attempt to truly empower barangays.' 'If we want true local autonomy we should start at the most basic unit, and the Magna Carta for Barangays recognizes the role that barangays and barangay officials could play in creating a better living environment for the people,' the lawmaker added. He also expressed hope that the Magna Carta, which has languished in Congress for years, would finally be passed.
