By Cindy Ferrer/PNA
ILOILO CITY — A total of 14,018 service providers in the 1,721 villages in Iloilo province are set to receive a PHP4,000 cash allowance each next month.
In an interview Thursday, Provincial Administrator Raul Banias said the provincial government is now ready to release the PHP56-million budget for the allowances of volunteers, composed of Barangay Health Workers (BHWs), Day Care Workers (DCWs), Barangay Service Point Officers (BSPOs) and Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS).
He added that Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. already directed the provincial treasurer’s office to deploy some of their personnel to assist in the release of the allowances in the six identified payment centers.
The barangay service providers, who will receive the cash allowance, are BHWs numbering 8,356; BSPOs — 2,232; DCWs — 1,819; and BNS — 1,611.
According to Banias, the provision of allowances has been a tradition of the provincial government to provide some help to the barangay service providers who do not receive a fixed salary.
He noted that the allowance released to the volunteers was increased to PHP4,000 last year from PHP3,000 in the previous years.
“These volunteers only get honorarium from the barangay like PHP300 per month or PHP1,000 per month and there so many work assigned to them so, we to give them incentive for their hard work,” he said.
The release of the cash allowances will start on Dec. 3 in payment centers located in the towns of Ajuy and Barotac Viejo.
It will cover the barangay service providers in the towns of Batad, Carles, Balasan, Estancia, San Dionisio,Sara, Concepcion, Lemery, Ajuy, Barotac Viejo and San Rafael.
On Dec. 4, releasing will be done in the towns of Banate and Passi City, covering barangay service providers from the towns of Barotac Nuevo, Dumangas, Anilao, Banate, Passi City, Dueñas, Dingle and San Enrique.
The allowances for the towns of Janiuay, Lambunao, Maasin, Bingawan, Cabatuan, Calinog, Badiangan, Pototan and Mina will be released on Dec. 5 in the towns of Cabatuan and Pototan.
On Dec. 6, the towns of San Joaquin, San Miguel and Sta. Barbara will be the venue of the release for barangay service providers from the towns of San Joaquin, Tubungan, Igbaras, Guimbal, Oton, Tigbauan, Miag-ao, San Miguel, Leon, Alimodian, Leganes, New Lucena, Pavia, Zarraga and Sta. Barbara.
