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I.    RATIONALE

Since 2002, the Department has been administering death and burial claims filed by the beneficiaries of barangay officials who died during their incumbency. The application for claims is processed manually from the DILG Field Offices, to the DILG Regional Offices, then to DILG Central Office and finally to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) for fund allocation. The conventional method of processing claims affects its expeditious settlement.

To improve the quality procedures and timeliness in the settlement of claims, the administration of death and burial claims is now ON-LINE. It is a module under the Barangay Information System (BIS), a system that gathers, stores, maintains data on barangays and generates reports for policy and decision making. The list of deceased barangay officials, which is a basic requirement of the DBM for fund allocation  is  generated  from  the  system  through  the  Death  Benefit  Claims Module.

Hence, the revision of this set of guidelines.

II.   PURPOSE

The Revised Rules and Regulations are hereby issued to facilitate an interactive online processing of death and burial claims through the BIS-Death Benefit Claims Module.

III.  SCOPE/COVERAGE

Pursuant to E.O. 115, the punong barangay, the seven (7) members of the sangguniang barangay, the sangguniang kabataan chairman as ex-officio member of the sanggunian, the barangay secretary, and the barangay treasurer who died during their term of office shall be covered by death benefit claims nationwide.

IV.  DEFINITION OF TERMS

A.   Death  Benefit  -  a  cash  benefit  paid  to  the  beneficiaries  of  deceased barangay officials which includes burial expenses.

B.   Beneficiaries - persons whose names are reflected in the Barangay Official’s Information Sheet (BOIS) that was filed by the deceased at the DILG City/Municipal Office, and those who are covered under Article 887 of the Republic Act No. 386 otherwise known as the New Civil Code. Further, in cases, where claimants are common-law spouse and parents, the latter shall be considered the beneficiary.

V.   GENERAL GUIDELINES

A.   All claims for death benefits pursuant to these rules and regulations shall be processed and settled through the Death Benefit Claim quality procedures of the BIS which can be accessed through URL: www.intranet.dilg.gov.ph (see Annex A.)

B.   The DILG Regional and Field Offices, Financial Management Service (FMS) and National Barangay Operations Office (NBOO) shall designate Focal Division (FD) and Focal Persons (FPs), through the issuance of an appropriate Office Order to facilitate the processing of death benefit claims. A copy of the Order shall be provided to the NBOO for information and reference.

C.   The FD/FPs shall regularly monitor daily the transit of the application for claims in the online BIS-DBC Module and immediately process it within the day.

D.  The transfer of funds to concerned office shall not exceed two (2) working days  upon  receipt  of  the  notice  of  allotment to  facilitate  the  immediate release of the payment of checks.

E.  The check in payment for the claims shall be turned-over to the eligible beneficiaries by the C/MLGOO/CD not exceeding seven (7) working days upon receipt of the fund allocation.

F.  Applications for death benefit claims and the corresponding supporting documents shall be retained at the DILG Provincial/HUC Office to serve as reference in the issuance of checks to claimants.

VI.  CLASSIFICATION OF BENEFICIARIES/CLAIMANTS

A.   The  primary  beneficiaries  are  the  spouse  (widow/widower),  and  the legitimate, legitimated, legally adopted, or illegitimate children of the deceased barangay official.

B.   The secondary beneficiaries are the dependent parents.

C.   In their absence, any other person declared by the deceased barangay officials as beneficiary in the BOIS.

D.  If in case the claimant is not included in the list of beneficiary, he/she must present legal documents to be eligible for the claims.

VII. BENEFITS

A.   The beneficiaries/claimant/s of a deceased Punong Barangay shall receive TWENTY THOUSAND PESOS (Php20,000.00) for death benefit and TWO THOUSAND PESOS (Php2,000.00) for burial expenses.

B.  The beneficiaries/claimant/s of a deceased member of the sangguniang barangay, including the  sangguniang kabataan chairman, barangay secretary and barangay treasurer, shall receive TEN THOUSAND PESOS (Php10,000.00) death benefit and TWO THOUSAND PESOS (Php2,000.00) for burial expenses.

VIII.    REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

A.   Certified true copy of the death certificate of the deceased barangay official.

B.   The claimant shall present any of the following documents, whichever is applicable, when    claiming    payment of  death benefits,    to    DILG Provincial/HUC Offices:

1.   Certified  true  copy  of  Marriage  Certificate,  if  the  claimant  is  the widow/widower of the deceased barangay official; barangay official;

2. Birth Certificate, if the claimant is a son/daughter of the deceased barangay official; 

3. Certified true copy of Birth Certificate of the deceased barangay official or affidavit of two disinterested parties, if the deceased barangay official is single and if the claimant is his/her parent/brother/sister; and,

4.   Government issued Identification (ID) Cards shall be an indispensable requirement along with the other documentary requirements to ensure the personal identity of primary and secondary beneficiaries.

IX.  ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF DILG REGIONAL, FIELD OFFICES, NBOO AND FMS

A.   DILG Independent Component City/Component City/Municipal Office

1. Conduct continuous information dissemination on the death benefits of barangay officials who died during their term of office.
   
   
2. Advise the legal heirs of the deceased officials to immediately file the application for death benefit claims upon death of said officials, using the prescribed application form (see Annex B).
   
   
3. Evaluate application for death benefit claims and the supporting documents as to the accuracy and completeness of data entries.
   
   
4. Process  the  claims  of  the  beneficiaries  of  the  deceased  barangay officials immediately upon receipt of the accomplished application form, and submit to DILG PO for funding allocation, through the online BIS- DBC Module (see Annex A).
   
   
5. Monitor the status of request for fund allocation regularly at the online BIS-DBC Module.
   
   
6. Inform claimant/s once the checks representing the death benefits due them are ready for release and advise them to bring proof when claiming the checks. If claimant cannot personally do the transaction, his/her authorized representative shall present a Special Power of Attorney.
   
   
7. Generate reports through the online BIS-DBC Module for liquidation and other legal purposes.

B.   DILG Highly Urbanized City Office

1. Conduct continuous information dissemination on the death benefits of barangay officials who died during their term of office.
   
   
2. Advise the legal heirs of the deceased official to immediately file the application for death benefit claim upon death of said official, using the prescribed application form (see Annex B).
   
   
3. Evaluate application for death benefit claims and the supporting documents as to the accuracy and completeness of data entries.
   
   
4. Process the claims of the beneficiaries of the DBO immediately upon receipt of the accomplished application form, and submit to DILG RO for funding allocation, through the online BIS-DBC Module (see Annex A).
   
   
5. Monitor the status of request for fund allocation regularly through the online BIS-DBC Module.
   
   
6. Prepare and issue/distribute the check in payment for the claims due the beneficiaries within three (3) working days upon receipt of fund from the Regional Office.
   
   
7. Inform the claimants once the checks are ready for release, and require claimants to present ID/proof when claiming the checks. If claimant/s cannot personally do the transaction, the authorized representative shall present a Special Power of Attorney.
   
   
8. Generate reports for liquidation and other legal purposes.
   
   
9. Prepare  liquidation  documents/report  on  fund  transfer  and  the  total amount disbursed per release covered by NCA, and submit to the Regional Office within fifteen working (15) working days upon receipt of funds.

C.   DILG Provincial Office

1. Conduct continuous information dissemination on the death benefits of barangay officials who died during their term of office.
   
   
2. Process the claims of the beneficiaries of the DBO and submit to DILG RO for funding allocation, through the online BIS-DBC Module (see Annex A).
   
   
3. Monitor the status of request for fund allocation regularly through the online BIS-DBC Module.
   
   
4. Prepare and issue/distribute the checks in payment for the claims due the beneficiaries within five (5) working days upon receipt of funds from the Regional Office.
   
   
5. Inform the CLGOOS/MLGOOs once the checks are ready for release and pick-up by the claimant/s and remind them to advise the claimant/s to bring ID/proof when claiming the check. In case claimant/s cannot personally do the transaction, the authorized representative shall present a Special Power of Attorney.
   
   
6. Generate reports for liquidation and other legal purposes.
   
   
7. Prepare  liquidation  documents/report  on  fund  transfer  and  the  total amount disbursed per released covered by NCA, and submit to the Regional Office within fifteen (15) working days upon receipt of funds.

D.   DILG Regional Office

1. Process the claims of the beneficiaries of the DBO based on the list of names submitted by the POs/HUCs with the corresponding amount for sub-allotment through the online BIS-DBC Module (see Annex A).
   
   
2. Transfer fund allocation to the DILG Provincial/HUC Offices within three (3) working days upon receipt of Advice of Notice of Cash Allocation (NCA).
   
   
3. Consolidate the liquidation reports of the Provincial and HUC Offices per release covered by NCA and provide a copy of the administrative requirement to Regional Commission on Audit (COA), and submit report of disbursement to FMS within fifteen (15) working days, through the online BIS-DBC Module. The hard copy, originally signed, shall be submitted through postal mail.
   
   
4. Generate reports for liquidation and other legal purposes.

E.   DILG National Barangay Operations Office (NBOO)

1. Generate the consolidated list of death benefit claim and the summary of funding requirements through the online BIS-DBC Module and weekly transmit to FMS for funding allocation.
   
   
2. Monitor the effectiveness and efficiency of the online BIS-DBC Module through the conduct of System Assessment annually participated in by Information Technology Officer.
   
   
3. Conduct review of guidelines annually and submit recommendations and/or revision of provisions to further improve the system.

F.   DILG Financial Management Service (FMS)

1. Request funding allocation of the death benefits of deceased barangay officials  from  the  DBM  within  five  (5)  days  after  receipt  of  the consolidated list of DBC and the summary of funding requirements.
   
   
2. Sub-allot to the Regional Offices the fund allocation per NCA within three (3) days upon receipt of SARO from the DBM.
   
   
3. Provide the  Regional Offices the  list  of  deceased barangay officials whose death benefits shall be paid out of the Death Benefits Fund released.
   
   
4. Submit  a  weekly  Statement  of  Allotment,  Obligation  and  Balances (SAOB) and quarterly Financial Accountability Report (FAR) to the DBM and the Resident COA Auditor.

X.   LIMITATIONS TO ENTITLEMENT

No benefits shall be granted to a deceased barangay official if the cause of death is either suicide, or unlawful acts resulting to death.

“Unlawful acts” could mean or refer to acts done by the Punong Barangay or any barangay official which are contrary to law. It is necessarily followed that the evidentiary documents relative thereto shall be dependent on the nature of the case, it should refer to any document or piece/s of evidence.

XI.  SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES

The Department shall have original and exclusive jurisdiction over the settlement of disputes arising from adverse claims and those resulting from the implementation of any provision of these rules. Its decision shall be final and executory, in accordance with the provision of the New Civil Code.

XII. FUNDING

Funds  for  this  purpose  shall  come  from  specified  amount  in  the  General Appropriations Act (GAA) under Barangay Official Death Benefits Fund (BODF).

XIII.   POLICY REVIEW AND EVALUATION

These Revised Rules and Regulations shall be reviewed periodically to ensure the continued smooth administration of the Death and Burial benefits.

XIV.   DISSEMINATION OF THIS ISSUANCE

All  DILG  Regional  Offices  shall  cause  the  widest  dissemination  of  this Memorandum Circular to all concerned.

XV. REPEALING CLAUSE

All existing issuances issued by the DILG which are deemed inconsistent herewith are hereby superseded. Memorandum Circular No. 2008-124 dated August 21, 2008 is hereby cancelled.

XVI.   ANNEXES

Annex A - Instructional Guide Annex B - Application Form Annex C - Flow Chart

XVII.  EFFECTIVITY

This Memorandum Circular shall take effect immediately.

XVIII. APPROVING AUTHORITY


XIX.   FEEDBACK

For related inquiries, kindly use DILG Intranet Chatroom or contact the National Barangay Operations Office (NBOO) at IP local no. 4405 and telephone no. (02)925-0328 or e-mail us at dbceol15@gmail.com.