The total amount for all the barrio guards’ insurance is not so big compare to other health insurance services. However, the point is to provide for a yearly health insurance for all the honorarium-based barangay guards, who by nature of their work is “on call”, Mercado pointed out.”Wala kani silay mga suweldo, honorarium ra, busa atong guitabangan aron kung adunay madisgrasya panahon sa ilang pagtuman sa ilang mga katungdanan o kaha masakit sila, aduna silay ayuda sa pagpahospital ug tambal nga guikinahanglan”, he said in Cebuano.(They have no salaries, only honorarium, so we are helping them so that if they meet an accident during the performance of their duties or get sick they can be hospitalized and provided with the needed medicines.)

The Governor explained that in case of accident or sickness, they don’t have to worry anymore where to get the money for their hospitalization or to buy the needed medicines. The Red Cross Insurance will shoulder for them.

When asked what is the specific amount appropriated for their health insurance, the Governor urged me instead to ask the provincial budget officer Ms. Sylvia Torredes for clarification. However, Ms. Torredes was not in her office. She was on an official three-day travel to Tacloban City, I was told by her co-worker.

Noli Casas, OIC-Southern Leyte Red Cross Chapter Administrator, on the other hand, has provided me with some clarifications regarding the exact amount that I need to know from the provincial budget officer during an interview.

He informed that for any individual who wants to avail of the Red Cross health insurance, a contribution of P100.00 is all that is required which is renewable every year. In other words, for every insured barangay tanod, he explained, the yearly contribution is also P100.00.Hence the total yearly contribution for the 3,350 barangay tanods provincewide is P3, 350.00.

Casas, who becomes well-known as the first Red Cross worker to rescue a baby victim during the Feb. 17,2006 Guinsaugon Tragedy in St. Bernard, clarified that the provincial government thru Governor Mercado will continue to provide the needed amount for the annual Barangay Tanods health insurance renewal until the end of the Governor’s office terms.

The granting of Barangay Tanods Red Cross health insurance were done thru the so-called “Barangay Tanod Congress” held by schedule in 4 different places of the province: 1) Hinundayan gym covering the other 5 Pacific towns of St.Bernard, San Juan, Anahawan, Hinunangan and Silago; 2) Pintuyan gym constituting the 3 other towns in Panaon Island like Liloan, San Francisco and San Ricardo; 3) Padre Burgos covered court

comprising the 7 Sogod Bay towns of Libagon, Sogod,Bontoc,Tomas Oppus,Malitbog,Macrohon and Limasawa Island; 4)Maasin City gym attended by the City’s 70 barangays’ barrio guards.

Earlier, all the 3,350 BTs also received their vests during the holding of a 4 separate “Barangay Tanod Congress”. Blood samples were also taken from the health insurance recipients by the Red Cross workers for blood typing. This is for easily reference in case anyone of them needs a blood transfusion during treatment.

On the other hand, Congressman Roger Mercado has announced in his short speech during his visit to Limasawa Island that the Philippine Tourism Authority is allocating P5M for road links of barangays San Agustin, San Bernardo and Lugsongan with the works hopefully to be started within this year.

The Congressman also revealed his plan for the Limasawa Municipal Rural Health Center that has already an assigned doctor, to have nurses and the needed medicines.

The solon further disclosed he has set aside funds of P500, 000.00 from his CDF for the Limasawa Cooperative as additional seed capital and to buy a motorboat. (Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.)

The approval of the 2009 Annual Performance Budget was moved by City Councilor Ma. Essie Espina-Garvez, Chairwoman Committee on Finance and Appropriation, and were seconded by Councilors Margarita Bantug and Nestor Sy, who likewise approved it unanimously.

During the discussions it was learned that bus terminal operations has a total estimated annual income of P6,063,800.00; market operations P6,483,700; and slaughterhouse operations P1,371,000.00.

Garvez revealed that the total estimated amount of income of P13,918,500.00 of the City Government from its three businesses will in turn go to the following expenditures: a) personal services- P92,500,293.42; b) maintenance and other operating? expenses (M00E) – P28,264,957.26; c) capital outlay-P2,500,000.00;d)non-office operations- P126, 735,131.32. These 4 categories of expenditures, if added together, has a total amount of P250, 000,382.00.

Earlier, before the end of December 2008 a resolution was passed approving the 2008 number 4 supplemental budget of P5, 529,461.69 for the City.

In this connection another resolution was also passed by Garvez realigning the amount of P3, 175,384.45.00.

This amount is from unobligated balances under the non-office expenses and P1M from Socio-Cultural Program and activities to payment of bank loan amortization. Another amount of P10, 000.00 was released from aid to Various Entities as aid to Vice Mayors League of Provinces (VMLP) annual dues of the Vice-Mayor to the VMLP-Eastern Visayas Chapter. The City Vice-Mayor Effie Abiera-Sabandal is among the members of this organization in which annual contribution is required.

Extra cash gifts was also granted earlier last December 2008 thru approved resolution passed by the Chairman Committee on Finance as mandated by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to all government offices/agencies nationwide. However, the granting of such extra cash gifts, it was learned, is subject to the regular accounting and auditing regulations. This is aside from the issuance of Circular from the office of the President. For the regular employees- P23, 000.00; for the casual employess- P16, 000.00; for job order employees-P10, 000.00.? (Quirico M. Gorpido, Jr.)

The 16 municipalities are:

1. Baybay, Leyte
2. Bogo, Cebu
3. Carcar, Cebu
4. Naga in Cebu
5. Catbalogan, Samar
6. Borongan, Eastern Samar
7. Tandag, Surigao del Sur
8. Tayabas, Quezon
9. Lamitan, Basilan
10. Tabuk, Kalinga
11. Bayugan, Agusan del Sur
12. Batac, Ilocos Norte
13. Mati, Davao Oriental
14. Guihulngan, Negros Oriental
15. Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte
16. El Salvador, Misamis Oriental

If the ruling will be finalized then those officials and employees who are already receiving an upgraded salary will be affected. The same is true to the local budget and projects that the affected cities had already been set.

While those who are affected are dismayed with the decision made by the Supreme Court, Mayors of those unaffected cities rejoice because the IRA (Internal Revenue Allocation) that should be given to those new cities will be shared back by them.