Legal opinion on whether a barangay is authorized to enact a resolution or ordinance increasing the medical assistance limit for Sangguniang Barangay Members beyond the statutory P5,000.00 limit.

thousand pesos (P5,000.00) that may be incurred therein shall be chargeable against the funds of the barangay concerned; x x x" However, it is important to distinguish the aforementioned provision from a “medical allowance” granted by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Budget Circular No. 2024-6, which implements Executive Order No. (EO) 64, series of 2024, and Section 58 of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA)." EO 64, s. 2024, Section 4 states: Section 5 1 4 1 1 2 472 577 21 22 95.065720 4. 5 1 4 1 1 3 518 577 108 23 96.059715 Medical 5 1 4 1 1 4 644 578 148 23 87.015907 Allowance. 5 1 4 1 1 5 816 592 30 2 87.015907 — 5 1 4 1 1 6 867 579 138 29 96.744133 Beginning 5 1 4 1 1 7 1026 580 41 22 96.516647 FY 5 1 4 1 1 8 1086 580 72 27 96.057709 2025, 5 1 4 1 1 9 1184 586 15 17 96.760811 a 5 1 4 1 1 10 1222 581 106 22 96.248894 Medical 4 1 4 1 2 0 335 611 991 33 -1 5 1 4 1 2 1 335 611 142 24 96.565331 Allowance 5 1 4 1 2 2 486 612 22 23 96.136681 in 5 1 4 1 2 3 518 619 32 17 96.566765 an 5 1 4 1 2 4 560 613 105 23 96.693420 amount 5 1 4 1 2 5 672 613 44 23 96.907562 not 5 1 4 1 2 6 723 613 141 30 96.316719 exceeding 5 1 4 1 2 7 873 613 85 24 96.333870 Seven 5 1 4 1 2 8 970 614 137 24 96.249825 Thousand 5 1 4 1 2 9 1114 615 86 23 93.274971 Pesos 5 1 4 1 2 10 1209 615 117 29 89.239571 (P7,000) 4 1 4 1 3 0 335 649 994 30 -1 5 1 4 1 3 1 335 653 48 23 96.667709 per 5 1 4 1 3 2 401 654 94 16 96.230194 annum 5 1 4 1 3 3 517 649 64 22 91.557648 shall 5 1 4 1 3 4 601 649 33 22 96.458992 be 5 1 4 1 3 5 655 650 107 27 95.332222 granted 5 1 4 1 3 6 782 650 23 22 95.142075 to 5 1 4 1 3 7 827 650 65 22 96.166687 each 5 1 4 1 3 8 914 651 116 27 94.813530 qualified 5 1 4 1 3 9 1050 651 91 22 92.523735 civilian 5 1 4 1 3 10 1163 652 166 27 92.523735 government 4 1 4 1 4 0 335 684 991 28 -1 5 1 4 1 4 1 335 684 139 26 96.601646 personnel 5 1 4 1 4 2 496 689 31 17 96.534279 as 5 1 4 1 4 3 549 690 15 16 90.456123 a 5 1 4 1 4 4 588 685 105 27 90.456123 subsidy 5 1 4 1 4 5 715 685 37 22 95.960403 for 5 1 4 1 4 6 773 685 40 22 93.192635 the 5 1 4 1 4 7 836 686 134 21 91.166298 availment 5 1 4 1 4 8 990 686 29 22 96.096474 of 5 1 4 1 4 9 1037 686 88 22 95.693855 Health 5 1 4 1 4 10 1150 687 176 21 95.693855 Maintenance 4 1 4 1 5 0 338 717 487 29 -1 5 1 4 1 5 1 338 717 174 28 96.551277 Organization 5 1 4 1 5 2 525 718 90 28 95.700577 (HMO) 5 1 4 1 5 3 627 719 57 27 96.921722 type 5 1 4 1 5 4 695 719 130 22 93.009079 benefits. The pertinent provisions of the DBM Budget Circular No. 2024-6 reads as follows: Section 5 1 6 1 1 2 468 862 57 24 96.659508 10.0 5 1 6 1 1 3 539 863 108 23 96.026512 Medical 5 1 6 1 1 4 659 863 141 24 96.054146 Allowance 5 1 6 1 1 5 816 863 36 24 96.481659 for 5 1 6 1 1 6 864 863 63 24 96.889915 LGU 5 1 6 1 1 7 942 863 108 24 96.765121 Officials 5 1 6 1 1 8 1065 864 52 23 95.765099 and 5 1 6 1 1 9 1129 864 154 30 93.057877 Employees 5 1 6 1 1 10 1296 878 31 2 91.511719 — 4 1 6 1 2 0 339 897 988 32 -1 5 1 6 1 2 1 339 897 49 24 96.882622 The 5 1 6 1 2 2 403 898 72 30 96.073479 grant 5 1 6 1 2 3 489 898 28 24 96.914818 of 5 1 6 1 2 4 529 898 40 24 96.557877 the 5 1 6 1 2 5 586 898 107 24 96.616295 Medical 5 1 6 1 2 6 705 899 141 23 96.373695 Allowance 5 1 6 1 2 7 863 900 23 23 96.419754 to 5 1 6 1 2 8 901 900 150 29 95.646240 employees 5 1 6 1 2 9 1065 900 22 23 96.181107 in 5 1 6 1 2 10 1103 900 84 28 96.015228 LGUs, 5 1 6 1 2 11 1205 900 122 29 96.711395 including 4 1 6 1 3 0 337 933 989 32 -1 5 1 6 1 3 1 337 933 74 23 96.504272 those 5 1 6 1 3 2 435 933 22 23 96.464180 in 5 1 6 1 3 3 483 933 41 24 96.357903 the 5 1 6 1 3 4 548 934 150 30 96.556374 barangays, 5 1 6 1 3 5 726 935 64 23 95.608627 shall 5 1 6 1 3 6 812 935 32 23 95.473083 be 5 1 6 1 3 7 869 935 156 23 94.398056 determined 5 1 6 1 3 8 1047 935 33 30 96.361847 by 5 1 6 1 3 9 1103 935 62 23 95.595428 their 5 1 6 1 3 10 1186 935 140 30 96.627426 respective 4 1 6 1 4 0 336 970 990 30 -1 5 1 6 1 4 1 336 970 177 28 92.040176 sanggunians 5 1 6 1 4 2 527 970 145 29 96.402374 depending 5 1 6 1 4 3 685 977 31 16 96.756096 on 5 1 6 1 4 4 731 971 41 22 93.276680 the 5 1 6 1 4 5 785 971 84 22 91.629601 LGU's 5 1 6 1 4 6 882 971 114 23 96.704369 financial 5 1 6 1 4 7 1008 971 134 29 93.702103 capability, 5 1 6 1 4 8 1158 972 26 22 95.709038 at 5 1 6 1 4 9 1196 977 15 17 95.709038 a 5 1 6 1 4 10 1225 971 101 23 96.374046 uniform 4 1 6 1 5 0 336 1005 987 30 -1 5 1 6 1 5 1 336 1005 52 23 96.783920 rate 5 1 6 1 5 2 401 1005 44 23 96.884445 not 5 1 6 1 5 3 456 1005 143 29 96.234726 exceeding 5 1 6 1 5 4 612 1005 85 23 95.494041 Seven 5 1 6 1 5 5 714 1005 135 24 96.274765 Thousand 5 1 6 1 5 6 861 1006 85 23 92.933792 Pesos 5 1 6 1 5 7 959 1006 117 28 91.559196 (P7,000) 5 1 6 1 5 8 1090 1007 65 22 95.034546 each 5 1 6 1 5 9 1167 1012 48 23 95.895920 per 5 1 6 1 5 10 1225 1012 98 21 95.895920 annum, 4 1 6 1 6 0 337 1040 488 29 -1 5 1 6 1 6 1 337 1040 99 28 96.244072 subject 5 1 6 1 6 2 445 1041 24 21 96.001617 to 5 1 6 1 6 3 481 1041 41 21 96.001617 the 5 1 6 1 6 4 533 1041 121 28 93.291496 following 5 1 6 1 6 5 664 1041 161 22 90.691452 conditions: Section 5 1 7 1 1 2 559 1113 53 22 91.360619 10.1 5 1 7 1 1 3 623 1125 32 3 90.757065 — 5 1 7 1 1 4 667 1113 49 23 96.840057 The 5 1 7 1 1 5 726 1113 107 23 96.488823 Medical 5 1 7 1 1 6 840 1113 141 23 96.472527 Allowance 5 1 7 1 1 7 991 1113 65 23 96.135185 shall 5 1 7 1 1 8 1063 1113 33 23 96.668633 be 5 1 7 1 1 9 1107 1113 113 30 96.773766 charged 5 1 7 1 1 10 1229 1113 100 30 96.838402 against 4 1 7 1 2 0 431 1148 897 31 -1 5 1 7 1 2 1 431 1148 62 23 96.432243 their 5 1 7 1 2 2 513 1149 142 29 96.440605 respective 5 1 7 1 2 3 678 1149 64 22 96.546196 local 5 1 7 1 2 4 763 1150 165 28 96.124557 government 5 1 7 1 2 5 950 1149 78 28 95.961166 funds, 5 1 7 1 2 6 1055 1149 100 30 96.233047 subject 5 1 7 1 2 7 1176 1150 24 22 96.476929 to 5 1 7 1 2 8 1224 1149 40 23 96.414101 the 5 1 7 1 2 9 1288 1149 40 23 96.414101 PS 4 1 7 1 3 0 430 1184 897 30 -1 5 1 7 1 3 1 430 1184 123 23 96.867943 limitation 5 1 7 1 3 2 563 1184 22 23 96.108170 in 5 1 7 1 3 3 596 1184 64 23 96.538155 LGU 5 1 7 1 3 4 669 1184 109 30 96.395157 budgets 5 1 7 1 3 5 787 1185 122 29 96.395157 pursuant 5 1 7 1 3 6 918 1185 23 23 96.937309 to 5 1 7 1 3 7 952 1185 118 23 93.242355 Sections 5 1 7 1 3 8 1080 1185 88 29 92.555527 325(a) 5 1 7 1 3 9 1179 1185 52 23 93.210388 and 5 1 7 1 3 10 1239 1185 88 29 90.822754 331(b) 4 1 7 1 4 0 431 1220 864 29 -1 5 1 7 1 4 1 431 1220 29 23 96.813950 of 5 1 7 1 4 2 467 1221 40 22 94.532112 RA 5 1 7 1 4 3 519 1221 44 22 94.532112 No. 5 1 7 1 4 4 579 1221 66 22 96.271141 7160 5 1 7 1 4 5 655 1226 29 17 95.079880 or 5 1 7 1 4 6 692 1221 41 22 96.434464 the 5 1 7 1 4 7 744 1221 75 23 95.964233 Local 5 1 7 1 4 8 829 1221 170 23 96.376274 Government 5 1 7 1 4 9 1010 1221 71 23 96.878929 Code 5 1 7 1 4 10 1093 1221 82 28 95.344429 (LGC) 5 1 7 1 4 11 1187 1221 28 23 96.267502 of 5 1 7 1 4 12 1225 1221 70 23 92.695084 1991. 2 1 8 0 0 0 430 1292 900 348 -1 3 1 8 1 0 0 430 1292 900 348 -1 4 1 8 1 1 0 434 1292 893 30 -1 5 1 8 1 1 1 434 1292 49 24 96.372986 The 5 1 8 1 1 2 497 1292 72 30 96.712227 grant 5 1 8 1 1 3 580 1292 28 24 96.510292 of 5 1 8 1 1 4 618 1292 41 24 96.934845 the 5 1 8 1 1 5 673 1292 107 24 96.282745 Medical 5 1 8 1 1 6 790 1292 141 25 96.411499 Allowance 5 1 8 1 1 7 944 1292 64 25 95.489647 shall 5 1 8 1 1 8 1019 1293 33 24 95.489647 be 5 1 8 1 1 9 1066 1292 146 25 96.795792 authorized 5 1 8 1 1 10 1224 1293 103 29 96.222679 through 4 1 8 1 2 0 431 1329 898 29 -1 5 1 8 1 2 1 431 1334 33 18 95.333435 an 5 1 8 1 2 2 481 1329 180 28 95.333435 appropriation 5 1 8 1 2 3 678 1329 135 23 96.208183 ordinance 5 1 8 1 2 4 830 1330 22 22 95.617310 to 5 1 8 1 2 5 868 1329 32 23 96.410149 be 5 1 8 1 2 6 917 1329 110 23 96.079193 enacted 5 1 8 1 2 7 1041 1329 33 29 96.454140 by 5 1 8 1 2 8 1088 1329 41 23 96.454140 the 5 1 8 1 2 9 1146 1329 183 29 96.812599 Sangguniang 4 1 8 1 3 0 431 1364 899 29 -1 5 1 8 1 3 1 431 1364 602 29 90.143707 Panlalawigan/Panlungsod/Bayan/Barangay 5 1 8 1 3 2 1048 1365 147 23 96.256699 concerned 5 1 8 1 3 3 1211 1365 51 22 94.994751 and 5 1 8 1 3 4 1278 1365 52 22 94.994751 that 4 1 8 1 4 0 432 1399 897 30 -1 5 1 8 1 4 1 432 1399 41 23 96.961052 the 5 1 8 1 4 2 487 1400 118 28 96.593163 changes 5 1 8 1 4 3 618 1400 22 22 95.287834 in 5 1 8 1 4 4 655 1400 41 22 95.287834 the 5 1 8 1 4 5 709 1400 94 22 96.768860 annual 5 1 8 1 4 6 815 1400 95 29 96.493019 budget 5 1 8 1 4 7 922 1400 28 22 96.792007 of 5 1 8 1 4 8 960 1400 40 22 96.570366 the 5 1 8 1 4 9 1014 1400 79 22 96.154060 LGUs 5 1 8 1 4 10 1106 1406 59 23 96.569336 may 5 1 8 1 4 11 1177 1400 33 22 96.323601 be 5 1 8 1 4 12 1224 1400 105 22 96.323601 allowed 4 1 8 1 5 0 432 1436 896 29 -1 5 1 8 1 5 1 432 1436 104 29 96.422318 through 5 1 8 1 5 2 546 1436 187 29 96.010742 supplemental 5 1 8 1 5 3 740 1436 110 29 96.482681 budgets 5 1 8 1 5 4 860 1436 81 23 96.564278 under 5 1 8 1 5 5 948 1436 40 23 96.888954 the 5 1 8 1 5 6 998 1436 123 29 96.793541 specified 5 1 8 1 5 7 1130 1436 198 23 95.931999 circumstances 4 1 8 1 6 0 430 1473 898 28 -1 5 1 8 1 6 1 430 1473 124 28 96.619698 pursuant 5 1 8 1 6 2 574 1473 24 22 96.510925 to 5 1 8 1 6 3 620 1473 101 22 96.096664 Section 5 1 8 1 6 4 743 1473 48 22 96.161926 321 5 1 8 1 6 5 814 1473 28 22 96.012436 of 5 1 8 1 6 6 859 1473 41 22 96.616722 the 5 1 8 1 6 7 921 1473 63 22 96.653908 LGC 5 1 8 1 6 8 1004 1473 52 22 96.661430 and 5 1 8 1 6 9 1075 1473 85 22 96.458549 Article 5 1 8 1 6 10 1182 1473 31 22 96.454735 417 5 1 8 1 6 11 1254 1473 28 22 96.454735 of 5 1 8 1 6 12 1298 1473 30 22 96.681999 its 4 1 8 1 7 0 432 1508 898 30 -1 5 1 8 1 7 1 432 1508 188 30 95.921181 Implementing 5 1 8 1 7 2 640 1508 78 23 96.289131 Rules 5 1 8 1 7 3 739 1509 51 22 96.205917 and 5 1 8 1 7 4 810 1508 163 30 96.227882 Regulations 5 1 8 1 7 5 994 1508 77 30 96.434677 (IRR), 5 1 8 1 7 6 1096 1515 31 16 96.223763 as 5 1 8 1 7 7 1148 1508 130 23 95.479324 amended 5 1 8 1 7 8 1297 1508 33 30 96.769455 by 4 1 8 1 8 0 431 1544 896 30 -1 5 1 8 1 8 1 431 1544 197 24 95.898476 Administrative 5 1 8 1 8 2 647 1544 80 24 96.871399 Order 5 1 8 1 8 3 741 1544 43 24 96.139191 No. 5 1 8 1 8 4 806 1545 33 23 96.139191 47 5 1 8 1 8 5 856 1544 77 24 96.377167 dated 5 1 8 1 8 6 948 1544 63 30 96.160515 April 5 1 8 1 8 7 1030 1544 35 29 96.160515 12, 5 1 8 1 8 8 1090 1544 69 29 94.346725 1993, 5 1 8 1 8 9 1181 1551 29 17 96.750366 or 5 1 8 1 8 10 1225 1544 102 30 96.716202 through 4 1 8 1 9 0 432 1581 896 29 -1 5 1 8 1 9 1 432 1581 188 29 96.389084 augmentation 5 1 8 1 9 2 629 1581 124 29 95.600594 pursuant 5 1 8 1 9 3 761 1582 23 22 95.837845 to 5 1 8 1 9 4 795 1581 101 23 96.539177 Section 5 1 8 1 9 5 906 1581 51 23 96.553413 336 5 1 8 1 9 6 966 1581 28 23 96.631180 of 5 1 8 1 9 7 1000 1581 41 23 96.858879 the 5 1 8 1 9 8 1051 1581 63 23 96.028992 LGC 5 1 8 1 9 9 1123 1581 52 23 96.028992 and 5 1 8 1 9 10 1182 1581 86 23 96.097931 Article 5 1 8 1 9 11 1278 1581 50 22 96.200043 454 4 1 8 1 10 0 432 1616 133 24 -1 5 1 8 1 10 1 432 1612 22 39 96.054359 of 5 1 8 1 10 2 450 1616 47 24 96.054359 its 5 1 8 1 10 3 509 1617 56 23 95.783043 IRR. 2 1 9 0 0 0 431 1689 900 62 -1 3 1 9 1 0 0 431 1689 900 62 -1 4 1 9 1 1 0 435 1689 896 27 -1 5 1 9 1 1 1 435 1689 111 21 95.716331 Section 10.3 — In determining the amount of the Medical Allowance, the sanggunians shall exercise prudence and judicious use of government funds, ensuring that the expenditure is reasonable and will not, in any way, adversely affect the delivery of services to the public. 1 Sec. 58. Medical Allowance for the Availment of Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)-type Benefit. An amount not exceeding Seven Thousand Pesos (P7,000) per year is hereby authorized for the grant of Medical Allowance as subsidy to qualified government employees for the availment of HMO-type benefits, subject to the guidelines to be issued by the DBM for the purpose. Page 2 of 4