Mayor Sara Z. Duterte wanted a law that would give better wages and benefits for barangay workers and volunteers.

In a statement of the Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) Saturday, the vice presidential aspirant cited that throughout the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, the barangay workers are the first ones to help the city and municipal governments.

She said barangay workers and volunteers must not spend eight hours or more a day working as they have not been compensated well despite their contributions to the government programs at the grassroots level.
“They are not well compensated and yet we are always tapping them for help. It’s time for Congress to discuss the standardization of our barangay volunteer’s wages,” Duterte added.

She said Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) are on the ground immersing in various people, especially bringing the health programs of the city and municipal health offices.

“Our Davao City volunteers worked not more than two to three hours a day because the Barangay Nutrition Scholar (BNS), Barangay Health Worker (BHW), and Barangay Kagawad are also working as volunteers. In that case, they should not be called volunteers and they should be given a standard wage,” Duterte added.

She also said the government should look into mechanisms to justly compensate the volunteers for the tasks they perform.

She suggested two options – the government should acknowledge that they are volunteers and should not work full time and gave them standard wages.

“In that way, their services to the communities will be properly remunerated,” she added. (PNA)