Umapad workers protest 10 months of unpaid salaries

By: Mary Rose Sagarino - CDN Digital Correspondent | October 14,2024 - 07:06 PM

Affected workers of Barangay Umapad, Mandaue City, display placards at the Barangay Hall, demanding their unpaid salaries for the past 10 months. | 📸 Dexter Omolon

MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — Workers in Barangay Umapad, Mandaue City, held a protest demanding their unpaid salaries for the past 10 months.

The affected employees displayed placards in front of the barangay hall, with messages calling out the alleged politicking in the barangay.

The barangay council is dominated by opposition members, with only two of the eight elected barangay councilors allied with Barangay Captain Reb Cortes.

Around 120 employees, including barangay tanods, clean and green personnel, lupon members, and drivers, among others, have not received their salaries since January of this year.

Allegedly, Barangay Councilor Libertine Lumapas, the chairperson of the Committee on Appropriations, did not sign their payroll, preventing the processing of their salaries.

The employees have been complaining that they’ve been forced to borrow money to meet their daily needs.

On Monday, Oct. 14, Cortes said that the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) had already issued a statement saying that honoraria could be given. However, Lumapas allegedly only approved the salary for September.

“Akoang gipatan-aw sa ila ang mga tawo (workers) mao to niconcur sila, naay tulo nga akong mga gipang‐appoint nga former brgy. councilors wala nila giconcur,” said Cortes.

“Nisabot ra sad ko nila (workers nagbutang og placards) kay grabe sad ilang pag-antos karun ba niya September ra iya (Lumapas) pirmahan,” Cortes added.

Cortes also said that some employees have resigned to find other jobs, while others were hired by the city.

DILG Response

According to the DILG’s Legal Opinion dated October 10, regarding a letter request on the appointment of the barangay secretary, Section 4 of DILG Memorandum Circular No. 2002-150 states that, pending concurrence, the appointee, in the exigency of public service, shall be allowed to discharge and perform the duties of the office. The appointee shall be considered as holding a temporary appointment and, thus, entitled to honoraria and other allowances from the first day of assuming the role of barangay secretary.

In a statement sent to CDN Digital, Barangay Councilor Lumapas clarified that the recent DILG opinion, issued by City Director JohnJoan Mende, only discusses the entitlement of the barangay secretary.

“However, it is silent to its application to other appointive officials,” said Lumapas.

Lumapas confirmed that the salary for September for over 100 barangay employees was already approved by the Barangay Sanggunian for release.

However, the complainants alleged that they were also entitled to salaries for the months before the Sanggunian’s concurrence of their appointments.

The workers questioned why their salaries from January to August were not approved.

“It is important to note that the Sanggunian of Barangay Umapad issued the concurrence of the said complainants as appointed employees through the Barangay Resolution No. 21, Series 2024, which was dated September 13, 2024,” said Lumapas.

Lumapas emphasized that, under the law, the start date for appointed employees is reckoned from the date of concurrence by the Sanggunian, unless otherwise provided.

Furthermore, the Local Government Code does not allow retroactive salaries.

“Besides, naa sa June 7 , 2024 minutes of Sangguniang Barangay Regular Session , daan na nag ingon si Mandaue Dilg City Director John Joan Mende nga dili retroactive ang effectivity sa concurrence sa Sanggunian,” she added.

Because of this, the complainants may not be entitled to salaries for the months prior to the concurrence, as it would result in retroactive pay.

“As the Chairperson of the Committee on Appropriations, it is my responsibility to ensure that public funds are appropriated in accordance with the law,” said Lumapas.

“Despite the complaints, it is my intention that the residents of Barangay Umapad, including the complainants, be justly given what is entitled to them under the law. We are seeking clarification from the DILG regarding the complainants’ entitlement to retroactive salaries,” she added.