The City Council passed an ordinance granting P500 as hazard pay for all barangay frontline personnel and volunteer workers during the period of an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
Councilor Diosdado Mahipus, Jr., committee chair on environment, pushed for the said measure during the virtual regular session on April 15.
The hazard pay covers all punong barangays, barangay kagawads, Sanggunian Kabataan chairpersons and councilors. All government employees with regular positions or under job order or contract of service, or other similar schemes who are detailed or assigned to the barangay or field duties, garbage collectors, barangay volunteer workers, barangay health workers, barangay nutrition scholars, barangay tanods, purok leaders, or daycare teachers who render duty during the ECQ.
“It is the policy of the city of Davao to honor and acknowledge the sacrifices of all government personnel, employees and government volunteer workers in the frontlines performing beyond the call of duty in order to protect the people of Davao City,” he said.
“Should the funds of the City be insufficient to fully cover the COVID-19 Hazard Pay at the rate of P500/day per person, a lower but uniform rate may be granted for all qualified personnel,” the ordinance reads.
It also said that personnel who are already entitled to hazard pay, hazardous duty pay, hazard allowance or other similar benefits under existing laws, issuances, rules, and regulations, such as public health workers, public social workers, science and technology personnel, and military and uniformed personnel, shall continue to be entitled to such benefits or the COVID-19 hazard pay, whichever is higher.
For an employee on a part-time basis, the hazard pay shall be pro-rated corresponding to the services rendered. If employed on part-time basis with two or more offices/agencies, an employee shall be entitled to proportionate amounts corresponding to the services in each agency, provided that the total COVID-19 hazard pay shall not exceed the authorized amount.
On the other hand, the hazard pay of an employee on detail to another government agency shall be granted by the parent agency.
A compulsory retiree, on service extension, may be granted the hazard pay, subject to existing relevant laws, circulars and other issuances by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and other relevant offices.
“(These people are also) risking the possibility of being infected just so our food packs will be received by our people,” he said. “I would like to let our heroes know that the city of Davao and its residents acknowledge all their sacrifices and honor them as heroes,”
