MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has asked Sangguniang Barangays in the country to create a Yuletide Assistance Program for barangay officials and workers. ADVERTISEMENTIn his order, the President said the assistance program would provide “economic empowerment” to barangay officials and functionaries. as well as the promotion of the general interest of the community.”Duterte said the Yuletide season is an “opportune time” to establish the assistance program “in recognition of their valuable and meaningful service that effect genuine and positive change in their respective communities.”In his order, the President said the Yuletide Social Assistance Program of the barangays should be charged against the barangays’ available funds. He ordered the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to “issue appropriate guidelines” for the implementation of the assistance program. For the succeeding years, he said the DILG and the DBM should “study and propose measures for the provision of social assistance to qualified barangay officials and functionaries” and to identify funding sources for the program.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer December 09, 2019 01:30 UTC