8 special barangays to receive IRA allotment in 2016

DAVAO DEL NORTE, September 28, 2015 - After more than 20 years, eight “special” barangays in Davao del Norte that are operating without internal revenue allotments (IRA) will finally receive their revenue share from the national government starting next year.

1st District Congressman Anthony G. del Rosario announced that the Senate Joint Committee on Local Government and Committee on Electoral Reform and Peoples Participation approved on September 16, 2015 the house bills that he authored proposing the re-creation of the barangays to enable them to receive the IRA share that are long due them.

The Committee approved House Bill 4588, “An Act Dividing Barangay Magugpo in the City of Tagum, Province of Davao del Norte into Five (5) Distinct and Independent Barangays to be Known as Barangay Magugpo Poblacion, Barangay Magugpo East, Barangay Magugpo West, Barangay Magugpo North and Barangay Magugpo South.”

Included in the proposed measures were four bills pertaining to the creation of four barangays in the Municipality of San Isidro. They were House Bill 2086, “An Act Creating a Barangay to be Known as Barangay Pinamuno in the Municipality of San Isidro, Province of Davao del Norte;” House Bill 2087, “An Act Creating a Barangay to be Known as Barangay Dacudao in the Municipality of San Isidro, Province of Davao del Norte;” House Bill 2088, “An Act Creating a Barangay to be Known as Barangay Datu Balong in the Municipality of San Isidro, Province of Davao del Norte;” and House Bill 2089, “An Act Creating a Barangay to be Known as Barangay Libuton in the Municipality of San Isidro, Province of Davao del Norte.”

Del Rosario said the approval of the bills that he initially filed last July 2013 will result in the eight “special” barangays finally receiving their respective share of the revenues from the national government starting 2016.

He said he is very happy to fulfill his promise, which he made way back in 2010 to the barangay officials of the affected barangays.  

“As a former Barangay Captain, I know all too well how difficult the job is, especially when the barangay’s IRA is not enough to solve most problems. Just imagine how much more difficult a Barangay Captain’s job is if the barangay doesn’t receive any IRA!” the lawmaker stressed.

It can be recalled that the barangays were created by virtue of the Local Government Code of 1991, which allowed the creation of a barangay through a local ordinance passed by the respective Sangguniang Panlalawigan or Sangguniang Panlungsod, provided the LGU concerned shall provide for their financial requirements of the barangay.

Del Rosario revealed that at first the barangays received their revenues from the LGUs concerned.

However, due to political or financial reasons, the barangays later on got much lesser and lesser of what they are entitled to based on their requirement of their population.

President Benigno Simeon Aquino III is expected to sign the bills into law by November this year.

Once signed, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) assured the Senate Joint Committees that the eight barangays would receive their IRAs starting 2016. (PIO DavNor)