• CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO
An ordinance amending Section 3.1 of City Ordinance No. 342, Series of 2003, as amended by C.O. No. 1057, increasing the monthly allowance of barangay nutrition scholars (BNS), was approved by the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod Wednesday.
Authored by Councilors Em Ang and Roberto Rojas, the proposed ordinance said City Ordinance No. 342, Series of 2003, institutionalized the various nutrition programs of the city and provided a monthly allowance for BNS in recognition for their invaluable contribution to the city’s health sector.
C.O. No. 1057 was enacted on December 20, 2023, specifically amending Section 3.1 of C.O. 342 to update the financial provisions and allowances for the BNS, it said.
Due to the continuing increase in the prices of basic commodities and the rising cost of living, the current allowance is no longer sufficient to sustain their daily needs and compensate for the essential public service they provide at the grassroots level, the ordinance said.
To ensure the continuous delivery of health and nutrition services, there is an urgent need to grant an additional P1,000 across the board increase, thereby making the monthly allowance P8,000, it said.
The ordinance will be known as the “2026 Amended BNS Allowance Ordinance.”
The BNS of Bacolod City will receive a monthly allowance of P8,000 starting 2027 and P9,000 starting 2028.*
