Similar to their counterparts in the sangguniang bayan, indigenous peoples mandatory representatives (IPMRs) in barangays who died during their term of office are now entitled to death and burial benefits amounting to P12,000, according to the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
DILG Sec. Benjamin Abalos, Jr. assured legal beneficiaries of the IPMRs who died during their incumbency from 2018 to 2020 onwards that they will soon receive the benefits due them.
“The Department’s regional and field offices and the National Barangay Operations Office are now hard at work in evaluating and processing the application and documentary requirements of the IPMR beneficiaries to ensure that they are correct and complete. Huwag po ka-yong mag-alala, tutukan po natin ito para makatulong man lang sa inyo,” said Abalos.
He said the IPMRs’ contribution to nation-building and their important work at the grassroots level in preserving their heritage and upholding their human rights cannot be dismissed.
He added LGUs must extend all necessary assistance so that their bereaved beneficiaries can receive the said amount of death and burial aid.
“IPMRs are vital sanggunian barangay members because they are the ones who ensure that their voices as members of the IP communities are heard. LGUs must ensure their families receive the death and burial assistance accorded to them by the law. It’s the least that we can do for our IP public servants. They deserve to have the same privileges enjoyed by barangay officials and other members of the sanggunian,” Abalos said.
In DILG Memorandum Circular 2022-132 issued last Oct. 20, Abalos said beneficiaries must submit their application to the DILG field offices with the following documentary requirements to claim the death and burial benefits: accomplished Death Benefit Claim form; oath of office; certificate of incumbency; certified true copy of the death certificate of the deceased barangay official; and, photocopy of a government-issued identification card of the claimant.
Beneficiaries must also submit an original or certified true copy of documents that prove their relation to the deceased barangay official, such as marriage certificate and birth certificate.
In the same policy, Abalos emphasized beneficiaries are not entitled to the cash benefit if the cause of the barangay official’s death is “either suicide or his/her own unlawful acts resulting to his/her death.”
He instructed DILG field offices to verify or evaluate the submitted application for death and burial benefit claims; submit the request/s for claims to DILG provincial/regional offices within one working day upon receipt and regularly monitor the status of the request; prepare and issue the payment checks due to the beneficiaries within seven working days upon receipt of funds; inform the beneficiaries once the checks are ready for release and pick-up and remind them to bring proof of identity when claiming the check; and, administer the Client Satisfaction Survey (CSS) using the unified CSS form and submit it to the POs/ROs, among others.
He echoed President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s message for this year’s National IP Day and International Day of the World’s IPs, urging everyone to “uplift each person and community in our archipelago, especially our Indigenous Peoples, the first Filipinos, our katutubos, who have been integral to the preservation in passing on of our traditional knowledge and values.”
Section 16 of Republic Act 8371 or the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act 1997 provides the right of indigenous cultural communities (ICCs)/IPs to participate at all levels of decision-making and obliges the State to ensure that ICCs/IPs are given mandatory representation in all local legislative councils and policymaking bodies. – Press release
