Former Barangay Tanod Expresses Frustration Over Unreceived Health Emergency Allowance Since COVID-19 Pandemic
A former barangay tanod in Tabon, Quezon, Palawan is seeking clarification over alleged unreceived emergency allowance.
Norlie Buyon said barangay tanods served as frontliners during the COVID-19 pandemic health crisis in Tabon, Quezon, Palawan. Their duties included guarding quarantine facilities, manning checkpoints, and helping enforce health and safety rules in their communities.
Buyon and four other tanods became concerned after a payout for the Health Emergency Allowance was held in June 2024. They were surprised to find that their names were not included among those who received the benefit.
The group reportedly tried to ask their barangay officials about the missing names. According to Buyon, their barangay captain said he did not know why they were not included in the list.
They also received another explanation from an SK official, who reportedly claimed that their logbook or attendance records from their time on duty had been lost or damaged. It left the former tanods asking how their service during the pandemic was recorded and why they were not included in the payout.
However, Vicky Solatorio of the Quezon Municipal Health Office explained that the Health Emergency Allowance has specific eligibility rules. She said the benefit was intended for healthcare workers and non-healthcare workers who served in accredited healthcare facilities.
Solatorio added that the municipal health office had already spoken with the complainants and explained the requirements for receiving the allowance.
Despite this, the health office said it continues to coordinate with the local government to clarify how some barangay tanods were reportedly able to receive the allowance.
For Buyon and the other former tanods, the issue is not only about the money but also about understanding how their service was documented during one of the most difficult periods for their community.
They are hoping that the concerned offices can review the records and provide a clear explanation about their eligibility and the reason their names were not included in the payout.
The social media users expressed their reactions to the issue:
