Diño recommends security of tenure for barangay tanods

Former Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Martin Diño (Photo: sbmachairmanmartindino/Facebook)

MANILA— Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Martin Diño said on Tuesday he has recommended to DILG Officer-in-Charge Undersecretary Eduardo Año that all members of the Barangay Security Development Office (BSDO) nationwide have a “security of tenure.”

In an interview, Diño said that as a former barangay captain in Quezon City, he is feeling the difficult job of the members of the BSDO, more popularly known as “tanods” or village police.

He noted that the BSDO members are the first ones to respond to any “trouble” in their areas, hence, they should be given protection.

Diño cited that every time a barangay has a new captain, the BSDO members are also replaced, hence, the criminals they had arrested before get back at them.

He added BSDO members should also have the right salary, scholarship, and legal assistance.

“Sa mga probinsiya, may mga miyembro ng BSDO na tumatanggap lamang ng P200 hanggang P500 ang buwanang allowance (In the provinces, there are BSDO members who receive a monthly allowance of PHP200 to PHP500 only),” Diño said.

Barangay captains in the provinces are receiving a monthly salary of only PHP1,000 to PHP2,000, he said.

“Ang trabaho ng barangay captain sa Metro Manila at mga probinsiya ay parehas lang, kaya dapat bigyan natin ng parehas na pagtrato sila (The job of a barangay captain in Metro Manila and in the provinces is just the same, hence, we should give them equal treatment),” Diño said.

With his appointment as DILG Undersecretary for Barangay Affairs, Diño assured that he would help the more than 42,000 barangay officials across the country, particularly on their benefits.